Imagine being fast asleep,
when you’re woken up
by a strangely claustrophobic feeling.
That’s when you realize
you’re trapped in a box underground
with no idea how you got there.
The intense fear of being buried alive
is known as taphophobia.
In the early days of modern medicine,
people used to be so worried
about accidental burials
that they started making
“safety coffins” with windows,
bells and breathing tubes.
If you somehow end up
alive and six feet under,
there are a few things
you might want to know.
Your biggest threat to survival
is running out of oxygen,
so focus on conserving your air supply.
Depending on what
you were buried in,
you’ll only have a few hours
on the clock before your fate is sealed.
In this terrifying situation,
it’s natural to panic.
But quick, anxious breathing will
use up your precious oxygen.
Instead, try to take deep, steady breaths
and extend them for as long as possible.
If you want to prepare beforehand,
don’t waste time with cardio training.
Research suggests the biggest
improvements in breath-holding
come from meditation techniques.
So, first find your zen,
then plot your plan.
Once your mind is clear,
look around to see
what you were buried with.
If you happen to have
your cell phone in hand,
and miraculously have
service underground,
try to call for help.
The weakest part of a box
is usually the center,
so you can also bang on the lid
to signal for attention from above.
Don’t bother yelling though.
No one will hear you from
all that soil soundproofing.
See if you can find any
sharp objects nearby,
like nails or a pocket knife.
They’ll come in handy when
you need to pry open the lid,
or cut away the rope some
bad guy tied you up with.
If a heroic rescue seems unlikely,
start planning your own great escape.
Before breaking open the container,
you’ll need to protect yourself
from suffocating on
the loose dirt above.
Safeguard yourself by pulling
your shirt over your head
and tying a knot at the top
to create a makeshift mask.
The cloth layer will help you breathe
by stopping dirt and debris from
falling into your nose and mouth.
But a costume change
inside a confined space
is easier said than done.
This necessary precaution will
take some skillful maneuvering.
Now, it’s showtime.
If you’re in a wooden coffin,
use all of your strength
to split open the box’s lid.
As the soil rushes in,
push it to the sides
and below your feet
so you can slowly
start to sit up.
Continue to burrow your way upward
until you can stand and
break through the surface.
This might work if the dirt
is dry and loosely packed.
But soil is even heavier than snow,
so the sheer pressure from above
may make it impossible
for your lungs to expand.
Don’t worry, being buried alive
is so rare that there aren’t even
any official statistics about
how often it happens.
And not surprisingly, the dead
aren't speaking up about it.
If you make it out of this alive,
you’ll probably be too
traumatized to sleep soundly
for quite some time.
But that’s okay, we’ll show you
how to get by without sleep,
on another How to Survive.