SAFETY Sipping Your Way To Safety – by Dan Orr, President, Dan Orr Consulting
In the October 2024 issue of Scuba Diving Industry Magazine , I wrote an article entitled, “The Four Ps of Scuba Diving Safety.” That article empha- sized the importance of Plan- ning, Preparing, Practicing and
ommend drinking about 8 ounces of water per hour while flying. There is also evidence that long-haul flights promote fluid shifts to the lower extremities and induce changes in blood viscosity which may accelerate dehy- dration. Dehydration can have significant negative effects on diver safety and health. For example, dehydration can re- sult in: An 8%-10% decrement in overall performance ▪ Reduced cardiac stroke volume ▪ Reduced cardiac output ▪ Less oxygen getting to the tissues and cells ▪ Attention deficits ▪ Electrolyte imbalance that may cause cramping ▪ and fatigue
Performing for any diving experience. There is another “P” that may be just as important for your safety, “HY- DRATION.” Proper hydration is essential in helping to regulate body temperature, keeping joints lubricated, preventing infec- tions, delivering nutrients to cells, keeping organ systems functioning properly and assisting in the absorption and elimination of gases to and from the tissues, which is an essential component in the decompression process.
For scuba divers, proper hydration means consistently drinking water, starting at least 24 hours before a dive. Divers are advised to focus on drinking small amounts (sipping) frequently throughout the day. Divers may wish to consider in- cluding electrolyte drinks depending on temperature, humidity, individual dive du- ration and number of dives per day. In diving accident data, there are reports of divers traveling great distances to some of the world’s most exciting diving desti- nations on long-haul flights only to suffer
There are reports of divers who inten- tionally dehydrate themselves to avoid uri- nating (the 5th “P”) in their exposure suits while diving, technically called immersion diuresis. Diving in cold water (colder than your body temperature) causes fluid shifts from the extremities to the body core. This fluid shift may cause the urge to pee. Pee- ing in your exposure suit can exacerbate the negative effects of dehydration. Intention- ally dehydrating yourself prior to a dive can be compounded by losing body fluid
through breathing dry breathing gas. Dr. David Sawatsky has calculated that loss to be approximately 8 ounces (250 milliliters) per 80 cubic feet of breathing gas. Pay attention to your body and adjust your water intake based on your needs and the diving conditions. If you are properly hydrated, your urine should be a clear, pale-yellow urine color.
decompression sickness following their first diving ex- periences. A potential contributing factor to these diving injuries may be dehydration. When flying, the air you breathe has very low humidity. This is because approximately 50% of the air you breathe in the cabin is from the outside, and at high alti- tudes, the air is almost completely without moisture. Ac- cording to research, the human body loses about 8 ounces of water per hour on an aircraft at altitude, mostly from breathing. Therefore, health authorities rec-
Stay hydrated and, in the immortal words (with some editorial license) of William Shakespeare, “To Pee or Not to Pee, Hydration is the Answer!”
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