Sleep Apnea, Michael Phelps & Swimming Records

November 20, 2008

This may just be coincidence, but on an online forum for sleep apnea sufferers, a member commented that he could hold his breath the longest while swimming when he was in the military. Shortly thereafter, two others replied with similar experiences when they were children. As we know, sleep apnea is not something that develops all of a sudden at a certain age when you reach a certain age. If you have sleep apnea, you’ve had some degree of it since you were an infant. So if you have episodic breath holding spells while sleeping when young, it makes sense that your capacity to utilize oxygen is enhanced, similar to what occurs when elite athletes train in higher altitudes to acclimate to lower oxygen levels.

This brings us to Michael Phelps. He seems to always surge ahead when he’s swimming underwater just after the turns. Next time, look at his narrow jaws and malocclusion. Could he have a sleep-breathing problem? Look at his mother.

Is there anyone reading this post who has sleep apnea with a similar story?

Written by Steven Park · Filed Under Blog | 8 Comments