John Reinertson
Guest
The earlier replies nicely summarize the main determinants of metabolism (rate of oxygen consumption and/orCO2 production)= effort+ basal metabolism+ temperature regulation.
From the fact that it is worsening, it probably partially relates to peer pressure producing a low-grade anxiety.
Humans have performance anxiety about other things than the obvious one discussed on HBO, and accelerated breathing rate is a universal response to the heightened alertness that goes with it.
Your letter alludes to feeling stressed and shunned by the air consumption issue, and that sort of thing is guaranteed to increase performance anxiety.
Anemia will increase breathing rate, but does so as a relatively linear proportion over most degrees of anemia. You're roughly ten percent lower than average Hemoglobin, and would be expected to breathe about ten percent faster based on that.
That's a factor, but not a big one.
The best way to get past performance anxiety is to practice in a low-stress situation, and when you catch yourself worrying about your consumption, switch your attention calmly to another subject.
You may want to try a pool dive or other shallow dive with some distracting task to do. Let your buddy watch your air and the time, but don't ask him/her, just let him keep an eye on your computer and watch. That way you can dive without any reference to time or air and can focus on just diving and the task.. This will let you shift some of your attention away from air consumption and back to the best parts of diving.
Naturally, do this with an understanding and trusted buddy.
Others on the board may be able to share ways that they got past the "air-consumption-anxiety demon" and get back to the best of diving.
It's a common problem with new divers, but can affect anyone.
Good luck. Diving's great even when you're stressed, but it's much better relaxed.
John Reinertson
From the fact that it is worsening, it probably partially relates to peer pressure producing a low-grade anxiety.
Humans have performance anxiety about other things than the obvious one discussed on HBO, and accelerated breathing rate is a universal response to the heightened alertness that goes with it.
Your letter alludes to feeling stressed and shunned by the air consumption issue, and that sort of thing is guaranteed to increase performance anxiety.
Anemia will increase breathing rate, but does so as a relatively linear proportion over most degrees of anemia. You're roughly ten percent lower than average Hemoglobin, and would be expected to breathe about ten percent faster based on that.
That's a factor, but not a big one.
The best way to get past performance anxiety is to practice in a low-stress situation, and when you catch yourself worrying about your consumption, switch your attention calmly to another subject.
You may want to try a pool dive or other shallow dive with some distracting task to do. Let your buddy watch your air and the time, but don't ask him/her, just let him keep an eye on your computer and watch. That way you can dive without any reference to time or air and can focus on just diving and the task.. This will let you shift some of your attention away from air consumption and back to the best parts of diving.
Naturally, do this with an understanding and trusted buddy.
Others on the board may be able to share ways that they got past the "air-consumption-anxiety demon" and get back to the best of diving.
It's a common problem with new divers, but can affect anyone.
Good luck. Diving's great even when you're stressed, but it's much better relaxed.
John Reinertson
). When I breath through a regulator it is more like gasping in and coughing out - but not because I am panicked - I do that even when on dry land. He told me to try sipping the air but that made me swallow a lot of the air and then I was burping through the remainder of the dive.
