The Mammalian Diving Reflex | Freedive Earth

Register | Login | Logout

Freediving & Spearfishing's Ultimate Community

HOME

NEWS

GUIDE

EVENTS

MEDIA

SHOP

FIND A BUDDY

SCHOOLS

FORUM

The Mammalian Diving Reflex

BLOG

CATEGORIES
Search

Competition And
Records
Discussion

USER MENU
Log In
Register

Gear, Equipment
& Products
HOT NEWS
Interviews
Lifestyle
Photography
Physiology Of
Freediving
Results

ADD YOUR
FREEDIVING
SCHOOL,
INSTRUCTOR
PROFILE OR
EVENT TO THE
BIGGEST
DIRECTORY
ONLINE.
SIMPLY REGISTER
AND ADD YOUR
NEW FREEDIVING
COMPETITION OR
SCHOOL.

Safety
Science &
Research

NEWSLETTER
Theories
Who's Who

BLOG

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/mammalian-diving-reflex[5/16/2016 1:16:48 PM]

Subscribe to the Freedive

Earth newsletter for the latest
news and future event and
competition updates from
around the world.

The Mammalian Diving Reflex | Freedive Earth

Email Address *

TAGS
Freediving
Photography

First Name

CWT

world
record

AIDA

The mammalian diving reflex is a unique set of evolutionary

adaptations that are left over from the time when all life developed in
the oceans. The diving reflex, as well as the swimming reflex, are an
inherent part of human nature and can be observed in newborns and
infants who are placed in the aquatic environment.
Despite the fact that the majority of mammalian species have lost
many of the biological ties that connect us to the oceans (ie. lungs
dont function particularly well underwater), we are still inherently
related to our ocean dwelling ancestors and the diving reflex is a
remnant of some of the features that allowed those relatives pf the past
to survive in the aquatic environment.
The diving reflex is triggered when a mammals face comes in contact
or is submerged in cool water. When this occurs, receptors are
activated within the nasal and sinus cavities as well as areas in the
face which are connected to the trigeminal nerve. Information that the
face has encountered water is transmitted to the brain and the
autonomic nervous system though the vagal nerve, resulting in the
immediate closure of the airway as well as a number of physiological

Subscribe

VB14

FIM
CNF

MEDIA OF THE
WEEK

Bahamas

Vertical
Blue

Freediving movie
"Pressure" released on
Vimeo

Competition
More

RECENT
COMMENTS
good
question.6
months 2 days
ago

FREEDIVERS
Johnny Sunnex
Goran Colak

Marianna Krupnitskaya

Michael

Board
Natalia
Molchanova
Misuzu
Okamoto
Mateusz
Malina
Daan

changes to occur in order to optimize the bodys conservation of

oxygen. The changes that begin upon initiation of the diving reflex
include:

Verhoeven
Miguel

1. A reduction of the heart rate (bradycardia) by approximately 10-25%

Lozano
Kate

occurs immediately upon facial contact with water (even simply

splashing the face with water will achieve this effect). The slowing of the

Middleton
Alexey

heart rate reduces the rate of oxygen entering the bloodstream allowing
the body to conserve oxygen and for vital organs to more efficiently use

Molchanov

it. For freedivers, the result of bradycardia is extension of time spent

underwater.
2. Peripheral vasoconstriction (the narrowing of blood vessels to reduce
blood flow through the muscular contraction of the blood vessel walls)
which takes place with slight increases in atmospheric pressure resulting
from immersion in water. Capillaries in the extremities (fingers, toes,
hands, feet, arms, and then legs) begin to constrict which restricts blood

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/mammalian-diving-reflex[5/16/2016 1:16:48 PM]

William
Trubridge

More

The Mammalian Diving Reflex | Freedive Earth

flow to those areas and directs it towards the vital organs, which include
the heart, lungs, and brain - all of which are fueled by significantly
higher amounts of oxygen than other peripheral organs.
3. Blood shift: upon diving the atmospheric pressure increases with depth
where according to boyles law, the lungs and the air contained inside of
them will compress as the freedover descends beneath the surface. Due
to the peripheral vasoconstriction initiated by the diving reflex, blood
will be shunted from the extremities into the vital organs and thoracic
(chest) cavity resulting in a higher percentage of blood volume in this
area that will occupy the space created by the compression of the air
inside of the lungs. Blood, which is similar in many forms to ocean water
will not be able to be compressed due to its liquid/fluid nature and will
retain its volume regardless of the depth that a diver may reach. Since
the blood fills the empty space caused by the compression of air at depth
(the result of a pressure differential in the lungs), the lungs will not
collapse due to the increased atmospheric pressures experienced. Blood
shift also occurs in the other organs of the body in a similar manner and
with the same result.
4. Splenic contraction: as part of the diving reflex, the spleen will
experience contractions when a diver is subjected to the atmospheric
pressures of depth. Typically, the spleen acts as a reservoir for large
volumes of blood which are circulated through it and in conjunction with
the volumes of blood required by the blood shift discussed above, the
spleen will contract and subsequently release blood into the circulatory
system. The additional volume of blood that enters the body as a result
of the splenic contraction will not only increase the amount of oxygen
available to the system, but also help to increase the supportive fluid
capabilities of the blood in the bodys lungs and other organs.
The mammalian diving reflex is an evolutionary adaptation that allows us to
dive underwater for extended periods of time. In response to facial contact
and submersion in water, the diving reflex will be activated resulting in a
decrease in heart rate (bradycardia) which is magnified by states of apnea
and increased atmospheric pressure, the diversion of blood from the
extremities to the thoracic cavity (peripheral vasoconstriction), the
movement of blood into the lungs and other vital organs to prevent collapse
at depth (blood shift), and splenic contractions with aid in the blood shift at
greater depths and pressures. As freedivers, the mammalian dive reflex is
essential to being able to remain underwater for extended periods of time
and it can be strengthened overtime to improve diving performance through
experience and intentional/directed practice.

Sources:
Espersen, K., Frandsen, H., Lorentzen, T., Kanstrup, I. L., & Christensen,
N. J. (2002). The human spleen as an erythrocyte reservoir in divingrelated interventions. Journal of Applied Physiology, 92(5), 2071-2079.
Gooden, B. A. (1994). Mechanism of the human diving response.
Integrative physiological and behavioral science, 29(1), 6-16.
Lin, Y. C. (1982). Breath-hold diving in terrestrial mammals. Exercise
and sport sciences reviews, 10(1), 270-307.
Muth, C. M., Ehrmann, U., & Radermacher, P. (2005). Physiological and

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/mammalian-diving-reflex[5/16/2016 1:16:48 PM]

The Mammalian Diving Reflex | Freedive Earth

clinical aspects of apnea diving. Clinics in chest medicine, 26(3), 381394.

Palada, I., Eterovi, D., Obad, A., Bakovic, D., Valic, Z., Ivancev, V., ...
& Dujic, Z. (2007). Spleen and cardiovascular function during short
apneas in divers. Journal of Applied Physiology, 103(6), 1958-1963.
Paulev, P. E., Pokorski, M., Honda, Y., Ahn, B., Masuda, A., Kobayashi,
T., ... & Nakamura, W. (1990). Facial cold receptors and the survival
reflex" diving bradycardia" in man. The Japanese journal of physiology,
40(5), 701-712.
Scholander, P. F. (1964). The master switch of life. Scientific American,
(209), 92-106.
Blog tags:
freediving
apnea
mammalian
dive reflex
Physiology
Blog categories:
Physiology Of Freediving
Science & Research
Log in or register to post comments

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Spencer Ash
I am currently a marine conservation graduate student at the
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS)
where I am focusing on the the interaction between the oceans and
human health - although, at the moment, my research is on the
mitigation of the effects that invasive exotic plant species have in
South Florida's mangrove forests. At RSMAS, I am also developing
the curriculum for a program for Scientific Freediving for
Underwater Research, which is being designed for use at all marine
science institutions. As an avid freediver, when I am not in the field
you can find me on the water where I promote ethical-subsistence
spearfishing, document and remove marine debris, volunteer as an
apnea competition safety diver, and explore the deep blue (because
why not?). www.theAquaticAdvocate.com

GET INVOLVED
Register
Add Your Event

USER LOGIN
Username or e-mail *

Add Your School

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/mammalian-diving-reflex[5/16/2016 1:16:48 PM]

COMPETITION
EVENTS
Carribean CUP 2016
Competition date:

The Mammalian Diving Reflex | Freedive Earth

Forum

Password *

Comment
Website by Martin Toole Web
Developer & Underwater
Photography Wales

Log in using OpenID

Create new account
Request new password
Log in

TRAINING EVENTS

3
FREEDIVING
SCHOOLS

109
FREEDIVING
COMPETITIONS

05/24/2016 - 12 to 05/31/2016
- 12
Nirvana OceanQuest
Competition date:
06/03/2016 - 12 to 06/09/2016
- 12
2016 USOA SPEARFISHING
NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Competition date:
06/23/2016 (All day) to
06/24/2016 (All day)
AIDA Pool World
Championships 2016 Finland
Competition date:
06/24/2016 - 12 to 07/02/2016
- 12
Bonaire DeepSea Challenge
2016
Competition date:
09/02/2016 (All day) to
09/10/2016 (All day)

TRAINING CAMP
EVENTS
Umberto Pellizari y-40
Deepest Pool Freediving
Course
12/04/2015 - 19 to 12/05/2015
- 19
GO DEEP ASIA 2015 with
Alexey Molchanov
12/09/2015 (All day) to
12/11/2015 (All day)
Freediving training camp in
Bali (Indonesia)
01/21/2016 - 11 to 02/04/2016
- 11
5 Day High Performance
Alexey Molchanov Training
Camp
02/04/2016 (All day) to
02/09/2016 (All day)
The Original Freediving
Training Camp- Dominica,
02/11/2016 (All day)

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/mammalian-diving-reflex[5/16/2016 1:16:48 PM]