Which range is considered normal for an adult resting respiratory rate?

• A. 12 to 20 bpm
• B. 18 to 30 bpm
• C. 24 to 40 bpm
• D. 30 to 60 bpm

Answer: (A)

A healthy adult at rest typically breathes 12 to 20 times per minute. This range reflects normal breathing when the body is calm and not in distress. You measure it by counting how many breaths occur in a minute, ideally when the person is relaxed and not speaking or exercising. Small variations outside this window can happen, but consistently staying above 20 breaths per minute is considered tachypnea and may point to fever, lung or heart problems, anxiety, or pain. Rates well below 12 breaths per minute are called bradypnea and can occur with sedative use or certain central nervous system issues. The other listed ranges imply faster breathing than normal for a resting adult, so they aren’t considered normal at rest.