The 24-Minute Breath: How Science Unlocks Superhuman Apnea

In 2021, Budimir Šobat held his breath for over 24 minutes, a seemingly impossible feat. The key wasn't just willpower, but a technique called oxygen-assisted static apnea. By pre-breathing pure O2, athletes can push their bodies to physiological extremes far beyond natural human limits.

On March 27, 2021, Croatian freediver Budimir Šobat submerged himself in a pool in Sisak, Croatia, and held his breath for 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds. It’s a duration that sounds more like a short commute than a single breath. For most people, holding their breath for even two minutes feels like an eternity. So how can a human being approach the half-hour mark? The answer lies not in superhuman lungs, but in a deliberate and scientific manipulation of human physiology.

The Critical Asterisk: Pure Oxygen

The first and most important thing to understand about Šobat's incredible record is that it was not achieved on a lungful of normal air. This feat falls under a specific category known as oxygen-assisted static apnea. Before the attempt, Šobat spent several minutes breathing 100% pure oxygen. This is a crucial distinction. The world record for static apnea without prior oxygen breathing (set by Stéphane Mifsud in 2009) stands at an already astonishing 11 minutes and 35 seconds. The addition of pure oxygen more than doubles what is possible, pushing the body into an entirely different physiological state.

Rewriting the Body's Rules

The desperate, almost violent urge to breathe is a sensation we all know. We tend to assume it’s our body screaming for oxygen. In reality, it’s primarily triggered by the buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our bloodstream. Our brain has sensitive chemoreceptors that detect rising CO2 levels and sound the alarm. Breathing pure oxygen before a breath-hold essentially hacks this system. The process, sometimes called “oxygen packing,” floods the blood’s hemoglobin and the muscles’ myoglobin with O2, while simultaneously purging the body of residual CO2. This dramatically delays the point at which CO2 levels rise enough to trigger the brain’s panic signal, allowing the diver to remain underwater long after their natural breaking point.

Mastering an Ancient Reflex

Beyond the oxygen assist, elite freedivers train to master an innate physiological response known as the mammalian diving reflex. When a mammal's face is submerged in cold water, the body automatically initiates a series of changes to conserve oxygen. The heart rate slows dramatically in a process called bradycardia; during his record, Šobat’s heart rate reportedly dropped to as low as 30 beats per minute. Simultaneously, peripheral vasoconstriction kicks in, narrowing blood vessels in the extremities to redirect oxygen-rich blood away from the limbs and toward the vital organs, primarily the heart and brain. While this reflex is involuntary, freedivers spend years honing their ability to relax into it, maximizing its oxygen-saving effects through immense mental discipline.

A Purpose Beyond the Record

For Budimir Šobat, this grueling endeavor was about more than just a place in the record books. His motivation was deeply personal: to raise awareness and funds for the children of Sisak, an area devastated by a 2020 earthquake, and specifically for his daughter, Saša, who lives with cerebral palsy, autism, and epilepsy. This purpose provided the mental fortitude required to push through the immense physical discomfort. As he told reporters about his training and motivation:

I am going to dive as deep as I can because I have a lot of motivation, my 20-year-old daughter Saša who has autism. All my results I dedicate to her and to the children with problems.

Šobat’s record is a testament not just to what the human body can endure, but to the power of a focused mind. It's a powerful demonstration that our limits, both physical and mental, are often further than we think—especially when pushed by science and profound purpose.


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