What Is a Normal Respiratory Rate for Your Age? Why It Matters More Than You Think

You probably don’t think all that much about how quickly you breathe, but it can actually tell you quite a lot about your overall health. Respiratory rate is considered one of four main vital signs, or measurements of the body’s most basic functions, and it both directly impacts your health and serves as an early warning sign of potential health issues. But what is a normal respiratory rate for your age? Here we break down what’s considered an average number of breaths per minute for a healthy adult and what it signals about your overall health.

What is your respiratory rate, and why is it important?

“Basically, respiratory rate is the number of times you actually breathe per minute,” says Kansas City-based internist K. Gay Purcell, MD, who’s affiliated with MDVIP, a network of primary care physicians focused on delivering personalized patient care. “That can vary with age, but for the standard adult, the typical respiratory rate is somewhere between 12 and 20 breaths per minute.” 

The reason respiratory rate is so important is because breathing brings oxygen into the body (which allows the cells to convert nutrients into fuel) and removes carbon dioxide (which plays a role in regulating the pH of the blood). A healthy respiratory rate allows levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide to stay balanced, which helps the body maintain proper blood pH and cellular function. But what’s considered a “normal” respiratory rate changes by age and can be influenced by underlying medical conditions. 

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How to calculate your respiratory rate

To determine your respiratory rate, you’ll want to grab a comfortable seat and relax, set a timer, then count the number of breaths you take in one minute. You can also count the number of times your chest rises in one minute. One breath is considered the combination of one inhale and one exhale. 

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Normal respiratory rate by age

It’s very normal for your breathing rate to change with age starting at an early age. This chart, derived from information from Nursing Skills, provides a brief overview of normal respiratory rate by age:

As you can see in the chart above, most of the changes to your respiration rate happen in infancy and early childhood. This is due to children’s smaller lung size and higher metabolic rate. That said, what’s considered a “normal” respiratory rate for adults can continue to increase or decrease as we age, Dr. Purcell notes. Several different factors play a role in these changes. 

What affects the normal respiratory rate for adults?

In general, lung function tends to decrease over time. This reduced lung function can change your breathing, leading to some slight increases or decreases in your average respiratory rate. 

For women, going through menopause could also affect respiratory rate. Women often gain weight during perimenopause or menopause, and additional pounds can restrict lung expansion and lead to increases in respiratory rate, Dr. Purcell says. Menopause can also increase the risk of a medical condition known as sleep apnea, which causes women to stop breathing for seconds at a time throughout the night. This can affect your respiratory rate while sleeping, Dr. Purcell says.

Finally, a common reason for a higher-than-usual respiratory rate in adults is anxiety, Dr. Purcell says. Stress and anxiety can cause rapid breathing, even when people don’t necessarily realize it’s affecting them physically.

3 ways to lower your respiratory rate

Big swings in your respiratory rate are typically a red flag for an underlying health issue, especially conditions that affect the lungs or heart. Your healthcare provider will typically check your respiratory rate at your annual physical and most other times you go in for a visit. If they detect a big change, they’ll likely recommend testing to rule out other causes. That said, you can always check in with your doctor if you notice that your breathing rate has been increasing lately.

Note: If you ever notice symptoms like trouble breathing, bluish lips or chest pain, seek immediate medical care.

If your respiratory rate is still within normal range but a little higher than it usually is, there are things you can do to bring it back down on your own, Dr. Purcell says. Here’s what can help:

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Stay active 

During and after exercise, it’s normal for your respiratory rate to increase, even reaching 40 to 60 bpm. But getting regular exercise can actually reduce your average respiratory rate over time, Dr. Purcell says. Both cardio and resistance workouts are important, she adds. Why? Greater muscle mass is correlated with better respiratory function, according to research in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 

Try breathing exercises 

Taking some time to consciously regulate your breath has tangible effects on your respiratory rate. “We can teach people how to control their breath, control their heart rate through their breath and decrease anxiety,” Dr. Purcell says. She often recommends pranayama, a breath-management practice rooted in classical yoga. Check out a 15-minute pranayama deep breathing exercise video to get started.

Track your sleep

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Tracking your sleep won’t directly lower your respiratory rate, but it can clue you into a potential issue like sleep apnea that could be silently affecting your breathing. Dr. Purcell recommends the Apple Watch since it has a specific sleep apnea detection setting, but trackers including the Whoop, Oura Ring, Fitbit and Garmin can also track your respiratory rate and sleep quality. 

Also smart: monitoring yourself for symptoms such as snoring, chronic daytime fatigue or frequent sore throats or headaches in the morning.