Many don’t think about how the topography of their region affects them. Altitude can hold a very direct influence on your life and health. The higher you climb into the atmosphere, the thinner the air gets. Every breath contains less oxygen and you become less efficient at using it. This is why you may notice that you have to breathe harder and faster to maintain your pace when hiking in the mountains. Our own founder, Samir Becic, spent 5 weeks in Aspen this summer, hiking 464 miles with a 50lbs+ backpack as part of his training. Here is why:
Altitude- What is it and why is it important?
Altitude is the distance that an object or location is above sea level. This can cause a variety of effects on an area, such differences in atmospheric pressure, differences in oxygen levels, and local fauna and flora. Some plants and animals only inhabit areas with much higher altitudes while particular weather phenomena occur because of a shift from an area of low altitude to an area of high altitude. It’s safe to say that altitude greatly affects an area on a rather large scale but what about a more personal level? How does it affect you as an individual?
The higher you climb into the atmosphere, the thinner the air gets. Every breath contains less oxygen and you become less efficient at using it. This is why you may notice that you have to breathe harder and faster to maintain your pace when hiking in the mountains.
How does altitude affect the body?
When we talk about the effects of altitude, we typically refer to higher altitudes such as living in mountainous areas. With such areas, we observe areas of lower air pressure, moisture concentrations, and air density. Each of these leads to a drier environment with relatively thin air and a lower concentration of oxygen in the area. Because of this, your lungs are forced to take in more oxygen and move it more efficiently to the bloodstream. This is why shortness of breath is a very common symptom of altitude sickness. Dehydration, dizziness, and headaches are also very common due to the colder, drier climate. Altitude is defined by how high a point is above sea level. A common misconception is that you can only get sick from altitude if you are climbing a mountain, but that is not true. Anytime you are going to be at an altitude that is different than what you are used to, there is the potential to become sick because your body needs to adapt.
For example, if you’ve ever been to Denver, Colorado you might remember the headaches and nausea that came with it. We travel to high-altitude locations all the time because we believe it’s important for our health and fitness. But, that doesn’t mean altitude sickness doesn’t affect people like us. Altitude sickness is very common in athletic individuals. It happens most often when training at higher altitudes, but it can also occur when flying to a higher altitude. Even professional athletes can be affected. While staying hydrated is important, drinking too much can actually dehydrate your body more and make the symptoms worse. It’s important to drink water, but not too much. It’s also important to avoid alcohol which can dehydrate you quickly, making the symptoms worse.
What does this mean for training?
Now, how does this affect training? Due to the effects of higher altitudes, endurance training has become the premier regimen for athletes in particular locations and is seen as critical for cardiovascular exercise. The U.S. National teams train in places like Colorado because of the high altitude allowing for the players to train their lungs to take in more oxygen at lower levels. This allows them to be able to run for much longer and limits the lactic acid build-up during anaerobic respiration. A necessary consideration, however, is the importance of proper rest breaks. Higher altitudes lead to lowered physical performance in particular areas as well as dehydration making it key that one utilizes rest breaks efficiently and as often as possible.
