Chinese pupils seek oxygen therapy to boost memory, reduce anxiety for national exam
As gaokao nears, some Chinese students are using hospital oxygen therapy in hopes of calming nerves and sharpening memory.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Ahead of the gaokao, students in China are turning to hospital hyperbaric oxygen services after online posts praised the practice as a way to recharge the brain. The story captures how exam pressure can fuel demand for unproven wellness trends.
Some students think breathing extra oxygen at a hospital is like giving their brain a quick refill before a huge test. It is a bit like trying to charge a phone faster before the battery runs out, except the article says doctors warn there may be risks.
Analysis
What happened
As China’s gaokao approached, students were described as flocking to hospitals to inhale oxygen in the hope that it would “recharge” their brains. The article says the practice has been promoted in viral social media posts over the past few years.
Why students are trying it
According to the piece, the oxygen sessions are believed to help with sleep, memory, and anxiety. The service is usually offered in a hospital hyperbaric chamber department, which gives the trend a clinical feel even though the motivation is largely exam stress.
Concrete example
Yongfeng County People’s Hospital in eastern Jiangxi province launched the service on May 23 and received more than 30 students in one week. The hospital charged 96 yuan, or about US$15, for a 90-minute session, and said it was surprised by the demand.
What the story shows
The article is less about oxygen itself than about the pressure surrounding China’s national university entrance exam. Gaokao is presented as a test that can shape a young person’s future by influencing university and major placement, which helps explain why students and parents may look for anything that promises an edge.
The report also notes that doctors warn about possible health risks, although it does not spell them out in detail. That leaves the trend in a familiar space: popular, paid for, and widely discussed online, but not clearly backed in the article as a proven way to improve exam performance.
Key points
- Students are seeking oxygen therapy ahead of the gaokao in hopes of improving memory and easing anxiety.
- The treatment is being offered in hospital hyperbaric chambers, giving the trend a medical setting.
- Yongfeng County People’s Hospital said it saw more than 30 students in a week after launching the service on May 23.
- The 90-minute session costs 96 yuan, or about US$15.
- The article says doctors warn of potential health risks, though it does not detail them.
If the service is used carefully, it may give stressed students a short period of calm before a high-pressure exam. The article also suggests hospitals are responding quickly to demand, which could make the service easier to access for families seeking it.
The article does not show that oxygen therapy actually improves exam performance, so students may pay for a benefit that is more belief than evidence. It also notes doctors warn of health risks, which means the trend could encourage unsafe or unnecessary treatment-seeking.
