Why can't you hold your breath forever?

Question

im not asking this so i can get an answer like "cause you gonna die derrrr." it was something about the nervous system, i just forgot the details.

Answer 1

Its because of your autonomic nervous system.. you can hold your breath but when you hold it so long that you pass out, your brain will tell your Autonomic Nervous system to make you breathe

Answer 2

You can not hold your breath in till you die you would pass out first.Plus their is nothing in folklore about vampire's and holding their breath so i had nothing but how it would affect us to go on. And to be honest with you i'm not sure on the whole blood thing because it would not be able to support us. But i do know why they came up with blood it was because it sounds scary. And i don't know what the word at the end is so cant answer the last part.

Answer 3

You can't hold your breath forever because after your brain is oxygen deprived for a time you will pass out. When you pass out you will begin to breathe again (assuming there is nothing preventing it) because breathing is an involuntary.

That is why when children threaten their mother's with "holding my breath until I die", it's best just to let them try...(Most of them won't make it to the "pass-out" stage anyway.)

Answer 4

Well it's unlikely anyone purposely can "hold their breath" until they died. It's more likely you would just pass out before too long and start breathing again.

Unless you had some medical condition or restricted your breathing some way, It seems clear that you would start to breath normally as soon as you passed out.

Answer 5

Because your body won't let you. It need to breathe to survive and it will take that control out of your hands. That's why people get frostbite; The body when cold will draw blood from the exteremities (fingers and toes, legs and arms) to pool in the body cavity to survive. These are called autonomic responces which you have no control over.

Answer 6

Without taking in oxygen and eliminating carbon dioxide, your body can't function. This is why your body freaks out when you try to hold your breath for too long.

Answer 7

For 2 reasons.
When you hold your breath, CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) builds up.
When you hold your breath, you are depriving your body of O2 (oxygen). I have a feeling you have tried holding your breath too long too many times. Good luck.

Answer 8

You can't hold your breath forever because you may die. Your body will not function properly.

Answer 9

your body (especially your heart) needs regulary flow of Oxygen in order to work. When we take oxygen, it straight away goes to heart, helping it to pump the blood circulating in your body. Now, if you hold your breath, the heart will not get oxyzen. Thus, it can not circulate blood in your body. Your Blood pressure will come increase dramatically and if you will continue to hold your breath, you will die.

Answer 10

you cant hold your breath forever b/c you body uses the air in your lungs and mouth to live.
how ever if your body didn't need air to live you could hold you breath forever.