How long do you catch your breath after you’ve done cardio? Most people can fill the oxygen void within a few minutes. But others may require an hour or more. Similar to how your body demands more oxygen when doing extra work, it requires less oxygen when it isn’t as active.
When you lay down to sleep or rest, you intend to recover from the fatigue and exhaustion of the day. So it’s natural that all your senses lower.
Your nervous system isn’t as active or responsive, which is why you aren’t as alert. And as you get more comfortable, the senses become even less heightened.
Since the brain isn’t putting in much effort, it requires less oxygen. Therefore, your oxygen saturation when you rest is likely to be a few points lower than in normal circumstances.
What is normal?
When running a marathon or climbing up a hill, it’s natural to feel breathless. During intense activity, your body’s requirement for oxygen increases. However, that’s not the case when your body is resting completely.
Thankfully, we don’t have to conduct exhaustive research to determine the normal oxygen saturation level. Instead, we can rely on years of studies and well-acclaimed scientific papers.
As per these studies, a normal level falls anywhere between 95% to 100%. This number reflects the requirements of a healthy, young individual.
The number will decrease if you change the variables a tad bit. For instance, patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder have a normal level of about 88% to 92%. Similarly, you may find that women tend to have an oxygen saturation.
What is the lowest you can survive with?
You’ve heard heroic tales of mountain climbers and adventurers exploring the ocean’s depths and hiking to the tallest peak. In all of these stories, there’s a common adversary.
It’s neither the man’s will to stay in his comfort zone nor is it the weather conditions. But it’s the oxygen deprivation that threatens us all.
No matter how great a hero you are, there’s no more you can do when your lungs give out. But that raises the question, how little is too little?
Since the normal saturation falls between 95% to 100%, anything lower than 80% is deemed a serious hazard.
If your blood oxygen level is near 80 or lower, your brain function will likely be affected. And as more time passes, the risk of permanent damage becomes more concrete.
At this level, the damage isn’t immediate. Instead, it’s something that becomes apparent with time. But suppose you’re ever in a situation where the oxygen is below 19.5%.
In that case, the air is officially too oxygen-deficient to function. At lower than 10%, you risk fainting and falling unconscious. And once you get below 8%, the damage may be fatal.
Can it kill you?
If you’ve been out of practice, running a mile or two might feel like they’ll be the death of you. By the time you reach a stop, your lungs are working overtime to meet the oxygen demand.
Additionally, your muscles begin anaerobic respiration in hopes of keeping up. However, the oxygen shortage during that time is seldom the cause of anyone’s death.
But that doesn’t mean oxygen deprivation can’t prove fatal. If the oxygen in the atmosphere drops drastically, your brain function will most likely halt within 10 minutes. Oxygen deprivation can result in permanent nerve damage even if you’re saved before the time runs up.
When should you go to the hospital?
Just like any other ailment, prevention is better than cure. You can’t defer a trip to the hospital until the damage is irreversible.
You can afford a slight deviation from the normal oxygen saturation. Anywhere from 88% to 100% doesn’t ring a warning signal. But once it gets lower than 88%, the problem becomes persistent.
If the oximeter measures an abnormally low oxygen count, it’s recommended to consult a doctor immediately. Furthermore, staying alert for any changes in your breathing pattern that become persistent over time would be best.
For instance, you may feel like you’re choking while sleeping. Or waking up with shortness of breath has become more common.
You should visit the doctor if your breathing becomes irregular during a light workout or even when you’re at rest.
