A system for monitoring the effectiveness of respiration in an individual, the system comprising a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive photoplethysmography signals obtained from a PPG sensor secured to the individual and signals from a secondary respiration sensor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to: determine whether a respiratory attempt in the individual occurred within a predefined time period based on the PPG signals; determine whether a ventilation occurred within the predefined time period using the signals obtained from the secondary respiration sensor; and compare the determination of the respiratory attempts based on the PPG signals with the determination of the ventilation based on the secondary respiration sensor to assess whether the individual's respiratory attempts are effective, wherein the system is characterized in that the microprocessor is further configured to calculate a first respiration rate based on the respiratory attempts determined from the PPG signals, calculating a second respiration rate based on breaths determined from the secondary respiration sensor, and comparing the first and second respiration rates to determine whether the individual is suffering from hyperpnea, apnea or hypopnea. wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive photoplethysmography signals obtained from a PPG sensor secured to the individual and signals from a secondary respiration sensor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to: determine whether a respiratory attempt in the individual occurred within a predefined time period based on the PPG signals; determine whether a ventilation occurred within the predefined time period using the signals obtained from the secondary respiration sensor; and compare the determination of the respiratory attempts based on the PPG signals with the determination of the ventilation based on the secondary respiration sensor to assess whether the individual's respiratory attempts are effective, wherein the system is characterized in that the microprocessor is further configured to calculate a first respiration rate based on the respiratory attempts determined from the PPG signals, calculating a second respiration rate based on breaths determined from the secondary respiration sensor, and comparing the first and second respiration rates to determine whether the individual is suffering from hyperpnea, apnea or hypopnea. determine whether a respiratory attempt in the individual occurred within a predefined time period based on the PPG signals; determine whether a ventilation occurred within the predefined time period using the signals obtained from the secondary respiration sensor; and compare the determination of the respiratory attempts based on the PPG signals with the determination of the ventilation based on the secondary respiration sensor to assess whether the individual's respiratory attempts are effective, wherein the system is characterized in that the microprocessor is further configured to calculate a first respiration rate based on the respiratory attempts determined from the PPG signals, calculating a second respiration rate based on breaths determined from the secondary respiration sensor, and comparing the first and second respiration rates to determine whether the individual is suffering from hyperpnea, apnea or hypopnea.