Freediving is all about listening to your body

Practicing any type of breath-holding activity, whether it is freediving or yoga and meditation, you will often hear your instructor urge you to listen to your body, but what does that really mean for a freediver?

Taking a simple look into the physiological reactions your body and organs give while practicing freediving, based on the theoretical part of the beginner freediving training, “The Phyisyology of Freediving” , a noticeable reaction happens inside your body.

As you are starting your journey with freediving, it is essential for the freediver to learn the physiological reactions that occur to understand the perceived changes that happen inside the body, which can be considered a huge progression milestone to develop and understand the sport.

The main noticeable physiological reactions your body gives while practicing freediving are when your face is submerged in the water while holding your breath, your body starts talking to you, and your brain takes over control. Your sensory receptors start to give a reaction, activating the mammalian dive reflex.

The Mammalian Dive Reflex

As referred to in the medical article “Physiology, Diving Reflex” by Devon Godek and Andrew M. Freeman, the mammalian dive reflex is considered a protective reaction that occurs in both humans and mammals’ bodies and can be described as a series of different physiological changes as a response to submerging in water (Godek & M. Freeman, 2022).

It involves a great aspect of the slowing heart rate effect, and this noticeable reaction takes place while a mammal is diving and being submerged in water while holding breath. Another perceived effect is vascular system preferential basoconstriction, which tightens the blood vessels so you have less blood that goes to the non-essential muscles as the blood would flow to the vital organs and then travel where it gets distributed to the other organs, but mainly the heart and brain (Godek & M. Freeman, 2022).

The mammalian dive reflex can be perceived as a very complicated but unique reaction that has many other phisyological changes and aspects that trigger the body, as well as other perceived changes upheld inside the body simply to adapt to the current environment.

Are you interested in learning more?

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Disclaimer 1: To maintain transparency, it’s important to note that Daniel Schönenberg freedive instructor is my spouse, and I have been overseeing the marketing efforts for his freedive section in mantacruz dive center. 

Disclaimer 2: Never dive alone. Freediving should only be done with a certified instructor or a certified safety diver. 

Disclaimer 3: Note, the information is provided for reference only, and is not a substitute for formal training. We strongly recommended that you complete a freediving course before taking up freediving in any form. 

Disclaimer 4: Additional physiological responses are associated with the mammalian dive reflex; for more detailed information, please refer to the provided citation or conduct a search using the specified term.

Citation: 

Godek, D., and Andrew M. Freeman (2022, September 26). Physiology, diving reflex StatPearls: NCBI Bookshelf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538245/#:~:text=The%20dive%20reflex%20has%20been%20described%20as%20a%20series%20of,quite%20simple%3A%20to%20preserve%20life.