Understanding water pressure and its effect on the freediver’s body
A simple explanation of how water pressure affects your body while diving and how to adapt to it safely.
Water pressure is one of the biggest challenges in diving, and understanding it protects you and helps you perform better.
How pressure changes with depth
Every 10 meters of diving adds one extra atmosphere of pressure, so at 10 meters the pressure is twice the pressure at the surface.
Effect of pressure on body cavities
Ears and sinuses
The ears and sinuses are affected by increasing pressure, and you must equalize continuously during descent to avoid pain and injury.
The lungs in freediving
The lungs compress with depth and can reach a quarter of their normal size at 40 meters, which is a natural phenomenon in freediving.
How to deal with pressure
- Equalize your ears every two to three meters
- Do not continue descending if you feel ear pain
- Relax during descent and avoid tension, which makes equalization harder
Pressure on ascent
On ascent, air in the lungs expands automatically, and the freediver does not need to do anything, unlike a diver using an air cylinder.
Correct handling of pressure turns you from a fearful diver into a calm diver at any depth.