Breathing patterns in different atmospheric conditions

Altitude is the distance above sea level. High altitude starts around 2400 - 2700 meters when the body senses changes in the oxygen levels and starts to increase breathing to balance the lack of it. At the top of Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world reaching 8848 meters, the pressure is around 250 mmHg. A millimeter of mercury (mmHg) is used to measure pressure and it is defined as the extra pressure generated by a one-millimeter high column of mercury. 1 atm = 1,013 bar = 760 mmHg. millimeters of mercury. A millimeter of mercury (mmHg) is used to measure pressure and it is defined as the extra pressure generated by a one-millimeter high column of mercury. 1 atmosphere equals 1,013 bar, which also equals 760 millimeters of mercury.

  • Lower atmospheric pressure: The pressure in the atmosphere (atmospheric pressure) decreases as altitude is gained. The percentage of oxygen in the air is always the same (21%); however, because of Boyle’s Law, the volume of air that goes into the lungs contains fewer molecules of oxygen. To counter that, the body starts increasing the breathing rate and deepness to inhale a normal amount of oxygen. In the mountains, depending on the altitude, people sometimes go through a process of acclimatization, where they feel shortness of breath for two or three days and increased heart rate to supply more oxygen to the tissue of the body.

  • Higher atmospheric pressure: Since atmospheric pressure and altitude have opposite behaviors, the deeper below sea level, the higher the atmospheric pressure is. As an outcome, the same quantity of oxygen occupies less volume than at sea level. Consequently, the amount of air that goes inside your lungs contains more molecules of oxygen.