### Understanding Breathing Patterns and Respiration Rates Your respiration rate, or the number of times you breathe in a minute, is an important vital sign. For a typical adult, the normal rate is between 12 and 20 breaths per minute when resting. You can measure this by counting your breaths for a full minute or for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4. #### Types of Breathing Patterns 1. **Dyspnea**: This is when you feel short of breath, as if your body can't get enough air. It can be a symptom of heart and lung problems, asthma attacks, or heart attacks. It can also occur at high altitudes, in poor physical health, or in obesity. Special breathing exercises or oxygen may be recommended by your doctor. 2. **Bradypnea**: This is when you breathe more slowly than normal, which can mean your body isn't getting enough oxygen. It can be a sign of metabolic conditions, sleep apnea, carbon monoxide poisoning, or a drug overdose. 3. **Tachypnea**: This is the opposite of bradypnea, where you breathe faster than normal. It can indicate illnesses like COPD or pneumonia, or occur in obesity or infants with breathing problems. 4. **Kussmaul Breathing**: This pattern involves fast, deep breaths and is often associated with diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition related to diabetes. When the body burns stored fat for energy instead of sugar, it raises acid levels in the blood. To balance this, the body breathes faster and more deeply, sometimes leading to fruity-smelling breath. Understanding these patterns can help your doctor diagnose underlying health issues, especially in relation to diabetes.