Why You Stop Breathing at Altitude

Ever woken up at high altitude with a sudden, terrifying feeling of suffocation?

You’re not just having a nightmare—you're likely experiencing periodic breathing. At altitudes above

3500 metres, most people fall into a cycle where they stop breathing entirely for up

to 15 seconds, followed by a burst of heavy, gasping breaths. This pattern actually

mimics the breathing of a premature infant. It happens because the thin air causes your internal "feedback

loop" to become unstable. Your brain struggles to balance oxygen and carbon dioxide,

leading to these jarring cycles that are almost universal once you climb above 5000 metres.

It’s the single biggest cause of sleepless nights for mountaineers. We’re diving into