1. Heart Rate (Pulse)
Your heart rate tells how many times your heart beats per minute.
- Normal adult range: 60–100 beats per minute (bpm)
- Normal child range: 70–120 bpm
A heart rate below 60 bpm is called bradycardia (slow heart rate), while one above 100 bpm is tachycardia (fast heart rate).
Athletes or very fit people often have lower resting heart rates because their hearts are more efficient.
You can measure your pulse by placing your index and middle fingers on your wrist, just below your thumb, and counting the beats for 30 seconds — then multiply by two.
2. Respiratory Rate
This measures how many breaths you take each minute.
- Normal adult range: 12–20 breaths per minute
- Normal child range: 20–30 breaths per minute
A fast breathing rate (tachypnea) may signal fever, stress, or lung problems like asthma or pneumonia.
A slow rate (bradypnea) could be caused by medication effects or certain medical conditions.
To measure, count how many times the chest rises in 30 seconds and multiply by two.