Why Does Oxygen Matter So Much?

Your cells use oxygen to make energy. If they don't get it, they die. It's your blood's job to deliver oxygen throughout your body.

Your brain is at the center of everything you do. Your ability to think, talk, feel, sing, and dance all goes back to your brain, and those brain cells need oxygen, too.

Your brain's a real oxygen hog. It's a small part of your body weight, but it uses 20% of your oxygen. It can't store the oxygen, so it needs a steady flow of blood to work well. Brain cells start to die if they go without oxygen for just 3-4 minutes. 

With each minute that passes, you lose about 2 million brain cells. The longer you go without oxygen, the greater your chance for brain damage that can't be undone. After about 10 minutes, the damage can be severe.

Source: WebMD