I Hiked to Mount Everest Base Camp and Back — Here's How Hard It REALLY Is

Taking deep breaths is something I really took for granted before I headed to Everest. Once we hit 11,000 feet (which was on day two), I found it really hard to breathe deeply, which completely freaked me out. Our Sherpas reminded us to breathe slowly — in through our nose and out through our mouth — so we wouldn't hyperventilate. And even after settling at a new elevation for the night and we were just sitting around eating dinner, we would have to catch our breath. It's scary, but your body does adapt. Just remember to focus on your breathing.