Normal Breathing: Respiration Rates, Durations, Volumes, Chart, ...

Normal breathing, as we discussed, is strictly nasal (in and out), mainly diaphragmatic (i.e., abdominal), slow (in frequency) and imperceptible (or small/shallow in its volume).

Smiling medical doctors with normal breathing The physiological and medical norm for respiratory minute ventilation at rest is 6 liters per minute for a 70 kg man (see references for textbooks below: Guyton, 1984; Ganong, 1995; Straub, 1998; Castro, 2000; etc.). These textbooks also provide the following numbers for normal breathing:
- normal TV (tidal volume or air volume breathed in during a single breath): 500 ml;
- normal Rf (respiratory frequency or respiratory rate): 12 breaths per minute;
- inspiration: about 1.5-2 seconds;
- normal exhalation is 1.5-2 seconds, followed by automatic pause (no breathing for 1-2 seconds).

Respiratory Rate Chart (Graph)

Normal breathing graph (chart) in time

This graph represents the normal breathing pattern at rest or the dynamic of the lungs' volume as a function of time. You can see that it corresponds to the normal breathing rate of 12 breaths/minute.

Warning. One cannot measure own breathing frequency or respiratory rate since our breathing immediately changes once we pay attention to it. We breathe slower and deeper. Your result can be 2-3 times smaller than your real number during your basal breathing pattern at rest (e.g., you will count 7 breaths/min, while your actual breathing rate can be about 18-20 breaths/min). Hence, you can breathe faster than the normal respiratory rate, but your test will show that you breathe slower than the normal respiratory rate (12 breaths/min).

Other parameters of normal breathing

“If a person breath-holds after a normal exhale, it takes about 40 s before breathing commences” (McArdle et al, 2000). Hence, normal breath-holding number (immediately after usual exhalation and after an exhale) is around 40 s. This indicates normal oxygenation of cells and tissues.

Man with abnormal breathing - coughing The current medical norm for CO2 pressure in the alveoli of the lungs or arterial blood is 40 mm Hg. This number was established about one century ago by famous British physiologists Charles G. Douglas and John S. Haldane (Oxford University). Their results were published in 1909 in their article "The regulation of normal breathing", Journal of Physiology (Douglas & Haldane, 1909).

What is known about other parameters of normal breathing? It is invisible (no chest or belly movements), regular, and inaudible (no panting, no wheezing, no sighing, no yawning, no sneezing, no coughing, no deep inhalations or exhalations).

Pediatric Respiratory Rate Chart

(Newborn, Toddlers, Infants, and Children)

(the source for this chart: Normal respiratory rate for children - health.msn.com)

Groups and ages	Normal respiratory rates
Newborns to 6 months old	30-60 breaths/min
6 to 12 months old	24–30 breaths/min
1 to 5 years old	20–30 breaths/min
6 to 12 years	12–20 breaths/min

Important note. Clinical evidence suggests that respiratory rates

in healthy children are near the lower limits or even below it.

How to measure one's own breathing?

In order to define one’s breathing pattern, measure your body oxygenation or stress-free breath holding time after your usual exhalation, but only until the first stress or discomfort. After doing this CP test, one can define their health state using the Buteyko Table of Health Zones.

The person with normal breathing is going to have about 40 s for the body oxygen test. In case of chronic overbreathing, breath holding time becomes shorter indicating reduced body oxygen stores, see Breath holding time in the sick (Table with 10 medical research articles results). Breath holding time in modern people or normal subjects (Table with 29 medical research articles results) is generally about 25-35 seconds.

Sick people have deep and fast breathing 24/7 and reduced body oxygenation (usually about 10-20 s of oxygen in tissues). In the severely sick and critically ill patients, body oxygenation is below 10 s.

MDs and patients Dr. Buteyko, based on his studies of thousands of healthy and sick people, suggested different norms for breathing (e.g., Buteyko, 1991). What are his norms? For example, his normal respiratory rate is only 8 breaths/min. Here are his numbers for normal breathing:
- normal minute ventilation: 4 l/min;
- normal tidal volume (air volume breathed in during a single breath): 500 ml;
- normal breathing rate or frequency: 8 breaths per minute;
- inspiration: about 1.5 seconds;
- exhalation: 2 seconds;
- automatic pause (or period of no breathing after exhalation): 4 seconds;
- breath holding time (after usual exhalation and without any stress at the end of the test): 60 seconds;
- CO2 concentrations in the alveoli or arterial blood – 6.5% or about 46 mm Hg (at sea level).

Both norms (official and Buteyko's) and other related values can be found in the Buteyko Table of Health Zones.

More information: Normal Breathing Rate in adults, children of different ages

Reference Web Pages: Breathing norms, Medical Graphs and Tables about Breathing Rates (Minute Ventilation) and Body Oxygen in Healthy, Normal and Sick People
Breathing norms Parameters, graph, and description of the normal breathing pattern
6 breathing myths 6 myths about breathing and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
Hyperventilation Definitions of hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
Hyperventilation Syndrome in the Sick. Table 1. Western scientific evidence about prevalence of CHV (chronic hyperventilation) in patients with various chronic conditions (34 medical studies)
Normal Minute Ventilation in Healthy Subjects: Easy and Light Breathing (14 Studies)
Hyperventilation Prevalence Present in Over 90% of Normal People (24 medical publications)
HV and hypoxia How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of all vital organs
Body oxygen test How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (a simple DIY test)
Body oxygen in healthy Table 4. CP (body oxygen level) in healthy people (27 medical studies)
Body oxygen in sick Table 5. CP (body oxygen level) in sick people (14 medical studies)
Buteyko Table of Health Zones with clinical description of most common zones
Morning HV Morning hyperventilation effect or how and why critically ill people are most likely to die during early morning hours

References: CO2 Effects Web Pages
Vasodilation: CO2 expands arteries and arterioles facilitating perfusion (or blood supply) to all vital organs
The Bohr effect How and why oxygen is released by red blood cells in tissues
Cell Oxygen Levels and oxygen transport are controlled by alveolar CO2 and breathing
Oxygen Transport depends on breathing and these two effects (Vasoconstriction-Vasodilation and the Bohr effect) are parts of two diagrams that summarize influences of hypocapnia (low CO2 content in the blood and cells) on circulation and O2 delivery
Free Radical Generation takes place due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia. Hence, antioxidant defenses of the human body are also regulated by CO2 and breathing
Inflammatory Response is controlled by breathing since hypoxia leads to or intensifies chronic inflammation through over-expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces these processes
Nerve stabilization takes place due to calmative or sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
Muscle relaxation or relaxation of muscle cells is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture and, sometimes, aggression and violence
Brochodilation - dilation of airways (bronchi and bronchioles) by carbon dioxide, and their constriction due to hypocapnia
CO2: Best Natural Cough Suppressant and "home remedy" since it calms urge-to-cough nerve receptors located in the tracheobronchial tree and larynx
Blood pH regulation and regulation of other bodily fluids
CO2: Lung Damage Healer: Elevated carbon dioxide prevents injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
CO2: Skin and Tissue Healer
Synthesis of Glutamine in the Brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
CO2 myth "CO2 is a toxic waste gas" myth
Breathing control How is our breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven and erratic?

References

Buteyko KP, Method of voluntary elimination of deep breathing, Buteyko method [in Russian], in Buteyko method. Its application in medical practice, ed. by K.P. Buteyko, 2nd ed., 1991, Titul, Odessa, p.148-165.

Castro M. Control of breathing. In: Physiology, Berne RM, Levy MN (eds), 4-th edition, Mosby, St. Louis, 1998.

Douglas CG, Haldane JS, The regulation of normal breathing, Journal of Physiology 1909; 38: p. 420–440.

Ganong WF, Review of medical physiology, 15-th ed., 1995, Prentice Hall Int., London.

Guyton AC, Physiology of the human body, 6-th ed., 1984, Suanders College Publ., Philadelphia.

McArdle W.D., Katch F.I., Katch V.L., Essentials of exercise physiology (2nd edition); Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, London 2000.

Straub NC, Section V, The Respiratory System, in Physiology, eds. RM Berne & MN Levy, 4-th edition, Mosby, St. Louis, 1998.

Summary of values useful in pulmonary physiology: man. Section: Respiration and Circulation, ed. by P.L. Altman & D.S. Dittmer, 1971, Bethesda, Maryland (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology).

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