In China, students preparing for the grueling national college entrance exam are now turning to oxygen therapy in hopes of boosting their memory and calming their nerves. The practice, once associated with elderly patients or high-altitude tourists, has found a new clientele: anxious teenagers cramming for the gaokao.
Oxygen bars become a study aid for gaokao hopefuls
Across several Chinese cities, clinics and wellness centers have begun offering hyperbaric oxygen sessions specifically marketed to students. The treatment involves sitting in a pressurized chamber and breathing pure oxygen for about an hour. Providers claim the extra oxygen can improve concentration, reduce fatigue, and help with information retention. Some students visit these centers multiple times a week in the months leading up to the exam.
Parents and students seek any edge in high-stakes test
The gaokao, held annually in June, is widely considered the most important academic hurdle in China. A student's score largely determines which university they can attend, and the pressure on teenagers is immense. Parents, eager to support their children, have been willing to pay for the therapy sessions, which can cost several hundred yuan each. Local news reports show long queues outside some oxygen clinics during peak study season.
Medical experts have offered mixed views on the trend. Some doctors note that oxygen therapy may help students who suffer from mild hypoxia due to poor ventilation in crowded study rooms. But others caution that for healthy individuals, the benefits are unproven and the practice is not a substitute for proper sleep, nutrition, or study habits.
Still, for many families, the desire to leave no stone unturned outweighs the scientific uncertainty. The oxygen therapy trend reflects the extreme lengths to which students and parents will go in pursuit of academic success. Whether the treatment actually sharpens the mind or simply soothes the nerves, it has become one more ritual in the high-pressure countdown to exam day.
