# Changes to heartrate during breathing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2004, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changes-to-heartrate-during-breathing/242065 "2004-04-26T10:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changes-to-heartrate-during-breathing/242065/1 "2004-04-26T10:32:11Z")
I’ve noticed that there seems to be a marked difference between the rate my heart beats at when inhaling (faster) and exhaling (slower) when I’m relaxed and breathing very slowly and deeply. Seems to me like good planning, my exhalation is always longer, so it’d be about the same number of heart beats overall to shift the same quantity of air in or out, but it seems no-one else I’ve asked has ever noticed this, so is it a normal occurance? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changes-to-heartrate-during-breathing/242065/2 "2004-04-26T11:12:08Z")
Yes, it is a normal pattern and is called [sinus arrhythmia](http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/guide/askdoctor/sinusarrhyth.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changes-to-heartrate-during-breathing/242065/3 "2004-04-26T11:29:17Z")
hurrah, thank you! 🙂