How To Not Pass Out While Skydiving

In the sport of skydiving, the mental and physical game go hand-in-hand - which is why your body might try and do some funky things that you aren't used to. Luckily, there are a few easy, yet very important, skydiving dos and don'ts that can make your experience an amazing (or awful) one.

If passing out while skydiving is a concern of yours, you'll be happy to hear that it is both atypical and totally avoidable! Read along for your crash course on how to not pass out while skydiving.

CAN YOU PASS OUT WHILE SKYDIVING?

Yes, it is possible to pass out while skydiving - however, it's pretty rare.

In most cases, the first time skydiver passes out due to either:

• An underlying medical condition
• Extreme anxiety
• Low blood sugar (the most popular reason)

Although you don't have to be super physically fit to go skydiving, it does help to be as healthy as possible before attempting a skydive. Not only because the Skydive Long Island team is super safety conscious, but also because we want you to enjoy your skydive all the way through!

If you have any concerns before your jump, especially medical conditions, it's crucial to inform one of our team members. Don't be shy! Most dropzone staff members have heard and seen it all, there's not much you can say that will boggle our minds! We want you to feel safe, comfortable and confident from wheels up to touch down. Help us, help you!

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU PASS OUT WHILE SKYDIVING?

If you happen to pass out while skydiving, no need to worry. You will be securely harnessed to a highly-experienced and certified tandem instructor the whole time. In the event that you faint, they will take care of you while they safely navigate you both to the ground.

Tandem instructors have to have a United States Parachute Association (USPA) D License (the highest of four levels), a minimum of 500 skydives, numerous hours in freefall, a bunch of recent jumps, and several years in the sport.

HOW TO PREVENT PASSING OUT WHILE SKYDIVING

The good thing to know is that passing out while skydiving is preventable with just a little effort on your part. The best thing you can do to prevent yourself from passing out while skydiving is to take good care of yourself the night before and day of your scheduled jump.

As you may or may not know, skydiving causes your body to experience a flood of feel-good chemicals like adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine. These chemicals can spike your heart rate and deplete your body's energy stores (and also help you sleep great and feel incredible!). Therefore, you'll need to prepare your body to handle the "big release".

Here are four ways you can prepare yourself to help prevent passing out while skydiving:

#1 EAT A LIGHT MEAL

Some people question whether or not they should eat before skydiving, believing that eating could cause them to be queasy and uneasy ... so they choose to skip a meal. This is a BAD idea! Eating will help to prevent you from feeling iffy and make you less likely to pass out while skydiving.

This doesn't mean gorge yourself with unhealthy, greasy foods - eating heavy foods can cause you to feel extremely lethargic (so, let's avoid that all-you-can-eat buffet). You'll want to eat lighter fare that's energizing, providing your body with the fuel it needs for your upcoming adventure.

#2 DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS

Can you drink before skydiving? Yes! We can't say it enough - HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE! And no, we don't mean with alcohol. It's no surprise that people like to throw down the night before their skydive, but skydiving is so not fun when you're hungover.

Matter of fact, at Skydive Long Island, we will not perform a tandem skydive if there is any indication that you have any alcohol in your system. It's a safety risk and, honestly, it won't be a very enjoyable experience for you or your instructor. Save the celebratory sippage for after your jump!

Drink a good amount of water the day before and the day of your scheduled jump to keep your body in rhythm.

#3 COME WELL-RESTED

As you now know, your body needs the appropriate amount of energy to handle the intensity of your first time skydiving experience. Don't skimp on those forty winks!

Getting adequate sleep the night before your date with the sky is just as important as eating a healthy meal and staying hydrated. If you do all three, you'll really set yourself up for success and your body will thank you (by not passing out)!

#4 REMEMBER TO BREATHE

With anxiety being one of the causes of passing out while skydiving, we recommended doing a bit of research to help prepare for your first jump. One of the techniques you can use to curb the feeling of overwhelm is to just breathe through it. Some people believe it's hard to breathe while skydiving - but you most definitely can breathe while skydiving and with a little practice, it can be easy!

Practice breathing before your jump; take nice controlled breaths through your nose and push the air out through your mouth.

To recap ... it's super rare to pass out while skydiving but it can happen! If you eat good food, drink ample water, get your beauty sleep, and remember to breathe, you'll not only minimize the potential of passing out but you'll also set yourself up for a great skydiving experience! When you feel good, you can reap all of those skydiving benefits and have the most spectacular experience of your life!!

Ready to soar? Book your jump today! Or if you have more questions about Skydive Long Island - contact one of our team members for additional information. We've got your back. Blue skies!