Normal Respiratory Rate: What Affects Your Breathing Rate, and When Should You Worry?
Health ConditionsLung & Respiratory

What Does Your Breathing Rate Say About Your Health?

What Does Your Breathing Rate Say About Your Health?
Everyday Health
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Published on April 24, 2025
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Respiratory rate is the number of breaths you take per minute. Breathing in provides the body with oxygen, which the cells need to create energy, and exhaling breath is how we get rid of carbon dioxide, which can be harmful if too much builds up.

It’s one of four vital signs used to measure the basic functions of the body, which also include body temperature, blood pressure, and pulse.

A normal respiratory rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 18 breaths per minute. If the rate is slower or faster than that, it can be the sign of an underlying health condition, such as heart disease, lung disease, or anxiety.

What Is a Normal Respiratory Rate?

Respiration rate is how many breaths a person takes per minute. It’s measured by counting the number of breaths taken in one minute when a person is at rest. It can also be calculated when a person is lying down or asleep by counting how often their chest rises in one minute.

A healthy or normal respiratory rate depends on a person’s age. Normal respiratory rates for each age group (as measured by breaths per minute) are:

  • 1 month: 30 to 60
  • 3 to 6 months: 30 to 45
  • 6 to 12 months: 25 to 40
  • 1 to 3 years old: 20 to 30
  • 3 to 6 years old: 20 to 25
  • 6 to 12 years old: 14 to 22
  • 12 years old and up: 12 to 18
Although lung function decreases slightly each year, breathing rate in adults usually doesn’t change with age.

What Factors Affect Your Respiratory Rate?

Variations in this vital sign are influenced by a few different factors, including a person’s activity level, stress level, sleep patterns, overall health, and environment.

Physiological Factors

In healthy adults, activity, rest, and stress can all temporarily change your breathing rate.

Exercise and physical activity: Physical activity gets the heart and lungs working harder to supply the body with extra oxygen, and it increases breathing rate. But when people who do regular aerobic physical activity are at rest, they may have a lower respiratory rate. That’s because the body becomes more efficient at getting oxygen into the bloodstream and transporting it to the working muscles.

Sleep: Your rate of breathing naturally slows down while you’re sleeping, and it’s lowest during deep sleep. In REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the respiratory rate increases and becomes less regular.

Stress: Stress and strong emotions can cause the breathing rate to get faster as the airway between the nose and lung constricts. Stress can also cause the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which can make the heartbeat faster and the respiratory rate rise.

Long-term stress and anxiety can also cause a slower-than-normal heart rate.

Environmental and Lifestyle Factors

External factors and lifestyle choices can impact breathing rate.

Smoking: When you smoke, oxygen is displaced, preventing its delivery to the muscles and other body tissues. People who smoke experience shortness of breath almost three times as often as nonsmokers.

Overweight or obesity: People who have overweight or obesity are more likely to have reduced lung function, which can impact breathing rate.

Air quality: Air pollutants like particulate matter can cause irritation and inflammation in the lungs. When the lungs are inflamed, the body may try to adjust by breathing faster to get more oxygen to the lungs and expel carbon dioxide.

Altitude: Because the air is thinner at higher altitudes, the body tends to breathe faster to maintain adequate oxygen levels in the blood.

Alcohol: Regular or heavy alcohol consumption can slow respiratory rate.

Illness

Acute and chronic illnesses can have an effect on breathing rate. For example, inflammation and mucus caused by a respiratory infection can make it harder to take breaths, leading to an increased respiratory rate.

A few conditions can do the opposite, and slow down the respiratory rate, such as a thyroid issue or an electrolyte imbalance.

Health Implications of Abnormal Respiratory Rates

If a person’s breathing rate is below or above normal rates, it can signal an underlying health issue.

Conditions That Can Cause Above-Normal Respiratory Rates

Quick, shallow breathing and a faster-than-normal respiratory rate is called tachypnea. It can be caused by a lack of oxygen or too much carbon dioxide in the body.

If the breath rate gets fast but then returns to normal it’s known as transient tachypnea.

People with lung disease (especially COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis can have increased respiratory rate chronically, says Yuh-Chin Tony Huang, MD, a professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and a pulmonologist at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina.

“Pneumonia, asthma, or COPD attacks, and accumulation of fluid in the lung from heart failure can increase respiratory rate suddenly,” says Dr. Huang.

Other acute and chronic conditions that can cause the tachypnea include:

Conditions That Can Cause Below-Normal Respiratory Rates

A slower-than-normal respiratory rate is called bradypnea, and it’s a symptom of an underlying health condition.

“Neuromuscular diseases with muscle weakness or some brain diseases can be associated with slower-than-normal respiratory rate,” says Huang.

Other causes of slow heart rate can include:

  • Inhaling toxins, such as carbon monoxide
  • Head injuries, specifically that involve the lower brain stem and spinal cord
  • Hypothyroidism, a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones

When to See a Medical Professional About Your Breathing Rate

When a fast respiratory rate is associated with difficulty in breathing, also called dyspnea, you should seek emergency care, says Huang.

If you are breathing rapidly and have any of the following symptoms, call 911 or go to the emergency room:

  • Bluish or grayish color to the skin, nails, gums, lips, or the area around the eyes
  • Chest pain
  • Chest wall is pulling in with each breath (intercostal retractions)
  • Fever
  • Never had rapid breathing before
  • Symptoms that are getting more severe

Respiratory rate is part of the vital signs that are taken when you see your doctor for a checkup or a visit for an acute or ongoing health issue, says Huang.

“It’s monitored because abnormal respiratory rate — especially rapid rate — can be an early sign of serious diseases, especially if it is accompanied by dyspnea,” he says.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Respiratory Rate

There are steps you can take to keep your respiratory rate in the healthy range.

  • Engage in regular exercise to strengthen the lungs and improve oxygen flow.
  • Follow a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight to reduce strain on the respiratory system.
  • Practice breathing exercises to increase lung capacity and control breathing.
  • Incorporate stress reduction techniques, like meditation or yoga, to relax the body and promote efficient breathing.
  • Quit smoking to prevent long-term damage to the lungs and improve overall respiratory function.
  • When possible, minimize exposure to pollutants, such as smog and chemicals, to reduce inflammation and protect the lungs.
  • Get annual checkups to make sure your lungs are healthy. Report any breathing trouble to your doctor right away.

The Takeaway

  • Respiratory rate is a vital sign that’s a key indicator of overall health, and the normal range for adults is between 12 and 18 breaths per minute.
  • Deviations from the normal range can indicate underlying conditions like lung disease, heart issues, or anxiety.
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you avoid some underlying causes that may negatively impact breathing rate.
  • If you experience rapid or slow breathing, especially with additional symptoms like chest pain or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention promptly, as it could indicate a serious health concern.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Vital Signs. Cleveland Clinic. March 15, 2023.
  2. What You Need to Know About Infant and Children’s Vital Signs. Cleveland Clinic. October 13, 2022.
  3. Aging Changes in Vital Signs. MedlinePlus. July 15, 2024.
  4. Exercise and Lung Health. American Lung Association. November 20, 2024.
  5. Sleep Respiratory Rate. SleepApnea.org. June 6, 2024.
  6. Stress Effects on the Body. American Psychological Association. October 21, 2024.
  7. Bradypnea. Cleveland Clinic. March 17, 2023.
  8. Smoking and Physical Activity. Cleveland Clinic. July 27, 2021.
  9. Peralta GP et al. Body Mass Index and Weight Change Are Associated with Adult Lung Function Trajectories: The Prospective ECRHS Study. Thorax. 2020.
  10. Particle Pollution and Respiratory Effects. United States Environmental Protection Agency. June 20, 2024.
  11. Altitude Sickness. Cleveland Clinic. August 21, 2023.
  12. Tachypnea. Cleveland Clinic. September 9, 2022.
  13. Rapid Shallow Breathing. MedlinePlus. May 3, 2023.
  14. 10 Simple Steps to Your Healthiest Lungs. American Lung Association. August 25, 2023.
Meet Our Experts
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Rohan Mankikar, MD

Medical Reviewer

Rohan Mankikar, MD, is the chief of pulmonary medicine at Huntington Hospital and practices on Long Island. Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Mankikar studied medicine at The Medical University of Lublin in Poland. He completed his residency from Morehouse School Of Medicine–Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and after graduating in 2014, he went on to serve as a chief resident. Thereafter, he completed a fellowship in pulmonary medicine from the University of South Carolina in 2017, where he served as a chief pulmonary fellow.

He was awarded Resident of The Year during residency and was inducted into the Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society for his passion for teaching medical students. He received the Jason B. Spiers Best Teaching Fellow Award from the University of South Carolina.

He has authored several abstracts and research projects in the field of pulmonary–critical care medicine as well as serving on the committee for the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. 

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Becky Upham, MA

Becky Upham

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Becky Upham has worked throughout the health and wellness world for over 25 years. She's been a race director, a team recruiter for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a salesperson for a major pharmaceutical company, a blogger for Moogfest, a communications manager for Mission Health, a fitness instructor, and a health coach.

Upham majored in English at the University of North Carolina and has a master's in English writing from Hollins University.

Upham enjoys teaching cycling classes, running, reading fiction, and making playlists.

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