When diving with enriched air nitrox, compared to air diving, how does narcosis change?

When diving with enriched air nitrox, narcosis remains essentially the same compared to diving with air. Narcosis, or nitrogen narcosis, occurs primarily due to the increase in pressure experienced at depth, causing nitrogen to become more soluble in body tissues. With enriched air nitrox, the concentration of nitrogen in the breathing gas is lower than that in normal air, which can lead to a reduction in the overall amount of nitrogen absorbed by the body during a dive. However, the effects of narcosis are primarily influenced by pressure rather than the specific gas composition. In fact, at recreational diving depths, the reduction in nitrogen exposure may not be enough to significantly alter the risk or severity of narcosis, which relies more on the ambient pressure.

Therefore, when engaging in dives with enriched air nitrox, divers must remain vigilant about narcosis levels just as they would when diving with regular air, as it is still a factor that needs to be managed regardless of the breathing gas type. This understanding emphasizes the importance of maintaining good dive practices and being aware of one's state while diving, as changes in gas mixtures alone do not eliminate the risk of narcosis.