Respiratory rate

Your body needs oxygen to stay alive. One of the ways you get oxygen is by breathing air into your lungs. The rate at which you breathe in and out is called your respiratory rate.

When you breathe in, air goes through your nose or mouth, down a tunnel called the trachea, and into two tubes called bronchi. The bronchi branch out into smaller and smaller tubes, and eventually the air reaches tiny air sacs called alveoli. It's here that oxygen from the air you breathed in goes into your blood, while carbon dioxide from your body goes out into the air you breathe out.

Your body is very smart and knows how much oxygen and carbon dioxide you need to stay healthy. When you need more oxygen or have too much carbon dioxide building up, your body tells your brain to increase your respiratory rate. This means you breathe in and out more often than when you are just resting.

Your respiratory rate changes depending on what you are doing. When you're running around or playing, your body needs more oxygen, so you'll breathe faster to get more in. When you're sleeping, you're not using as much oxygen, so your respiratory rate slows down.

Respiration is very important for your body, as it enables you to receive oxygen and release carbon dioxide. So remember to breathe deeply and often to stay healthy!