Every living creature breathes. While the process varies by species, all living beings depend on breath in one form or another. Whether something breathes or not often marks the dividing line between life and death. So why is breathing essential for survival?
In humans, oxygen inhaled through the noses travels to the lungs, where it enters the bloodstream and is carried to every cell in the body. Inside each cell are mitochondria—the tiny “engines” of life. They use oxygen, together with nutrients, to produce the energy that keeps the heart beating, the stomach moving, and the brain functioning. Without a steady supply of oxygen, mitochondria cannot generate energy, and the body begins to shut down. Breathing, then, is the process by which oxygen is taken in to create energy, while carbon dioxide—the byproduct of that process—is released back into the air.
Without breath, no living being can survive for more than a few minutes. From the moment we are born, regardless of our will and even when we are unaware, our bodies continue to breathe—unceasingly sustaining life.
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