What is a normal breathing rate?

What is a normal respiratory rate for adults?

At rest, 12 to 20 breaths a minute. NHS hospitals use a chart called NEWS2 to spot adults who are getting more unwell. It gives 12 to 20 a score of 0.

Slower or faster adds points. A rate of 8 or less, or 25 or more, gets the top score of 3.

Think of 12 to 20 as the middle lane. Drifting out of it doesn’t tell you what’s wrong on its own. NEWS2 is a chart for health staff, so one count at home is not a NEWS2 score.

NEWS2 adds it to your pulse, temperature and other checks, because several together tell more than one alone.

The chart is for people aged 16 or over. It isn’t used for children, or after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Your next step: count your own rate at rest, using the method below.

What does a fast or slow breathing rate mean?

In patients, a fast rate is a powerful sign of sudden illness and distress, the NEWS2 report says. A slow rate can be a sign the brain is slowed down, such as by heavy sedation.

Got a temperature? The report says it’s unusual for one to rise without your breathing or pulse rising too.

When sepsis is suspected in someone aged 16 or over outside hospital, NICE counts 21 to 24 as a medium-risk sign. It counts 25 or more as a high-risk sign.

Breathing fast with a racing heart and a sense of dread? Shortness of breath is one of the symptoms of a panic attack. See how stress affects your heart rate.

Puffed out on a short walk? Read out of breath when walking.

How do I count my respiratory rate?

The NHS counts how many times the chest rises, usually over 60 seconds. You can do it with a phone timer.

That habit is counting for a full minute. A study timed every breath in recordings from people who were very unwell. Repeat counts of the same breathing often differed by more than 3.

Longer counts were steadier. With 30-second counts, up to 40% of NEWS2 scores could land in the wrong band.

One count is a photo, not a film. If yours sits near 12 or 20, count again later and compare.

A watch or ring may show a breathing rate overnight. See how accurate sleep trackers are before you trust one number.

Breathing that stops and starts at night? See sleep apnoea.

What is a normal respiratory rate by age?

Children breathe faster than adults, and babies fastest of all. In a review of 20 studies, the middle value fell from 44 breaths a minute at birth to 26 at age 2.

The same review found many child ranges in common use are not based on evidence.

NICE tells health staff to think about pneumonia in a feverish child under 5 breathing this fast. If your child seems very unwell, use the 999 signs below.

For adults, no source we found gives a different normal range for older people. Pregnancy can change the normal baseline, so ask your midwife.

When to speak to a GP

The NHS says to book a GP appointment if:

• Your shortness of breath gets worse when you’ve been doing your normal activities, or when you lie down.
• You feel short of breath and have swollen ankles.
• You’ve been coughing for 3 weeks or more.
• Call 111 if you have difficulty breathing or are more short of breath than usual, feel or are being sick, cough up blood, have pain or swelling in 1 leg, or have palpitations (a racing, slow, skipping or fluttering heartbeat).

Call 999 or go to A&E if you have severe difficulty breathing: gasping, choking or not able to get words out. The same goes for a tight or heavy chest, or pain spreading to your arms, back, neck and jaw.

Or very pale, blue or grey lips or skin, or sudden confusion. On black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands.

Call 999 too if you think an adult or child aged 5 or over might have sepsis and they are breathing very fast. The same goes if they are confused, have slurred speech or are not making sense.

Or if they have blue, pale or blotchy skin, or a rash that does not fade when you press it. On black or brown skin, colour changes may be easier to see on the palms or soles. Or a very high or very low temperature, feel hot or cold to the touch, or are shivery.

For a baby or child under 5, call 999 if they’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe. They may grunt, or their tummy may suck in under their ribs.

Call 999 too for blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue, or a rash that does not fade when you press it. The same goes for a very high or very low temperature, or a weak, high-pitched or nonstop cry. Or if they are not feeding, are hard to wake or more sleepy than usual, or have not had a pee for 12 hours.

The NHS sepsis page has the full list. Don’t drive yourself to A&E.