Infection and Respiratory Rate: What Changes to Expect

Your respiratory rate is one of the most stable physiological metrics your body produces—until something changes. WHOOP members often notice shifts in their breathing patterns before they feel sick, as continuous monitoring reveals what's happening beneath the surface. This guide explains what respiratory rate is, what causes it to increase, and how tracking it alongside other metrics can help you understand your body's response to infection.

What is respiratory rate?

Your respiratory rate is the number of breaths you take per minute. It's one of the key vital signs that provides a window into how your body is functioning.

WHOOP measures your respiratory rate each night during sleep, calculating it from your heart rate data through a phenomenon known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia. When you breathe in, your heart rate naturally increases, and when you breathe out, it decreases. By analyzing this cyclical pattern in your continuous heart rate data, WHOOP can accurately report your breaths per minute.

What is a normal respiratory rate?

For most healthy adults at rest, a normal respiratory rate falls between 12 and 20 breaths per minute (rpm). However, this metric is highly individual.

What's more important is understanding your personal baseline. Your respiratory rate is typically very stable from night to night, so even a small deviation from your typical range can be a meaningful indicator that something is changing within your body.

What causes an increased respiratory rate?

Several factors can cause your respiratory rate to increase. Strenuous exercise, high altitude, and feelings of anxiety or significant stress can all lead to temporary elevations in your breathing rate.

An increased respiratory rate can also be one of the first signs that your body is working to fight off an illness. When your respiratory system is inflamed or under strain from an infection, your body may need to work harder to get the oxygen it needs, resulting in more breaths per minute.

How infection affects your respiratory rate and other metrics

When your body is fighting an infection, several physiological markers can change. WHOOP members often see these shifts in their data before, during, and after an illness, as these examples illustrate.

Respiratory rate typically ranges from 13 to 18 rpm for most WHOOP members. During an infection, inflammation and mucus can make it harder to take breaths, leading to increased respiratory rate. Rapid shallow breathing or tachypnea means you take more breaths than usual each minute.

Illnesses including pneumonia, flu, and COVID-19 can cause increased respiratory rates. Respiratory rate does not generally vary much from day to day, so a notable change can mean something significant is happening.

In Example A, a WHOOP member rang in the New Year with a fever, body aches, upset stomach, and fatigue, but didn't get tested for COVID-19 after thinking her symptoms were another infection. She said her respiratory symptoms were only noticeable in her WHOOP data, which increased from her typical range of 16-17.5 up to 20 rpm while she was ill.

Example A: WHOOP member noticed her respiration rate increased in December but tested negative for COVID-19.

Respiratory infections can increase resting heart rate (RHR) as your heart has to work harder to get oxygen to your organs. In Example B, a WHOOP member was told December 22 that she was exposed to COVID-19. On the 23rd she tested negative for COVID, but her resting heart rate increased to over 72 bpm, well above her typical range of 49-54 bpm.

She continued having a higher than average RHR for four days. She said her abnormal data convinced her to get tested again, and she tested positive on the 27th.

Example B shows how a WHOOP member's resting heart rate spiked after being exposed to Covid-19. Her RHR stayed above norm for four days before it returned to baseline.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of your autonomic nervous system and one of the best objective metrics for physical fitness. A high HRV means your body is physically ready to perform, but a low HRV may indicate a problem such as fatigue, dehydration, or illness.

In Example C, a WHOOP member began feeling sick January 5, and his HRV dropped the next day to 43. He tested negative for COVID-19 that week. By January 9 his HRV was back to his typical range of 94-131.

Example C: A WHOOP member experienced very low HRV the day after he began feeling ill. He tested negative for COVID-19 and his HRV was back to normal shortly afterwards.

Monitor your health with the Health Monitor

The WHOOP Health Monitor gives you the ability to observe your daily health metrics so you can learn what's normal for you. Knowing your average RHR, respiratory rate, and HRV can help you figure out when something might be wrong.

When to consult a medical professional

WHOOP is a tool for wellness, not a medical device. If you notice a significant and sustained increase in your respiratory rate, or if you feel unwell, consult a healthcare professional for guidance and diagnosis.

Turn data into actionable health insights

Understanding your body's signals is the first step toward optimizing your health. By quantifying your respiratory rate alongside other key metrics, you can move from uncertainty to action.

Frequently asked questions about respiratory rate

What does an increased respiratory rate indicate?

An increased respiratory rate can indicate physical exertion from exercise, psychological stress, or your body responding to high altitude. It can also be an early sign that your body is fighting off an illness, such as a respiratory infection.

Is a high respiratory rate a medical emergency?

A significantly elevated respiratory rate, especially when accompanied by other symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pain, can be a medical emergency. While small fluctuations are normal, a large, sudden, and sustained increase outside of exercise warrants consulting a medical professional.

What is another word for increased respiratory rate?

The clinical term for a rapid, shallow breathing rate is tachypnea.

Learn More: COVID-19 Research, Data & Resources: Tips for Tracking Your Health During a Pandemic

The products and services of WHOOP are not medical devices, are not intended to diagnose COVID-19, the flu or any other disease, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content available through the products and services of WHOOP is for general informational purposes only.