Take a breath - medical science with Dr Kenneth Soo

It’s time to take a deep breath and get ready for five fascinating fast facts about breathing, an interview with Dr Kenneth Soo, a hospital-based doctor who knows a lot about breathing, and an energetic activity for you to try yourself at home.

 

Presented by Jenny Lynch and Matilda Sercombe. Written and produced by Jenny Lynch. Music by Purple Planet Music. Sound effects by Pixabay.

 

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Episode content:

00:00 Introduction and fast facts

03:45 Respiration with Dr Kenneth Soo

09:59 Breathing rate activity

 

Breathing rate activity instructions:

You will need: a pen and paper and a timer (e.g. a smartphone timer, a stopwatch, or a clock with a second hand). 1.  Sit quietly, breathing normally, and time exactly 60 seconds while you count the number of times you breathe in 60 seconds. A full breath in and a full breath out is counted as one breath.  After you have counted your breaths for 60 seconds, write down the result. This number is your breathing rate, which is the number of breaths you take in one minute.

2. Repeat Step 1 to measure the resting breathing rate two more times to get a more accurate result.

3. Time another 60 seconds and do some very energetic star jumps, otherwise known as ‘jumping jacks’, and try to really push yourself to jump high and go as fast as you can.

4. Stop jumping, time 60 seconds, and measure your breathing rate again, by counting your breaths for 60 seconds, and write down the result.

5. If you are feeling energetic, Repeat Steps 3 and 4, by exercising again and re-measuring your breathing rate.

Did your breathing rate change after you exercised? When you exercise, your muscle cells use up oxygen and sugar and they make carbon dioxide. Having too much carbon dioxide in the blood makes the blood more acidic. This triggers the body to breathe faster to get rid of the extra carbon dioxide from the body. Breathing faster helps your body remove carbon dioxide from the blood and it delivers more oxygen to your cells.