The normal respiratory rate is called eupnea.
The respiratory rate that is considered normal is called eupnea . Eupnea, therefore, is the opposite of dyspnea , as it is called a difficulty or inconvenience in breathing.
In the case of an adult human being who is in a state of rest, eupnea is usually between twelve and sixteen breaths per minute . However, there are those who establish a broader framework and affirm that eupnea ranges from eight to twenty breaths per minute .
It is important to mention that a complete breath occurs by inhaling and exhaling air once . This means that a breath involves taking in the air and then releasing it. Each time the person repeats this process, they breathe again: eupnea, in this way, involves breathing a minimum of twelve and a maximum of sixteen times every sixty seconds.
Differences in eupnea
It must be taken into account that eupnea in children is different. It is normal for a baby , for example, to breathe more than forty times in a minute . An adult individual who is carrying out intense physical activity, meanwhile, also breathes at a different rate than that taken as a parameter for the definition of eupnea.
When a person breathes more than sixteen (or twenty) times per minute, they have tachypnea . On the other hand, if you breathe less than twelve (or eight) times per minute, you suffer from bradypnea . While bradypnea is slow breathing and tachypnea is fast breathing, eupnea is proper, healthy breathing .
Eupnea varies depending on age and other factors.
Etymology and related concepts
Regarding the etymology of the word eupnea , we can say that it is made up of Greek roots that together denote the meaning of "good breathing." More specifically, its lexical components are the following: eu (good, well), pnein (blow, breathe) and the suffix -aios (which derives from the suffix -ia and denotes "relationship").
In addition to the aforementioned terms, we must add the concept of apnea , which is the cessation of breathing for any reason. This phenomenon can take place temporarily. One of the most common examples is obstructive sleep apnea . When we talk about prolonged apnea , we mean that the individual stops breathing indefinitely; If the heart continues to work, then this problem is called respiratory arrest . Needless to say, this is a disorder that can lead to death, which is why first aid is necessary to solve it.
Eupnea measurement
A detail that is not usually mentioned but that is very important for the correct measurement of eupnea is that the subject must not be aware of the process to avoid forcing a certain rhythm. For example, if you know that someone is measuring your number of breaths per minute and you know the normal values, you will probably try to achieve them to pass the test successfully. It could also happen that nerves lead you to breathe too many times.
Regarding the signs that we must attend to to carry out the measurement, these can be visual or audible: the former include the increase and decrease in the size of the chest, which swells when the person breathes in and deflates when the person exhales; The sound ones are nothing more than the sound of the air entering and leaving the nostrils (or mouth).
If we notice that our breathing or that of someone close to us is not within the aforementioned normal ranges, we should go to a doctor. Some of the symptoms of this problem are noise when breathing, dizziness, unusual or excessive tiredness, unnecessary movement of the shoulders when inhaling, and an abnormal drop in temperature .