Measuring respiratory rate

[Snorlaxer9]

The doc said that before we do anything I should monitor my respiratory rate at home, which is weird because I thought there are sleep apnea tests that confirm this diagnosis. The second question is about the numbers I'm getting. They vary a lot, so what does that mean?

 

[SleepCoachKim]

One of the best ways to measure respiratory rate is some type of tracker. I personally use an Oura Ring to track my sleep stats. There is no other way to do it at home without a tracker because you're asleep. We all breathe 2-4 breaths per minutes slower when we sleep.

 

[Devan Tusk]

It's understandable to be confused—home monitoring of respiratory rate is sometimes recommended before or alongside formal sleep apnea tests, often to gather preliminary data or help rule out other issues. While full sleep studies (like polysomnography in a lab) measure many variables, at-home tests and self-monitoring typically focus on breathing patterns, airflow, and oxygen levels, but may not capture sleep stages. As for the numbers—if your respiratory rate varies a lot, it can be due to differences in wakefulness, activity, or agitation; rates are generally steadier during sleep and more variable when awake or moving, so it's normal to see some fluctuation if you're recording at different times. If concerned, keep tracking and share your results with your doctor—they'll interpret the patterns in context and decide if further testing is needed.

 

[Alan]

Hey @Snorlaxer9, yeah it can feel odd, but sometimes they want baseline data before jumping into a full sleep study. Some variation is normal, especially if you’re measuring at different times or states, so the trend matters more than any single number. Did they say how long they want you to track it?