Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a very beneficial treatment and is proven to aid muscle recovery. It is also believed to help with inflammation and speed up post-surgery recovery.
Two hours is the maximum timeframe to be inside the hyperbaric chamber. During this time, you are breathing in 95-98% oxygen. You may find that you feel fatigued after your session… But why does this happen?
In today’s blog, we will take a look into some of the reasons why HBOT may leave you feeling tired and how you can manage your fatigue after treatments.
What is the Purpose of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
The purpose of HBOC is to help with muscle and injury recovery whilst also helping inflammation. It is also believed that HBOT has beneficial effects on conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and COVID.
HBOT increases the amount of ATP in your body. When the amount of ATP is increased, the body’s metabolic rate increases, and the body’s cell repair and regeneration also massively increases, as does the production of Stem Cells. This will speed up the recovery process and calm down inflammation.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can treat a wide range of conditions including:
- Injuries
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Severe anaemia
- Soft tissue infections
- Chronic pain
- Burns
Why You May Feel Tired After Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The air that we breathe is found to contain just 21% oxygen. Inside a pressurised hyperbaric chamber, there is 95-98% oxygen, making the air inside virtually pure oxygen.
It is a common side effect to feel fatigued after your HBOT, and there are a few reasons that factor into why this happens. Let’s take a look:
Exposure to Higher Oxygen Levels
This increase in oxygen causes your mitochondrial cells to work harder as your body adjusts to the saturation of oxygen. However, after a short rest, your fatigue should subside. Your body isn’t used to consuming so much oxygen all at once, and therefore, your cells overwork as they begin to take in the oxygen. This can leave you feeling fatigued.
Physical Stress During the Session
Although HBOT involves breathing pure oxygen, it can still cause fatigue due to the physical pressure of the chamber and the changes in air pressure that occur during each session.
Your lungs have to work harder to draw and expel air, whilst your blood vessels work harder than usual to supply enough oxygen to the body.
Calories Burnt
During your hyperbaric oxygen therapy, your metabolism is raised – and therefore, the body begins to burn more calories. The average person burns an additional 700 calories during one-hour hyperbaric treatment. Therefore, your body has used up a lot of its energy – leaving you feeling tired.
How To Manage Fatigue After Your Session
There are many ways that you can manage fatigue after your HBOT, and it varies from person to person. At first, it will be a lot of trial and error as you discover what does and doesn’t work for your body.
However, it is key that you understand how to manage your fatigue to ensure that you are getting the most out of your session.
Let’s take a look into some of the ways that you can manage the fatigue caused by hyperbaric oxygen therapy:
- Sleeping environment – ensure that you are getting enough rest between sessions, avoid electronics before bed, and minimise the consumption of caffeine.
- Healthy and balanced diet – eating a healthy and balanced diet is essential to ensure your body is getting all of the nutrients and vitamins that it needs. Eat nutrient-rich foods before and after your treatment to combat post-treatment fatigue.
- Physical activity – light exercise will help you to manage your fatigue post-treatment. Keeping your body moving will help to increase your energy levels.
- Rest – listen to your body and don’t overdo it. Allow yourself to rest when you’re feeling exhausted.
The Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
There are many benefits to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and it is widely considered a great treatment for your overall health and well-being. Some of the most sought-after benefits of HBOT include:
- Improved cerebral blood flow
- Supports the immune system
- Builds and repairs blood cells
- Boosts the production of collagen
- Promotes wound healing
- Reduces pain and swelling
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Concordia Clinic
Here at Concordia Clinic, we offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy in our Liverpool clinic. We recommend different amounts of sessions per week depending on your condition. For example:
- General health and wellbeing: 1-2 sessions for the first two weeks
- Soft tissue damage: Three sessions per week for 3 weeks
- Mild health problems: 10-20 sessions over a 1-2 month period
For serious health issues, get in touch.
If you have any further questions regarding our HBOT or would like to find out more information, then please don’t hesitate to contact us, and a member of our team will be more than happy to help you.
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