And what about people like David Blaine or Tom Sietas? Sietas held his breath underwater for over 22 minutes (world record). I know they train for it like months and even years, but doesn’t holding your breath = no oxygen to brain?
Permanent brain damage apparently occurs just after 4 minutes of lack of oxygen to the brain, so why are freedivers left generally unscathed after 8 or 10 minutes without air?
In: Biology
Because they have a beating heart. Apparently there is enough oxygen in the bloodstream to support the brain for a period of time as long as it is actively being moved through the brain. This is why they tried to go to the breathless CPR a few years ago (namely because people wouldn’t do CPR because they didn’t want to put their mouth on another person’s mouth) and it would be better than nothing.
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