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 observations used to understand how the body is breathing.
A breath generally means one complete cycle of breathing in and breathing out. When measuring your rate, the goal is to count your natural breaths rather than deliberately changing how you breathe.
What is a normal breathing rate for adults?
For an adult who is resting, 12–20 breaths per minute is a commonly cited normal range. MedlinePlus gives 12–20 breaths per minute for an adult at rest, and the American Lung Association also cites 12–20 breaths per minute as the normal adult resting range.
This range is a reference, not a target that everyone must match. Breathing rates can differ between people and can change from one moment to another. Age, activity, stress, illness, pain, altitude and other factors can affect respiratory rate.
Children have different respiratory-rate ranges, which generally change with age. This guide focuses on adults rather than applying the adult range to children.
How to measure your breathing rate
For a useful resting measurement, sit or lie comfortably and allow your breathing to settle. Then count each normal breath for one full minute. A healthcare professional may observe the rise and fall of your chest while counting respirations. The American Lung Association describes measuring respiratory rate at rest by counting breaths over one minute.
- Rest quietly for a few minutes.
- Breathe normally rather than intentionally slowing or speeding your breathing.
- Count each complete breath for 60 seconds.
- Record the number of breaths per minute.
- If useful, repeat the measurement at another time to see how your rate varies.
Want a simple way to do the one-minute count? Use the BreatheMeter breathing rate counter.
Why can breathing rate change?
Your respiratory rate is not fixed. It normally rises during physical activity because your body needs more oxygen and produces more carbon dioxide. It can also change with emotional stress, pain, illness and changes in altitude.
That is why a measurement taken immediately after exercise should not be compared directly with a quiet resting measurement. For tracking, try to measure under similar conditions each time.
When should you pay attention to a change?
A breathing-rate number should be considered alongside symptoms and circumstances rather than interpreted on its own. A persistently unusual rate at rest, or a noticeable change from your usual pattern, can be worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
If you are having 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 breathing-rate measurement. The Cleveland Clinic's tachypnea guidance describes difficulty breathing, chest pain and blue or grey skin as symptoms that can require urgent attention.
Track your breathing over time
One measurement tells you what your breathing looked like at that moment. Repeating measurements under similar resting conditions can help you understand your own baseline and notice how your breathing varies across different situations.
BreatheMeter is designed for this kind of everyday breathing awareness. You can run timed measurements, record your results and return to your breathing practice whenever you want.
Measure your breathing rate
Try a simple one-minute breathing-rate measurement with BreatheMeter.
Measure breathing rate Get BreatheMeter on the App Store →Related breathing guides
Breathing rate: what it is and how to measure it