Resting heart rate and respiratory rate by age

It refers to the number of times a heart contracts in one minute (beats per minute) while at complete rest. The normal heart rate depends upon your age, gender and health and can vary greatly for both athletes and non athletes.

In general a person's resting heart rate indicates their basic fitness level. The stronger the heart, the more blood it can pump during each contraction, and the less frequently needs to beat to get adequate blood flow and oxygen to the blood tissues. A well trained athlete can have a very low resting heart rate and pump more blood than an unconditioned individual.

The resting heart rate is most accurately assessed when measured for a full minute first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. Place your finger tips on the side of your neck or at your wrist on the thumb side. Avoid using too much pressure when using the carotid pulse to measure heart rate.

Respiratory rate, also known as breathing rate, is the number of breaths that you take per minute at rest. Breathing rate is a general indicator of the health of your lungs and cardiovascular system. It changes very rapidly in response to excitement and stress, for example, during physical exercise. The normal breathing rate in a teenager is typically the same as adults, between 12 and 16 breaths per minute. As a child progresses from early to late teens, however, there should be a natural decrease in resting breathing rate.

Respiratory rate is measured by counting the number of breaths a person takes in a one minute period. The rate should be measured at rest, not after someone has been up and walking about. Being aware that your breaths are being counted can make the results inaccurate.

In general, children have faster respiratory rates than adults, and women breathe more often than men. The normal ranges for different age groups are listed below: