Am I alone?

Question

I have a hard time holding my breath underwater without holding my nose. When I let go, my throat goes all funny and it starts swallowing for no reason so that water starts rushing up my nose and I have to resurface, coughing and choking on water.

Is there a way to get over it? It's pissing me off!

Answer 1

do you swim often? you'll probably get used to it if you swim more. Just breath out hard whenever you go under, and then you can ease up until it's natural. your body might just be tense or spastic to situations like that. hope your OK!

Answer 2

you can practice by humming underwater.  it blows bubble out of your nose so you will be breathing out instead of in.

Answer 3

When I need to hold my breath under water, I have taken a large breath in before I descend and blow it out my nose VERY slowly as I descend..

It takes time for you to adjust, it does NOT happen over night,

Answer 4

You probably aren't alone...but there is a basic way to overcome your problem. Instead of getting in the water and going straight to swimming, try standing by the edge of the water, put your face in (it doesn't have to be totally submerged) and keep your mouth closed while slowly and steadily blowing air out your nose. Basically, you are blowing bubbles, but you don't want to blow too hard (and then need to take a big gulp of air), but just enough that it is steady. Practice this for a while...this is what you should be doing while you are swimming, but it is hard to start if you can't do on its own. It sounds simple, but not so much. Once you feel comfortable, try swimming a bit and making sure that once you take a breath, you slowly blow that air out your nose while your face is in the water. Eventually it will feel more natural and you won't even think about it. Just be careful once you blow all of the air out that your face is actually out of the water when you go to take a breath...otherwise water up the nose and in the mouth is not pleasant! Be sure to inhale through your mouth, exhale through your nose.