Breathing 4: Breathing Activities & O₂ Saturation

Breathing at Rest and Oxygen Saturation

Aim

To determine the effect of breathing while resting on your breathing depth and rate, and oxygen saturation.

Procedure

1. Sit quietly and breathe normally before and during the recordings to prevent the creation of motion artifacts. Sit straight during the recording.

NOTE – it can take 30 seconds or more for the O₂ sensor to level out. If the reading is 80%, then the PulseOx has not registered. The reading should be in the 90s.

2. Type "Breathing at Rest" in the Mark box.
3. Click on the Record button. Press the mark button.
4. Click the AutoScale All button. Record for at least two minutes.
5. Click Stop to halt recording.
6. Click File ---> Save As, name the file "BreathingActivities", and save your data to your LabScribe Data folder on your Desktop.

Data Analysis

1. Scroll through your recording of your breathing rate while at rest. Display at least 10 artifact-free breathing cycles.
2. Click the "two mountains" icon to double the display time of the Main window to show the complete breathing cycles. You may have to click it more than once.

3. Click AutoScale All.
4. Click on the Analysis window icon in the toolbar.
5. Look at the Table that is above the upper channel. The functions: V2-V1, T2-T1, Max, Min, and Mean, should appear in this table. Values for these four parameters are seen in the table across the top margin of each channel.

6. Click on and drag the cursors so they are on either side of all 10 breathing waves.
7. The values for the following parameters on a breath cycle are determined when the cursors are placed at the two positions described in Step 6:
• Maximum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Max on the O2 Saturation channel.
• Minimum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Min on the O2 Saturation channel.
• Mean Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Mean on the O2 Saturation channel.
• Maximum Breathing Rate, the value for Max on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Minimum Breathing Rate, the value for Min on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Mean Breathing Rate, the value for Mean on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Mean Heart Rate, the value for Mean on the Heart Rate channel.
8. Measure your depth of breathing. Place 1 cursor on the peak of one breath and the 2nd cursor on the trough after that breath – measure V2-V1 on the Respiration channel. Repeat for 2 breaths and calculate the average.
9. Place your data on a data table to in the Journal. You can open and close the Journal by clicking on the "Notebook" icon.
10. Click the "M" icon to go back to the Main window before moving to Exercise 2. You will also need to reset your display time to 10 seconds by typing 10 in the Display Time box and clicking Enter.

Apnea and Heart Rate

Aim

To determine the effect of apnea on your heart rate and oxygen saturation by having the subject hold his or her breath. There will be no breathing rate while holding your breath.

Procedure

1. Remember to sit erect and quietly during the recordings, and breathe normally at the beginning of the exercise.
2. In this exercise, you breathe normally until a regular breathing pattern is established. Then, take a deep inhalation through your mouth and hold that breath for about 20 seconds. Finally, exhale slowly, through the mouth, over 10-15 second period.

3. Remember to keep the REACH-DL flat on the table and rest your pointer or middle finger of your non-dominant hand on the pulse port. This is the hand you do not use all the time. Make sure your arm is flat on the table and your finger is relaxed.
4. Type "Normal Breathing" in the Mark box.
5. Click Record. Press the mark button. Click AutoScale All and record until your breathing is regular and predictable. This may take a minute or so.
6. Type "Apnea" in the Mark box. Press the mark button as you take the deep breath and hold it for 20 seconds.
7. Type "Recovery" in the Mark box and press the mark button as you exhale and return to breathing normally. Continue to record until your breathing has returned to a normal pattern. This may take a minute or so.
8. Click Stop and click Save.

Data Analysis

1. Scroll to the recording of your breathing before, during, and after holding your breath. You should have at least 5 normal breaths before you held your breath.
2. Use the "two mountain" icon to show the breathing from before to after apnea.
3. Click on the Analysis window icon in the toolbar.
4. The functions used to analysis this are the same as the ones used in Exercise 1. You will not be measuring breathing rate during the time your held your breath (it will be "0").
5. On the Respiration channel, use the mouse to click on and drag one cursor to the trough of the first normal breath and the other cursor to the trough that comes right before the deep inhalation of apnea.
6. The values for the following parameters during normal breathing are determined when the cursors are placed at the two positions described in Step 5:
• Maximum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Max on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Minimum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Min on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Mean Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Mean on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Maximum Breathing Rate, the value for Max on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Minimum Breathing Rate, the value for Min on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Mean Breathing Rate, the value for Mean on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Mean Heart Rate, the value for Mean on the Heart Rate channel.
7. Use the mouse to click on and drag the left cursor to the trough on the Respiration channel that follows exhalation at the end of apnea.
8. The values for the following rates during apnea are determined by the positions of the cursors:
• Maximum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Max on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Minimum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Min on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Mean Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Mean on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Mean Heart Rate, the value for Mean on the Heart Rate channel.

NOTE – there will be no Breathing Rate here because you are holding your breath.

9. Use the mouse to click on and drag the left cursor to a time point that is to the right of the return to normal breathing displayed on the Respiration channel. Have at least 5 breaths after holding your breath.
10. The values for the following rates during the recovery to normal breathing are determined by the positions of the cursors:
• Maximum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Max on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Minimum Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Min on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Mean Oxygen Saturation Level, the value for Mean on the O₂ Saturation channel.
• Maximum Breathing Rate, the value for Max on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Minimum Breathing Rate, the value for Min on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Mean Breathing Rate, the value for Mean on the Breathing Rate channel.
• Mean Heart Rate, the value for Mean on the Heart Rate channel.
11. Place all data on a data table or in the Journal.

Shallow Abdominal Breathing

Aim

To determine the effect of shallow abdominal breaths on rates and oxygen levels.

Procedure

1. Sit erect and quietly during the recording, and to breath normally at the beginning of the exercise.
2. Remember to keep the REACH-DL flat on the table and rest your pointer or middle finger of your non-dominant hand on the pulse port. This is the hand you do not use all the time. Make sure your arm is flat on the table and your finger is relaxed.
3. Breathe normally until a regular breathing pattern is established. Then take shallow breaths at the rate of 40 to 50 breaths per minute, using the diaphragm as the primary force for moving air in and out of the lungs. This will be a little like panting. Record shallow breathing for 30 seconds. Finally, the subject returns to breathing normally.

Note – if you get dizzy at any time – STOP IMMEDIATELY and breathe normally. Do NOT continue this experiment.

3. Type "Normal Breathing" in the Mark box that is to the right of the Mark button.
4. Click on the Record button. Press the mark button.
5. Click AutoScale All. Record until your breathing is regular and predictable.
6. Type "Shallow" in the Mark box. Press the mark button as you start shallow abdominal breathing for 30 seconds.
7. Type "Recovery" in the Mark box. Press the mark button when you return to breathing normally. Continue to record until your breathing has returned to a normal pattern. Click Stop.
8. Click on Save.

Data Analysis

1. Use the same techniques used in Exercise 2 to determine the breathing and heart rates, and oxygen concentration before, during, and after shallow abdominal breathing.
2. Record your data in a table or in the Journal. Click the "Notebook" icon to open and close the Journal.

Answer the following:

Exercise 2

1. How did the heart rate compare when at rest and during apnea?
2. What happened to the heart rate and breathing rate after holding your breath.
3. How does the normal breathing before apnea compare to the first breaths in the recovery segment?
4. How does the breathing rate in the recovery segment correlate to the heart rate in that same segment?
5. How does depth of breathing before and after holding your breath compare?
6. Is your oxygen saturation level the same at resting and while holding your breath? Explain your answer.

Exercise 3

1. How did your heart rate change during shallow abdominal breathing and recovery from shallow abdominal breathing?
2. How did your breathing rate change during shallow abdominal breathing and recovery from shallow abdominal breathing?
3. How did your oxygen concentration change during shallow abdominal breathing and recovery from shallow abdominal breathing?
4. How does the normal breathing before shallow abdominal breathing compare to the first few breaths in the recovery segment?
5. How does the breathing rate in the recovery segment correlate to the heart rate in that same segment?
6. Does your breathing style effect oxygen concentration at all? Explain your answer.