Huge air consumption even after +200 dives

[lowwall]

12 second exhale is not very relaxed, because I need to resist that I don't exhale faster. 8s exhale is relaxing and I don't have think about that.

I have now 350 dives, and been professional for around 200 dives.

We could do fun dives, but I already dive 5-7x/week, so don't have time and motivation for fun diving. My ears struggle with this schedule already (infection now and then).

Yeah I have AI (Suunto ocean + pod), but that always tells me weird SAC rates. Usually lot lower or higher than they usually are. Like yesterday I had 65L/min SAC according to Suunto.

I've been trying that pulsing method, but I just feel that I suffocate while doing that.

Almost impossible to get steel tanks here... Gotta try to inhale slower.

Don't know about PADI tests, but SSI test are easy. I think it was 250m swim and I swim usually 1,5-2km in pool

Yes I stress a lot underwater (customers, navigation, visibility, can I find anything nice to show to customers etc). Even that I know my dive sites very well, I still stress that I get lost.

I had week ago weird morning dives where everything went super well:
- Slept almost 5 hours (Usually I can sleep 2-4hours)
- Good Viz
- Familiar dive site
- Familiar customers
- 0 current
- Mask didn't leak. I have beard, so mask usually always leaks so much, that I have to empty mask every 2-3 minutes.

My SAC rate for both of those 2 morning dives were 13l/min! And I felt so relaxed and chilled underwater.

But after that even I had similar conditions (but normal 2-4h/night sleeps), my SAC went back to 17l, and been on that since

Shave occasionally (stubble won't mess with your mask seal) and deal with whatever is causing your sleep problems. No one can perform optimally on that little sleep. Being able to sleep only 2-4 hours a night is typically a symptom of serious physical/psychological issues.

 

[Tycksel]

Shave occasionally (stubble won't mess with your mask seal) and deal with whatever is causing your sleep problems. No one can perform optimally on that little sleep. Being able to sleep only 2-4 hours a night is typically a symptom of serious physical/psychological issues.

I always shave maybe 5mm under my nose and also use chapstick before dive. It doesn't help 100% but little bit help at least.

Been suffering from this insomnia over 10 years, tried bunch of different meds & doctors, but no help. I've used to this though. Can't even member when I've had over 5h/night sleep

 

[lowwall]

I always shave maybe 5mm under my nose and also use chapstick before dive. It doesn't help 100% but little bit help at least.

Been suffering from this insomnia over 10 years, tried bunch of different meds & doctors, but no help. I've used to this though. Can't even member when I've had over 5h/night sleep

I feel for you. Tough to imagine life like that.

 

[CT-Rich]

I am a big guy, 201cm and 105 kg. my SAC is kind of in the sh*tz, mostly because big guys have big lungs. I do find my air consumption is much better when I am solo diving (not looking after others or feeling the need to accomplish anyone else's goals makes my dives much less stressful). Have you thought of asking the shop to not include any tourists on your assigned dives? It will reduce your stress and make leading the dives much more relaxed....

 

[CT-Rich]

A more serious answer. Get a new mask. If you need to clear your mask every couple of minutes, you are wasting air and creating unneeded stress. Mask fit is probably the low hanging fruit in improving your air consumption. I am really hard to fit for masks, the LDS doesn't carry a single mask I like and I have spent days searching for a replacement on line from the same manufacturer as I had when the lens was broken on the mask I had been using for ten years.

Because of my height, I put up with mediocre fit on a lot of stuff. the mask is the one that I won't compromise on. You might also invest in a custom fitted mouth piece for your regulator. They are not expensive, but if you are gripping an uncomfortable mouth piece, you are creating tension through the rest of your body.

 

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

@Tycksel CT-Rich is correct. Clearing your mask constantly wastes air several different ways, and you'd definitely have a better sac rate if you didn't need to do that. Try other masks, maybe lose the beard, but that would definitely help

 

[Tycksel]

A more serious answer. Get a new mask. If you need to clear your mask every couple of minutes, you are wasting air and creating unneeded stress. Mask fit is probably the low hanging fruit in improving your air consumption. I am really hard to fit for masks, the LDS doesn't carry a single mask I like and I have spent days searching for a replacement on line from the same manufacturer as I had when the lens was broken on the mask I had been using for ten years.

Because of my height, I put up with mediocre fit on a lot of stuff. the mask is the one that I won't compromise on. You might also invest in a custom fitted mouth piece for your regulator. They are not expensive, but if you are gripping an uncomfortable mouth piece, you are creating tension through the rest of your body.

I've tried dozens different masks, but this Xdeep frameless fits best. Also it works best for the other bearded guys in our shop too. Many masks have felt very good in the surface (even with reg on), but underwater they have been leaked like hell. Good thing we have lot of demo masks in our dive shop, so didn't have to buy and test all.

I have also custom mouthpiece. That has been gold and recommended that to everyone.

 

[prusas]

I can advise as a freediver. Air consumption depends a lot on mental activity underwater. Try to make your thoughts lazy and your gaze scattered, i.e. not focus. Try to enter a meditative state.

 

[Tycksel]

I can advise as a freediver. Air consumption depends a lot on mental activity underwater. Try to make your thoughts lazy and your gaze scattered, i.e. not focus.

I think you are totally right. I have also little bit of ADHD, so my mind is constantly going from place to place. Even little bad thought (like when I'm not sure about navigation), raises my heartbeat and of course that affects my air consumption too

 

[bshonesy]

So your respiration rate is regulated by the amount of CO2 circulating in your blood. Of course that’s going to rise when you’re expending more energy, either by over-working, and you’ve already addressed that you’re doing everything you can to be in trim etc. So the remaining thing that can be “modified” is your cardiovascular fitness. As others have mentioned, you have a BMI of 32, if you can get that under 25 I think you’ll be surprised how much excess weight you’re carrying. I had a BMI of 31 at the beginning of last year and lost 30 kg and I couldn’t believe how much my stamina and air consumption improved.

Beyond that, as I said, your air consumption is being driven by the CO2 in your blood. So find a way to lower that, but just trying to “control your breathing” as we hear literally all the time is actually potentially dangerous. Some people breath more air than others even when they’re at the top of their individual fitness level. You’re taller than average so you’re probably always going to consume more than average. Trying to breath less is like trying to ask your brain to please use less oxygen.