Question

Explain why your lung capacity and breathing rate are larger when you are exercising than when you are asleep

Answer 1

Usually people breathe more gradually while they are sleep, and as sleep stages progress, inhaling becomes more constant and less unpredictable. Nonetheless, studies have shown that when we are in the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep hormone, we also breathe more rapidly and unevenly.

Your lungs and cardiovascular system work quite hard while you exercise. They work together to bring oxygen into the system and get it to the working muscles. This helps your lungs work better by subsequently increases and fortifying the tissue surrounding them.

Answer 2

When exercising, the body requires more oxygen to fuel the muscles and produce energy. To meet this increased demand for oxygen, the lungs increase their capacity and breathing rate. This allows for more oxygen to be taken in with each breath and for the oxygen to be delivered to the muscles more quickly.

During exercise, the body's metabolism increases as the muscles need more energy to perform the exercises. As a result, the heart rate increases and the blood vessels dilate, allowing for more blood to flow through the body and deliver oxygen to the muscles. The lungs also respond to the increased demand for oxygen by increasing their capacity and breathing rate to take in more oxygen with each breath.

Additionally, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles that control the lungs' expansion and contraction also play an important role in this process. During exercise, these muscles work harder, allowing the lungs to expand more and take in more oxygen with each breath.

On the other hand, when you're asleep, the body's metabolism slows down and the muscles are at rest. So, the body doesn't need as much oxygen as it does during exercise. As a result, the lungs' capacity and breathing rate decrease, allowing for less oxygen to be taken in with each breath and for the oxygen to be delivered to the body more slowly.

In summary, when exercising the body requires more oxygen to fuel the muscles and produce energy, and the lungs increase their capacity and breathing rate to meet this increased demand for oxygen, allowing for more oxygen to be taken in with each breath and for the oxygen to be delivered to the muscles more quickly.