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Swallowing while doing static breath hold

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slaterson19

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Oct 2, 2015
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Hey, I'm taking a class and before the class I was only doing 45 second breath holds on the couch and my last attempt in the water with my instructor was 2:05 a week later. It sucks but hey its improvement. When I was doing static apnea I kept having to swallow (I wasn't opening my mouth and swallowing water). I guess I was getting a throat closing sensation and wanted to clear my throat. I tried to stop swallowing but its hard not to. My instructor said he hasn't had any students do this before. Has anyone else had this issue? Any tips? I know I should be able to go longer because my instructor said I'm not huffing and puffing when I come up for air. Thanks.
 
I have had that issue as well at times, sometimes worse than others, and some not at all. I dont have any tips though so please tell me when you find some.
 
I get sensations like this as well and I have found tongue position in my mouth helps. I find "folding" my tongue so my tip is pointing to the back helps a bit so i feel taste buds (weird and hard to describe) . Its probably just the distraction of doing something with your mouth but it helps.
 
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I get a slight urge to swallow half way between beginning a static and contractions. I was taught to use it as a method to reduce the pressure build up in my trachea. I only swallow once.
I believe it's normal.
 
Always get this urge to swallow, when I succumb to it my contractions begin seconds later. Usually it's during dry static while laying on my back because saliva is trickling down the back of my neck, but sometimes during seated breatholds underwater at the bottom of the pool. I find it helps relieve pressure in my trachea but again, always triggers my contractions.
 
... but sometimes during seated breatholds underwater at the bottom of the pool. I find it helps relieve pressure in my trachea but again, always triggers my contractions.
I hope you're not doing those alone!


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I get the urge to swallow all the way through during breathholds, but I see it as a positive thing. I find that since it forces your to fully close your glottis, it actually helps me hold the pressure where it should be, and make sure I'm not letting air slip into my mouth. I seem to get it less when I'm diving deep, although I'm not sure if this is because I'm distracted and just don't notice it as much, or (more likely I think) that the shrinking lung volume at depth reduces the pressure on my glottis, so that I dont need to swallow to help keep it closed.
 
Has anyone else had this issue? Any tips?
Hello @slaterson19, yes I have this most times I do a dry static, it's been a while since I did a wet static so I can't remember. The thing is to not let it become a distraction. Notice the fact that you're swallowing, and accept it, then gently bring your attention back to what ever it is you think about when you are doing a breath hold. As others have pointed out it can be a step along the path to the eventual arrival of diagphramatic contractions so don't worry about it as no one has raised a concern about it. Once you become relaxed about it you can then try some of the techniques others have suggested, with an open and inquisitive mind, to see if they work for you.
 
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I couldn't read all of this, but it sounds like the post I posted here while ago. You will get used to it and learn with more pratice. I used to get that urgency to swallow when I very first started to practice.
 
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