It's official...

[KBLee]

I believe I got severe carbon dioxide headaches after boat diving on catalina island. If you are unaware of what these are I will tell you... they come from bad breathing technique and carbon dioxide buildup. So, being the newb I am I need to know the proper way of breathing under water? How do I keep from pausing in my breaths while still having good air consumption?

 

[sea2summit]

All the way in then all the way out to minimize the dead air that is not expeled in a normal respiration. Then dive more, air consumption takes practice. At least that's what everyone keeps telling me......

 

[mikerault]

By chance where you using a tight hood that pulled back on your jaw? When I dove using a semi-dry 7mm suit the hood pulled my jaw back tight into my jaw joint area and I got a killer headache from it. Try pulling the hood that fits over your jaw down so it is just below the edge of your jaw and not pulling the lower jaw in.

Mike

 

[realdiver7]

Deep breaths are more efficient for your body when diving. This reduces the CO2 buildup that causes headaches, and actually causes you to use less air from your tank. Dead air spaces are a part of this equation. I have had severe headaches when diving for long periods of time for several days. Some were due to breathing technique when I first started diving, but some have also been due to a dry hood that was too tight. Some were even from a combination of things like a tight dry hood, and diving inverted on purpose too long to take closeup pictures.

 

[spectrum]

Breathe deep to vent carbon dioxide. Shallow breathing will promote accumulation of carbon dioxide and that can deliver a major post dive headache. Additionally elevated carbon dioxide will intensify your need to breathe resulting in higher air usage.

Attain air better usage by relaxing, gong slow, eliminating wasted movement and by breathing deeply and slowly.

Take a moment to add some information to your profile. But since you say you are new to diving I will tell you to give yourself time to work on this. It comes to each diver in it's own time. Meanwhile dive safe and healthy.

Pete

 

[KBLee]

Yes, I am using an excel 7mm suit with an integrated hood. I will most defidently try pulling the chin part down on my next dive. I have been breathing deeply however i have been holding my breath which according to what i have learned, is called 'skip breathing'. This is most likely my biggest contender. I have one question however... I have read that you actually can hold your breath but you may not to do it while closing your throat. Rather than closing your throat you are to use your diaphragm to hold your breath. Is this true? Keep the suggestion comming! Thanks!

 

[FredT]

skip breathing is a contender for the headache. As a hint pull a 1 min stop at 40' on the way up from a deeper dive and concentrate on deep breaths. Air spent coming up is a good investment. The 40' stop allows the CO2 to blow out a bit better and will reduce the after dive headache.

The second thing to check s your kit and exposure suit. A tight suit Will keep you warm. A VERY tight thick suit will restrict your breathing and ensure a CO2 headache later, as well as pose a significant hazard to you if the world starts to turn brown. The hight CO2 load you'd be carrying would put you significantly closer to panic in a marginally stressful situation.

FT

 

[KBLee]

I dont think that my suit is too tight because when I got it i left a little room to grow (I've grown like another foot this year). It fits perfectly, but i do believe the hood could be posing problems. My dad whom I dive with is having a little hood trouble too. These excel suits I have heard can be uncomfortable.
Thanks!

 

[wallacm]

I used to have the same prolem. I would skip breathe and get headaches. I then started singing a random song or even one that I was making up. It forced me to exhale consitently and take rather smaller intakes, and then after a while of doing that I was able to stop singing and still have good consumption and no headaches.

 

[mudhole]

I believe I got severe carbon dioxide headaches after boat diving on catalina island. If you are unaware of what these are I will tell you... they come from bad breathing technique and carbon dioxide buildup. So, being the newb I am I need to know the proper way of breathing under water? How do I keep from pausing in my breaths while still having good air consumption?

There may be many causes of the headaches, try correcting each source in your future dives. All new divers try to control their breathing. . . don't do anything special, breathe at the same rate and depth of breath as above water. Just don't worry about it, breathe at your natural rate. Any attempt a breath holding, Skip or whatever, will make things worse. Your air consumption will improve when you gain experience. (period) If your time is too far different than your partner, one of you change tank size so your times will even out.

Your wet suit hood is the most likely culprit. Hoods are the hardest part of cold water diving, talk to your dive shop about renting, or trying before you buy different brands, different size, different thickness.

When your equipment is comfortable, it will take several dives; work to become comfortable at your dive sites, location, depth, currents. . . After experience make all these variables familiar. . . no more air consumption problem. Keep blowing bubbles, as often and as many as it takes to make you comfortable.