Which environmental factors can contribute to diving stress?

Diving stress can arise from various environmental factors that create challenging conditions for divers. Poor visibility and strong currents are significant contributors to diving stress for several reasons.

When visibility is low, divers may struggle to orient themselves and navigate effectively, leading to anxiety and a greater risk of getting lost. Poor visibility can also complicate communication with dive buddies, which is essential for safety during dives. Additionally, strong currents can exert physical strain on divers, requiring them to expend more energy to maintain their position or navigate to a desired location. This added exertion and the potential for being swept away can heighten feelings of stress and make the dive more difficult and dangerous.

In contrast, conditions such as calm waters and mild temperatures or minimal wave action with warm seas typically create a more relaxed and enjoyable diving experience, reducing the likelihood of stress. While high temperatures and sunny conditions might seem pleasant, they do not inherently contribute to divers' stress levels in the same way that poor visibility and challenging currents do.