Air Consumption in Scuba Diving
You know when you're on a dive and you look at everyone's air tanks at the end? Some people are almost empty, and others still have half a tank left. It might seem odd, but it makes sense. Everybody is different, and we all use air at different rates. Keeping track of air is something every diver needs to do, you can’t dive with no air after all, but different bodies have different oxygen needs. There are actually a few things that you can do in order to decrease your oxygen consumption, and hopefully stay diving for longer.
On average women use up less oxygen than men do. This is one of the benefits that comes with being on average, physically smaller. Having a smaller body size means we have smaller lungs, and so we intake less oxygen with each breath. The upside? We can usually go on dives with the same amount of air but for longer without needing to surface. If you’re short or petite, this benefit also most likely applies to you.
Going diving is often a peaceful experience, and the more relaxed you are the slower you’ll breathe. The slower breathing rate means you’ll use up the air you have much more slowly. As you get used to the experience of diving, it’s likely that your air consumption will get better as well. The better your physical fitness is, the less air you’ll need to keep your body going for longer.
It's not all you though – the diving depth you’re at will also have a significant impact on your air consumption. As you descend into the depths, the pressure on you increases, and as a result the air in your tank becomes compressed. As you inhale, you take in more air. As you go deeper, the water will naturally become colder which can also increase stress levels and as a result increase breathing rate. If you’re planning deeper dives, you’ll need to monitor your air consumption more closely than if you’re just diving in shallow waters.
Okay, so now you might be wondering what you can do to decrease your air consumption. The answer is actually a few things. Firstly, you can master your kicking -- by making each of your kicks more efficient, you can increase how far you go with each breath. This also involves doing your best to stay physically fit and active. Another option is to learn specific breathing techniques. You’ll find a lot of breathing techniques out there, and the key is to find what works for you. Personally, I prefer trying to actively slow down my breathing by taking longer breaths both in and out, however some people recommend breathing in fast and out slowly.
No matter what you do air consumption is always going to range between people. How long you can dive for is not a competition, rather it’s about finding what works for your body. There’s no shame in having a high consumption rate either, if you have a great diving experience. The more you scuba dive, the easier it will get!