Who Controls Your Breathing · Lungs
Rising carbon dioxide, not falling oxygen, drives the urge.
Here's the surprise: the desperate urge to breathe isn't caused by running out of oxygen. It's caused by carbon dioxide building up. Your body watches the waste far more closely than the fuel.
There's more: rising carbon dioxide, not falling oxygen, drives the urge. The full explanation — and the interactive version you can tap and quiz yourself on — lives in the app.
Body Atlas is an educational product. It does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical advice. · Privacy