Hey there and welcome to Life Noggin.
Every year, there are over 370,000 drowning deaths worldwide, with children under 5 being
the most at risk.
And with all the drowning deaths you see in movies and TV, it’s no wonder that people
are afraid of dying that way.
But what’s actually going on during that process?
Well, firstly, drowning isn’t like how you see it in the movies -- there’s not a lot
of thrashing around or yells for help.
Typically, it’s a silent act, where the person’s mouth sinks below the surface of
the water and then reappears as they try to breathe.
See, once they can no longer hold their initial breath and start to hyperventilate, they might
aspirate water, triggering something called a laryngospasm.
This is where the person’s vocal cords spasm, blocking their airways and protecting their
lungs.
However, it also inconveniently makes yelling for help significantly harder to do.
Since the person can’t take in any fresh air, their oxygen supply starts to fall, potentially
leading to a condition called hypoxia, where there’s not enough oxygen reaching the body’s
tissues.
And eventually, as the person becomes unconscious, there’s a relaxation of their airway, allowing
their lungs to fill with water.
Depending on how long the person has gone without air, varying levels of damage can
occur.
For example, a 2013 study found that the likelihood of surviving with little to no brain damage
was very low after being submerged for 10 minutes or more.
The lack of oxygen can also lead to cardiac arrest.
So, basically what I’m saying is that drowning is absolutely terrifying -- so wear your life
jackets, kids -- they’re cool and will keep you safe.
On top of all that, if the person is in really cold water, there’s also the fear of hypothermia
-- where the core body temperature falls below 35 degrees Celsius.
When hypothermia sets in, it’ll cause the body to start shivering intensely and the
person might act clumsy and confused.
Their bodies slow down, including their respiration, heart, and metabolic rates.
And eventually, they might lose consciousness and even die.
Let’s all take a moment to mourn the loss of Jack from Titanic -- but come on, there
was seriously enough room on that door for him too.
But anyway, while hypothermia is a serious threat, it may actually help to prevent the
effects of hypoxia.
See, it can trigger the diving reflex, where blood vessels constrict and the heart rate
slows and blood is diverted to the parts of the body that need it the most, like the brain.
Hypothermia also decreases how much oxygen is needed by the body’s tissues -- meaning
that it can actually prolong survival and help prevent the tissue damage from hypoxia.
In fact, hypothermia and the diving reflex is often cited as a big reason why some young
children have been able to survive drowning after being under the water far more than
10 minutes.
That said, /do not/ try replicating that yourself.
It’s definitely best to stick to playing with those huge inflatable pool toys instead.
I call dibs on the flamingo.
Are you afraid of the water?
What life-threatening situation do you want us to talk about next?
[f]Let me know in the comments below.
This episode was a little bit morbid, so why don’t we celebrate the fact that you exist!
If you want to know the odds of you being born and how lucky you are to be alive, check
out this video.
Make sure you come back every Monday for a brand new video.
As always, I’m Blocko and this has been Life Noggin.
Don’t forget to keep on thinking!