Drowning Timeline in the Ocean: Questions Answered by a Pharmacist Regarding Swimming Abilities
In a recent video published on TikTok, famous pharmacist and social media personality, Pharmacist Fernández, discussed the risk of drowning in the sea for non-swimmers. The video was motivated by a question from a passenger on a boat trip who couldn't swim, asking how long they would have before dying if they fell into the water during the trip.
Pharmacist Fernández explained that the time it takes for a non-swimmer to drown in the sea can be as quick as one to two minutes in the middle of the sea. This is due to the immediate impact of cold water shock, which can cause gasping and loss of breath control, leading to rapid drowning.
However, the risk of drowning for non-swimmers is not just limited to cold water. In warm waters, the risk is still present, but fatigue and inability to stay afloat can cause drowning within minutes or longer. Non-swimmers face a much greater risk of rapid drowning, especially without flotation, as they cannot keep themselves afloat beyond their breath-holding ability.
For swimmers, vital swimming ability may be lost within minutes to 30 minutes due to cold incapacitation, increasing the drowning risk despite their ability. This is especially true in cold water, where the initial cold shock response occurs immediately upon immersion, leading to gasping, hyperventilation, and swimming failure.
The timeline for drowning can be longer in warmer water, but it is still measured in minutes or occasionally a few hours if flotation is available and rescue is possible. However, cold water exposure is the main factor accelerating drowning risk in the sea.
Wearing a personal flotation device greatly increases survival time in cold water by maintaining buoyancy when swimming ability is lost. This advice, along with staying calm, saving energy, and floating on their back, can significantly extend a person's survival time in the sea.
In summary, the risk of drowning in the sea differs greatly depending on swimming ability and water temperature. For both non-swimmers and swimmers, cold water shock and incapacitation effects can occur within seconds to minutes, increasing the drowning risk and reducing survival time.
[1] The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) - Cold Water Shock [2] The United States Coast Guard - Cold Water Survival [4] The World Health Organization (WHO) - Drowning Prevention
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.
- Despite some believing that art and science are vastly different, they can both play crucial roles in improving health-and-wellness and mental-health through various therapies-and-treatments, such as exercise and relaxation techniques.
- As fitness-and-exercise enthusiasts know, maintaining one's swimming ability is essential for survival in the sea, but it can be lost within minutes in cold water due to cold incapacitation.
- While it's essential to seek professional help for health concerns, resources like the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the United States Coast Guard, and the World Health Organization (WHO) provide valuable information on cold water shock, cold water survival, and drowning prevention, which can help save lives in emergencies.
