This is how people can hold their breath for tens of minutes. Check out our sponsor: https://betterhelp.com/veritasium to get matched with a professional therapist who will listen and help.
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A huge thanks to Brandon Birchak for all his help with this video: https://eliteperformancedesign.uscreen.io/
A special thanks to Juan Valdivia for his expert advice on the science of extreme breath holding.
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References:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). How your body controls breathing. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. - https://ve42.co/BodyBreathing
Anatomy, autonomic nervous system - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.-a). - https://ve42.co/ANS
Biochemistry, oxidative phosphorylation - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.-c). - https://ve42.co/ncbiATP
Acidosis. Acidosis - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). - https://ve42.co/Acidosis
Evaluation of respiratory alkalosis. Evaluation of respiratory alkalosis - Differential diagnosis of symptoms | BMJ Best Practice US. (n.d.). - https://ve42.co/Alkalosis
Wilmshurst, P. (1998, October 10). Diving and Oxygen. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). - https://ve42.co/DivingO
López-Barneo, J., Ortega-Sáenz, P., Pardal, R., Pascual, A., & Piruat, J. I. (2008). Carotid body oxygen sensing. European Respiratory Journal, 32(5), 1386-1398. - https://ve42.co/Barneo2008
Jeff, & Huffy. (2022, November 17). The Bolt score test: Measure your breathing volume capacity. Marathon Handbook. - https://ve42.co/BOLT
Lindholm, P., & Lundgren, C. E. (2009). The physiology and pathophysiology of human breath-hold diving. Journal of Applied Physiology, 106(1), 284-292. - https://ve42.co/Lindholm2009
Physiology, lung capacity - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.-c). - https://ve42.co/LungCapacity
Panneton, W. M., & Gan, Q. (2020). The mammalian diving response: inroads to its neural control. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, 524. - https://ve42.co/Panneton2020
Baković, D., Eterović, D., Saratlija‐Novaković, X., Palada, I., Valic, Z., Bilopavlović, N., & Dujić, X. (2005). Effect of human splenic contraction on variation in circulating blood cell counts. Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology, 32(11), 944-951. https://ve42.co/Bakovic2005
Gooden, B. (1971). The diving response in man, rat and echidna (Doctoral dissertation). - https://ve42.co/Gooden1971
Longest duration breath hold - freediving static apnea (male). Guinness World Records. (n.d.). - https://ve42.co/DivingRecord
What’s the longest a human can hold their breath underwater? BBC Science Focus Magazine. (n.d.). - https://ve42.co/Southwell2023
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Directed by Derek Muller
Written by Felicity Nelson and Derek Muller
Edited by Trenton Oliver
Animated by Ivy Tello
Filmed by Derek Muller
Produced by Derek Muller
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Pond5
Music from Epidemic Sound