The Complete Educational Guide to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Understanding how oxygen, pressure, and time can support recovery, performance, and longevity.

What Is HBOT?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a safe, non-invasive therapy that involves breathing concentrated oxygen while sitting or lying in a pressurised chamber.

By slightly increasing the surrounding air pressure (usually 1.3–2.0 times normal atmospheric pressure), your lungs can absorb more oxygen than would ever be possible at normal room conditions. That extra oxygen dissolves directly into your blood plasma, allowing it to travel deeper into tissues, muscles, and the brain.

In simple terms — HBOT helps deliver more of your body’s most essential fuel to the places that need it most.

Why Oxygen Matters

Oxygen is the foundation of life. Every heartbeat, breath, and thought depends on it. Yet stress, ageing, poor circulation, injury, or inflammation can reduce how much oxygen reaches your cells.

HBOT doesn’t replace normal breathing — it enhances how your body uses oxygen for:
- Energy production (ATP): fuelling your cells.
- Tissue repair: supporting collagen formation and wound healing.
- Brain function: aiding blood flow and mental clarity.
- Immune balance: helping the body manage inflammation.

Interesting fact: When dinosaurs roamed the planet, oxygen levels were about twice as high as today — one reason they could grow so large. HBOT recreates a controlled version of that oxygen-rich environment.

How It Works — Simplified Science

When you enter the chamber and pressure increases, oxygen dissolves in your plasma like bubbles in sparkling water. This lets oxygen reach small blood vessels that red cells can’t easily access.

Inside your body, this oxygen:
1. Boosts mitochondrial activity – your cellular “power plants” make more energy.
2. Stimulates stem cells – the body’s repair system is activated.
3. Promotes angiogenesis – new blood vessels form, improving microcirculation.
4. Modulates inflammation – calming overactive immune responses.
5. Enhances collagen synthesis – supporting skin, joints, and connective tissue.

At the end of the session, pressure is released gradually in a process called off-gassing. Oxygen levels return to normal gently, avoiding discomfort and allowing your body to re-balance safely.

Pressure: Finding the Right Balance

A key insight from clinicians such as Dr Jason Sonners is that different pressures create different physiological responses.

Pressure Range	Typical Focus	Notes
1.3 – 1.5 ATA	Brain health, energy, wellness, recovery	Gentle “adaptive” range suitable for most people.
1.7 – 2.0 ATA	Tissue repair, sports recovery, inflammation reduction	Moderate therapeutic range.
2.0 ATA+	Hospital-based medical treatments	Used under medical supervision for approved conditions.

Higher pressure is not automatically better. HBOT works best when pressure, duration, and frequency are personalised to the individual and their goals.

Personalised Protocols

Every person’s biology is unique. Oxygen levels, circulation, and cellular repair capacity all differ.

That’s why programmes are tailored — for example:
- Athletes & Performers: 1.5–2.0 ATA for faster muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, and improved endurance.
- Brain Health & Focus: 1.3–1.5 ATA to support oxygenation, neuroplasticity, and cognitive performance.
- Fatigue & Longevity: 1.3–1.7 ATA to support mitochondrial function, energy, and resilience over time.
- Injury & Post-Surgery Recovery: 1.7–2.0 ATA to encourage angiogenesis and tissue repair.

The key principle: HBOT is not “more pressure = more results.” It’s “the right dose for the right goal.”

Oxygen Toxicity and Safety

HBOT is one of the safest non-invasive therapies available.
However, oxygen follows a dose–response curve — too much or too long at high pressures can irritate the lungs or eyes (a temporary state called oxygen toxicity).

This is easily avoided through:
- Controlled session length (typically 60–90 minutes)
- Moderate pressure
- Scheduled rest periods

Mild ear pressure is the most common sensation (like on an aeroplane).
At Oxydise, all sessions follow UKCA-certified safety standards and are monitored by trained staff.

On-Label and Off-Label Applications

On-Label (Medically Approved)

In the UK, HBOT is officially recognised for specific hospital-based indications, including:
- Decompression sickness
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Gas gangrene
- Air or gas embolism
- Crush injuries and compromised grafts
- Radiation-induced tissue damage
- Certain non-healing diabetic foot ulcers

These are performed at higher pressures (2.0–3.0 ATA) under medical supervision.

Off-Label (Investigational & Wellness Uses)

Beyond the hospital, HBOT is being studied for a range of wellness and performance applications, such as:
- Post-concussion and brain injury recovery
- Long COVID and post-viral fatigue
- Sports performance and recovery
- Chronic pain and inflammation
- Sleep and mood regulation
- Cognitive performance and memory
- Cellular ageing, telomere length, and stem-cell mobilisation

These are research areas, not approved medical indications.
At Oxydise, HBOT is offered for wellness, recovery, and performance, not as a treatment for disease.

Examples of How People Use HBOT

1. Sports Recovery
Athletes use HBOT to recover faster after intense training or competition.
Increased oxygen availability helps reduce muscle soreness, speed up tissue repair, and maintain consistent performance.

2. Brain Health & Focus
Entrepreneurs, students, and professionals use HBOT to support mental clarity and focus.
Oxygen-rich blood improves cerebral circulation and energy metabolism — often described as “mental refreshment.”

3. Post-Surgery & Healing
After surgery or injury, HBOT may support healing by promoting blood vessel formation and collagen production.
It’s particularly useful for tissues that normally receive little oxygen, such as ligaments or cartilage.

4. Chronic Fatigue & Long COVID Support
People experiencing low energy or post-viral fatigue may use mild HBOT sessions to help restore mitochondrial efficiency and oxygen balance.

5. Longevity & Wellness
Early studies suggest regular HBOT may influence markers of biological age and telomere length — part of why it’s gaining attention in longevity science.

Synergy: How HBOT Works with Other Therapies

At the Oxydise Wellness Lab, HBOT is often combined with complementary tools for a full recovery protocol:

Modality	How It Works Together
Red Light Therapy	Oxygen primes the cells, while red light improves mitochondrial energy conversion.
PEMF Mats	Enhance circulation and cellular communication.
Cryotherapy	Cold exposure and oxygenation work synergistically for vascular health.
IV Drips	Nutrients and oxygen combine to support metabolic repair.
Grounding Mats	Help stabilise redox potential and reduce inflammation.

Stacked intelligently, these therapies reinforce each other’s effects rather than competing for the body’s energy resources.

What to Expect in a Session

A typical HBOT experience is calm, quiet, and deeply relaxing:

1. Preparation: wear light clothing and stay hydrated.
2. Pressurisation: air pressure gradually increases; you may feel your ears pop.
3. Oxygen breathing: for 60–90 minutes you simply rest, read, or listen to music.
4. Decompression: the chamber slowly returns to normal pressure.
5. Afterwards: most people feel clear-headed, calm, and refreshed.

Some report improved sleep, faster recovery, or better focus after several sessions.

Fascinating Facts

- At 2.0 ATA, the oxygen content in plasma can increase more than tenfold.
- HBOT is the only non-drug therapy proven to mobilise stem cells from bone marrow.
- Oxygen triggers a hormetic (adaptive) response — teaching cells to handle stress more efficiently.
- Oxygen makes up around 65% of the human body’s mass.

In Summary

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is more than just “breathing oxygen.”
It’s a carefully controlled environment that encourages your body to do what it already knows best — repair, restore, and renew.

By delivering oxygen more efficiently, HBOT supports recovery after exertion, enhances brain function, and promotes long-term cellular health.