Can holding your breath for 30 seconds test whether your lungs are healthy?

Holding your breath for 30 seconds is not an accurate test of lung health.

The length of breath-holding time is affected by many factors, including a person's age, gender, health status, exercise level, and psychological state when holding their breath. Holding your breath for more than 30 seconds only indicates that your lung capacity is large, but it does not reflect the overall health of your lungs. The assessment of lung function usually involves multiple aspects, including lung capacity, respiratory rate, gas exchange efficiency, etc. These indicators need to be accurately measured by professional medical equipment and standardized testing procedures. For example, a doctor may use a pulmonary function tester to assess a patient's lung capacity, expiratory flow and other parameters to get a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's lung function. Although the breath-holding test cannot accurately assess lung function, there are some simple self-testing methods that can help people get a preliminary understanding of their cardiopulmonary function. For example, you can try to climb three floors at your usual speed in one breath. If you don't feel obvious shortness of breath and chest tightness, it means that your cardiopulmonary function is good. In addition, you can also try to take a deep breath and hold your breath while observing your body's reaction. But please note that these methods can only be used as a preliminary reference and cannot replace professional lung function tests. If you have any concerns about your lung function, or have any respiratory discomfort symptoms (such as long-term cough, difficulty breathing, etc.), it is recommended that you consult a doctor in time and undergo appropriate lung function tests.

Author | Master of Doubao Food Processing and Safety

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center