There are many issues that can be prevented underwater.
By gaining the knowledge and experience to be able to handle things when the situation arrives, your confidence and enjoyment of the dive will go up, drastically.
Over-breathing a regulator can be a serious issue and can be prevented, as I indicated in Part one and Part two of this series.
By taking advantage of newer technology, it can help you enjoy dives so much more.
Many of the newer regulators have the option to upgrade to a second stage that has an adjustable knob.
This adjustment allows the air your breathing to flow faster or slower, depending your needs at depth.
As you, the diver, descend deeper or swim into current, the air will become harder to breath, even in a balanced first stage system.
The idea behind the adjustable second stage is so you can increase to flow, or ease, of breathing in the regulator.
Some divers just put the adjustment to the max and never touch it.
I'm not sure if this is the best idea, but it works for some.
Then other divers put it in the middle and leave it.
It's a personal preference on how you use the adjustment.
By increase or decreasing the flow, or ease, of breathing at depth can help you control your breathing.
The adjustment will help to prevent you from over-breathing your regulator.
For some divers out there, you may want to practice increasing the flow of air delivered.
This could help ease your breathing to a normal breathing pattern at depth.
Practice this on shallow dives as well as deeper dives.
You may find out that you may not need it opened up as much or just the opposite.
You won't know without trying.
For may divers, opening it up, or increasing the flow of air, will solve many breathing issues underwater.
This is why it was designed.
Take advantage of it.
Especially since you made the investment in that regulator.
Your breathing rate should calm down some, assuming there are not other factors involved.
Increasing the flow, however, may not solve all the breathing issues associated with increasing or decreasing the flow of air.
What I've noticed in some divers, including myself, is that by increasing the flow of the air actually triggers the demand of more air.
Your mind starts to think that it is receiving more air, so it will try to demand more.
It is almost like jumping on the highway to pick up speed.
The need for speed will gradually increase, unless you control it.
With some divers, it could reach a point where it becomes on uncontrollable unless you take action.
You control your breathing by decreasing the flow of air to try slowing down your breathing pattern.
It may seem counterproductive, but it will work in some cases you run into this issue.
By providing a little resistance to your ability to receive the air, in addition to trying to control your breathing pattern, you will eventually gain control of your breathing once again.
It works like a charm when increasing the flow does not seem to be working for you.
Many of the breathing patterns you encounter at depth are controllable.
As you gain experience and try a couple techniques, you will eventually be able to catch an issue before it is out of hand.
Maintaining control of your breathing with these techniques will allow you to enjoy many different diving environments at a whole new level.