high altitude

At high altitudes, the lower air pressure outside your body makes it more challenging to breathe. Andrew Huberman explains that when the external air pressure is low, your body has to work much harder to draw in air because you lose the advantage of a high to low pressure gradient that normally aids in lung inflation. This requires more effort from your intercostal muscles and diaphragm, often leading to feelings of breathlessness, lightheadedness, and headaches as your body adjusts to the altitude 1.

Over time, the body can adapt through several mechanisms, such as changes in hemoglobin interactions, which eventually allow you to function normally at these altitudes. Athletes often train at high altitudes to enhance performance because these adaptations can improve oxygen delivery once they return to lower elevations 2.

Additionally, one can use techniques like deliberate hyperventilation with breath holds to help deliver more oxygen to cells upon arrival at high altitudes, potentially reducing common altitude-related discomforts 2.