The Role of Environmental Temperatures in Respiratory Control

Warfighters are frequently exposed to environments and life-support systems that increase breathing resistance and the work of breathing (WOB), such as aircraft on-board oxygen generation systems and underwater breathing apparatuses. Elevated WOB increases the perception of breathing difficulty (dyspnea) and has been associated with impaired cognitive performance, including slower reaction time and reduced accuracy during attention-demanding tasks. These effects are particularly concerning in operational settings that require rapid decision-making and precise motor responses. Despite growing recognition of this issue, critical gaps remain regarding strategies to mitigate the perceptual and cognitive consequences of elevated inspiratory resistance, especially under realistic operational stressors. The objective of this study is to determine whether exposing individuals to thermal stress alters breathing perception and cognitive performance during inspiratory resistance. Participants will perform inspiratory resistance breathing under thermoneutral, heat, and cold conditions to determine whether thermal stress amplifies WOB, breathing perception, and cognitive impairment.