What Causes Nitrogen Narcosis? (Is ‘Raptures Of The Deep’ Dangerous?)
Nitrogen narcosis generally occurs noticeably to divers at depths below 30 metres (98 feet) or deeper. Scuba diving involves the inhalation of compressed air at pressure underwater. It’s this breathing of the air under pressure that impacts how much of the nitrogen molecules are dissolved into the tissues and blood. This extra nitrogen finds its way to your brain, where too much nitrogen can affect the brain. This is because nitrogen is an anaesthetic at increased pressure.
