Circulatory responses to immersing the face in water.

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Abstract
Simultaneous measurements were made of heart rate and forearm blood flow in man during 1-min periods of breath holding while immersing the face in water, breath holding alone, and immersion of the face alone while continuing to breathe through a breathing tube. Breath holding while immersing the face in water and breath holding alone resulted in almost identical responses. In each case heart rate fell by about 15% and forearm blood flow fell by about 20%. The response to water touching the face was similar but smaller, heart rate and forearm blood flow both falling by about 10%. It was concluded that both water touching the face and breath holding contribute toward the reduction in heart rate and forearm blood flow found on immersing the face in water, the major contribution coming from the breath holding.