How much air do we breathe in a day?

We breathe without even thinking about it, but have you ever stopped to consider just how much air we actually inhale and exhale each day? The amount might surprise you. And what’s even more astonishing is the difference in air consumption between someone at rest and an athlete engaged in strenuous exercise.

At-Rest Breath

According to a paper ¹, at rest, a typical adult male breathes in about 0.5 liters of air per breath and breathes 12 times per minute. This translates to roughly 6 liters of air per minute. This is because our body’s oxygen needs are lower when we are resting, so we take shallower breaths at a slower rate.

As a result, a male breathes approximately 8640 liters of air during 24 hours at rest.

When Exercise Takes Over

According to the same paper ¹, the human body adapts to increased metabolic need during exercise by increasing blood flow and oxygen perfusion. This is achieved through a rise in heart rate, respiration rate, and tidal volume. During hard training session, healthy adults can breathe 35 times per minute, taking in 3 liters of air with each breath. The ability to adapt to higher oxygen needs depends on factors like fitness level, age, and overall health.

In other words, humans need substantially more air while exercising and a staggering 140 liters per minute during strenuous activity. A total of 8400 liters of air will be consumed during one hour training session.

The Astonishing Comparison

Breathing clean air is crucial during exercise because the amount of air inhaled in one hour of exercise is comparable to the amount breathed in by an individual at rest over a 24-hour period (at rest 8640 liters/24h vs exercise 8400 liters/1h). During exercise, the body’s demand for oxygen increases significantly, leading to deeper and more frequent breaths. If the air is polluted, a greater volume of harmful pollutants will be inhaled, potentially causing respiratory issues and other health problems ². Choosing to exercise in areas with clean air, such as parks or well-ventilated (with filtration systems) gyms, is essential to protect your health.

So, the next time you’re gasping for air during a workout, remember just how much air your body is processing. It’s a testament to the amazing capacity of our lungs and the body’s ability to adapt to physical exertion.

References

1. Pleil, J. D., Wallace, M. a. G., Davis, M. D., & Matty, C. M. (2021). The physics of human breathing: flow, timing, volume, and pressure parameters for normal, on-demand, and ventilator respiration. Journal of Breath Research, 15(4), 042002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1752-7163/ac2589
2. Exercise and air quality: 10 top tips. (2015). Breathe, 11(3), 239–242. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.elf113