Super tired after diving.

[MaxE]

I'm a new diver with not many dives done yet. I have noticed after my last two days diving that a few hours I get off the boat in super tired. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I talk a nap and back to normal. I work a physical job outside in direct sun in southern Louisiana so it's not the heat, or sun. I don't feel like I exert myself physically. I'm sure I. Mentally more alert and active while I'm under water as it's still kinda new. I have read that people who dive nitrox claim to feel better after their dives. I dot understand the physiology of why I feel so tired, is this normal or am I attributing my being tired to diving when it's something else?

 

[Bopper]

I used to have similar issues. Here's a thread about it. My last post in the thread provides the "update" and the apparent solution (for me at least).

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Rapid ascents to the surface are common in new divers and cause bubbles. Many people feel nitrogen bubbles cause fatigue. Also many people have reported feeling less fatigue doing deep stops. That lets a fraction of the absorbed gas to offgas prior to hitting the surface. With conventional fast ascents most of your off gassing happens after the dive. Of course nitrox helps reduce nitrogen load since there is less to absorb in the first place. Possibly the best thing to do is to really slow down the last 10 feet of your ascent. If you do that you may feel less fatigue.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

Are you including a safety stop at the end of your dives?

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Odds are that you're suffering from New Diver Syndrome.
Whether you realize it or not, you're quite likely moving far more than necessary and holding a lot of tension in your muscles.
Relax. Drift. Stop moving. Relax more. You're still not relaxed. Stop worrying about it, enjoy your nap (preferably on the beach, with a tasty frozen tropical drink at your elbow) and dive more. Over time, you'll relax.


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Really.

 

[KeithG]

a common (subconcious) new diver behaviour is to constantly hand scull and bicycle with your feet. even when "stationary" in the water column. many do this withot realizing it.

check to see if you are doing this as it burns a lot of energy.

you may just be swimming constantly as well. pushing water is very hard. slow down, don't swim so fast and take some time to look at all the little things you are zooming by.

one testfor hand sculling is to stick your hands in your pockets or under your other arm pit to ensure they stay motionless.

 

[MaxE]

I took 3 minute saftey stops at 15ft both dives. There was little to no current so was not fighting that. For the most part my hands were under my chest/chin and one hand grasping the other wrist. I do have a tendency to bicycle a little bit but I don't think too much. I think I was fairly relaxed for a new diver and was one of the last divers back on the boat. (The spear fisherman can suck some air fast). I was over hydrated for sure. My initial search of the topic found nothing then I post and it lists similar topics. It seems likely that I could slow downy ascent, especially the last 15-20 ft and extend the safety stop. I not supper old and reasonably fit but when I nap and while my 2yr old plays on the bed I'm tired. It also was not instant tired an hour or two after the dive when winding down.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

One other problem could be the boat itself. I used to be tired and sore after diving from a friend's boat all the time. I finally realized that with the constant rocking on his boat I was grabbing hand rails and steadying myself by bending my knees while standing. After several hours of this my muscles felt like I'd been playing basketball all day.

 

[Nemrod]

Your brain is running at high output making millions of new calculations subconsciously and consciously because you are in a new environment to you. The brain is building circuits and building in memories or code if you will. You are tired and your brain is tired.

N

 

[00wabbit]

I used to be wiped out after dives. As I have gotten more comfortable I am more refreshed and re-energized than wiped out.

Any new dive that puts me out of my acquired comfort level will increase me stress level a bit and I will be more tired after.

For me it wasn't as much the physical aspect of the dive. It was more the mental stress of doing something new, wanting to perform well, monitoring and worrying over my bouyancy and ascents, worrying about silting up the bottom etc. etc.
As I have gotten more confident in my skills those stresses fade and don't wear me out so much anymore.

Now I'm just tired if I have to get up early to dive because I'm not a morning person