Respiratory Exchange and Age-Related Changes
The respiratory exchange process is remarkable. Oxygen enters your alveoli and passes through their thin walls into nearby capillaries. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide waste moves from your blood into the alveoli to be exhaled. This exchange happens billions of times throughout your life!
As we age, normal senescent changes occur in the respiratory system. Your rib cage becomes less flexible, lung elasticity decreases, and respiratory muscles weaken. These natural changes explain why older adults might have reduced breathing capacity.
Abnormal oxygen levels can cause serious problems. Hypoxia means low oxygen, anoxia means no oxygen, and asphyxia refers to insufficient oxygen intake from any cause. Asphyxia can be physical (like suffocation) or chemical (like carbon monoxide poisoning).
Health Alert: Your cough reflex is actually a protective mechanism that helps clear mucus from your airways to improve gas exchange!
Your respiratory system relies on several groups of muscles to help with breathing. Besides your diaphragm, you have accessory respiratory muscles in your neck, between your ribs (intercostal), and in your abdomen that assist with breathing, especially during exercise.