How to measure your breathing rate

What is breathing rate?

Breathing rate, also called respiratory rate, is the number of breaths you take in one minute. It is one of the basic vital signs used to observe breathing.

For adults at rest, commonly cited reference ranges are around 12–20 breaths per minute, although ranges vary between sources and individual measurements can change with activity, stress, illness and other factors. See our guide to normal breathing rate for more context.

How to count your breaths per minute

1. Get comfortable. Sit or lie down somewhere quiet and allow yourself to relax.
2. Let your breathing become natural. Do not deliberately slow down, speed up or take unusually deep breaths.
3. Start a 60-second timer. Count each complete breath during the minute. One breath is one normal cycle of breathing in and breathing out.
4. Record the number. The number you counted is your breathing rate in breaths per minute.
5. Repeat when useful. If you are tracking your breathing over time, try to measure under similar resting conditions so the readings are easier to compare.

MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic both describe checking respiratory rate by resting quietly and counting breaths for one full minute. MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic provide further information.

Why measure for a full minute?

A full 60-second count gives you the breathing rate directly in breaths per minute and avoids having to convert a shorter count. It can also make the measurement less sensitive to a single irregular breath.

For a simple home wellness measurement, consistency is often more useful than trying to make the process complicated. Use the same basic method each time you want to compare resting measurements.

When should you measure?

If you want a resting measurement, avoid taking it immediately after exercise or another activity that has noticeably changed your breathing. Give yourself time to settle, then count while breathing normally.

Stress, strong emotions, pain, illness, physical activity and environmental factors can all affect breathing rate. This means a reading taken after climbing stairs is measuring something different from a quiet resting reading.

Tips for a more consistent measurement

• Choose a quiet place where you can sit comfortably.
• Keep your posture comfortable and relaxed.
• Do not intentionally change the depth or speed of your breathing.
• Count for the full 60 seconds.
• If you are tracking a baseline, measure at roughly similar times and under similar conditions.
• Write down anything relevant, such as recent exercise or unusual stress, that might help explain a different reading.

Can you count your own breaths?

Yes. However, watching or thinking about your breathing can sometimes make you change it without realising. If you find it difficult to count naturally, another person can observe the rise and fall of your chest while you breathe normally.

The goal is not to control your breathing during the measurement. You are simply observing and counting what your body is already doing.

Use BreatheMeter for a guided measurement

BreatheMeter includes a simple breathing-rate counter designed to make timed measurements easier. You can choose a 30-second, 1-minute or 2-minute session and record your result on your device.

When should you seek medical advice?

A breathing-rate number should not be interpreted on its own. If your resting breathing rate is persistently unusual for you, changes noticeably without an obvious reason, or you have concerns about your breathing, discuss it with a qualified healthcare professional.

If you have significant difficulty breathing, chest pain, blue or grey lips or skin, severe shortness of breath, confusion or another urgent symptom, seek immediate medical attention rather than relying on a home measurement. See MedlinePlus guidance on rapid, shallow breathing for examples of urgent symptoms.

Related breathing guides

What is a normal breathing rate?

Breathing rate: what it is and how to measure it

Free breathing exercises