What Happens To Your Body If You Hang Upside Down For Too Long

If you’ve ever wondered if hanging upside down for too long can kill you, the answer is yes. Here’s what happens to your body if you don’t get it upright in time.

In this video from the SciShow YouTube channel, Olivia Gordon explains the science of the upside down human body, and what can go wrong. When you go inverse, blood begins to rush to your head as soon as you flip over. Eventually, that can cause a blood vessel to rupture or trigger a brain hemorrhage. But that isn’t the biggest problem. Most complications are caused by asphyxiation, or the lack of oxygen. When you’re upside down, your organs put extra weight on your lungs, making it harder to breathe. Heart problems can also arise because you have a lot more blood flowing toward your heart, meaning your heart has to pump harder than usual. And dangling for too long is bad for your eyes too. The pressure inside your eye can double when you’re upside down, which can cause vision problems.

Of course, you’d have to be stuck hanging upside down for a few hours or more for most of these things to happen, so there’s no need for kids to avoid the monkey bars entirely. But if you’re hanging up some Christmas lights, going climbing, or doing some work up in high places, make sure someone else is around just in case.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/12/the-most-common-holiday-injuries-and-how-to-avoid-them/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/w4ze1srxxkzyqvsfr92m.jpg” title=”The Most Common Holiday Injuries, And How To Avoid Them” excerpt=”It’s the most dangerous time of the year. With kids cutting fingers, dads falling off ladders, and you slipping onto your rear. It’s that hap-haphazardly season of all. Here are some tips for making it through the holidays unscathed.”]

Can Hanging Upside Down Kill You? [YouTube]