The total lung volume of an average adult man is about 6 liters. That’s about 1.5 gallons of space. However, this number is misleading if you think it represents what you get with each normal inhalation. The American Lung Association breaks it down differently. There is air for normal breathing. Then there is the extra air you can push inside. There is excess air that you can push out after a normal exhalation. And there’s residual air that gets trapped in the lungs no matter how hard you try to clear them.
Despite this limited physical space, the amount of air flowing through your body is enormous. It is estimated that you use about 2,000 gallons of air per day. It is 7570 liters. It is a constant, intense exchange.
The chemistry of this exchange is where the real work happens. The air you breathe contains about 20 percent oxygen. The air you exhale drops to around 15 percent. With each breath, you remove 5 percent of the air volume. Your body turns this oxygen into carbon dioxide. In all, a person consumes about 100 gallons of pure oxygen each day. That’s only 5 percent of the 2,000 gallon total, but it’s the fuel that keeps you going.
Exercise completely changes the equation. Obviously, you use significantly more oxygen when you exercise. You can monitor your own airflow if you want to see it in real time. Exhale into a plastic bag of known volume. Time, how long it takes to fill it. It’s a crude but effective way to see the mechanisms of your own respiratory system in action.
Frequently asked questions about breaths per day
How many breaths per day is normal?
A healthy person with a strong respiratory system typically breathes about 16 times per minute. Multiply that by 60 minutes and then 24 hours, and you get about 23,000 breaths per day.
Is 10 breaths per minute harmful?
A slow breathing rate is called bradypnea. The recommended breathing rate for a healthy adult is 12-20 breaths per minute. Ten breaths per minute indicates a weak respiratory system or an underlying problem that needs attention.
Is it good to always breathe deeply?
Deep breathing has a stress-reducing effect. It slows down your heart rate. It helps stabilize blood pressure. It’s an exercise that calms the nervous system and doesn’t just fill the lungs.
How can I check my respiratory rate at home?
Sit up straight in a quiet place. Breathe at a natural, normal pace. Count how many times your stomach or chest rises within a minute. Repeat this a few times to check the consistency. Record your breaths and see if they are between 12 and 20 breaths per minute. If this is not the case, you can investigate what is behind the change.
