Ways Scuba Divers Can Conserve Air Scuba Diving

Human Factors in Addressing Excessive Air Consumption on Scuba Gear

Aug 29, 2009
Bruce Iliff

Scuba Divers Should Work on Not Wasting Air - Bruce ILIFF

There are a number of strategies that a scuba diver can implement to reduce air consumption. Human factors can have an impact on the amount of air used on a scuba dive.

For a safe, enjoyable scuba dive, a diver should work on not wasting precious air from the scuba tank.

Breathe Slow and Deeply to Conserve Scuba Air

One of the best ways for a scuba diver to conserve air scuba diving is to breathe properly on scuba equipment. It seems strange as breathing is a natural instinct, but breathing when underwater on scuba needs to be controlled.

The breathing needs to be slow, regular and deep enough to fill the lungs. This type of slow breathing allows the body to absorb enough oxygen.

Breaths should be not too deep, but just comfortable. Taking huge drafts of air from the regulator can lead to hyperventilation problems.

Short, shallow breaths are usually the symptom of an anxious diver. This type of breathing doesn’t allow enough oxygen to be absorbed into the body’s cells and can exacerbate the anxiety cycle.

Slow Down on the Scuba Dive to Conserve Air

Scuba diving is not a competition. There is nothing to gain from being the diver who covers the most amount of ground underwater. The only healthy competition between scuba divers should be who comes up with the most air in the tank after the dive. Winning this competition can be assisted by taking a slow, relaxed approach to each dive.

Use the Environment to Assist Moving Underwater to Conserve Air

The environment should be used to advantage to move around underwater. The scuba dive plan should use the current to the best advantage. That is, consider the direction of the current and address the decision which way to go first.

The current should be used to move wherever possible; rather than trying to swim against it. In some situations with a reasonably strong current flowing, it may be possible for a diver with good buoyancy skills to hang upright in the water and let the current take them along for the ride.

In some dive sites, such as close in to a small island, the ocean swells may impact on the diver underwater. In this situation, the scuba diver should use the swells by only swimming when the waves are in the right direction; stop when the wave recedes and then swim forward again on the next swell.

To Conserve Air, Get Scuba Dive Fit out of the Water

There are many advantages in getting scuba dive fit out of the water.

It would be expected that a fit and healthy diver is more efficient than an unhealthy diver. And therefore would use less oxygen. Even if this assumption wasn’t true, there are the many other well know reasons for getting, and keeping, fit and healthy.

When out of the water, scuba divers should concentrate on techniques to improve breathing. Yoga, relaxing breathing techniques, and focussing on stress reduction out of the water can all improve a scuba diver’s air consumption. Anything to make a relaxed, easy breathing diver.

Aerobic exercise when not scuba diving that works the heart and lungs will build strength in these areas that will improve air conservation while underwater.

Possibly the best way to address the human elements of improving air consumption is by simply diving regularly. Regular scuba diving will build “dive fitness” with accompanying decrease in air consumption.

Other areas to look at in decreasing air consumption while scuba diving are scuba diving techniques and equipment issues.