Students flock to special chamber in hospitals to partake in ‘magic’ process ahead of vital test; doctors warn of potential health risks
2-MIN READ2-MINAlice Yanin ShanghaiPublished: 4:00pm, 6 Jun 2026As China’s most important national examination, known as gaokao, looms, many students are flocking to hospitals to inhale oxygen in the belief that doing so will “recharge” their brains.
Gaokao refers to the country’s national university entrance exam which takes place between June 6 and 8 every year.
Many people believe it can make or break a young person’s future since scores in the test will largely determine in which university and what major a student can study.
In the past few years, posts introducing the benefits of inhaling oxygen for students sitting for gaokao have gone viral on social media.
The process, usually carried out in the hyperbaric chamber department of hospitals, is alleged to help students improve their sleep, enhance their memory and relieve anxiety, the state media CCTV reported.
Yongfeng County People’s Hospital, in eastern Jiangxi province, launched the service on May 23 and has received more than 30 students in a week.
The 90-minute-long service costs 96 yuan (US$15). The hospital said it was surprised by the popularity of the oxygen inhalation service, the report said.
