A measuring device for determining at least one respiratory parameter, comprising: at least one transmitting structure with which an electromagnetic alternating field can be irradiated into a body, at least one receiving structure through which the alternating field irradiated into the body can be received after it has passed through the body, a signal generator, which is coupled to the at least one transmitting structure and with which an AC voltage can be generated that can be applied to the at least one transmitting structure, a comparison unit, with which as a comparison a difference of the phase of a signal supplied from the receiving structure to a phase of the AC voltage can be formed as a function of time; and an evaluation unit, with which at least one respiratory parameter can be determined from a result of the comparison of the phase of the signal supplied from the receiving structure to the phase of the AC voltage, wherein the at least one transmitting structure is an antenna, and wherein the at least one receiving structure is an antenna, wherein at least one of the antennas of the receiving structure is arranged in the near field of at least one antenna of the transmitting structure, wherein a distance between the antennas is less than or equal to four times the wavelength of the irradiated signal, wherein the at least one respiratory parameter is at least one selected from the following quantities: whether an inspiration or an expiration is taking place, a beginning of an inspiration or expiration, an end of an inspiration or expiration, a course of an inspiration and/or expiration wherein the transmitting and/or receiving structure is arranged in a support surface for a patient or in a side element of a patient bed. at least one transmitting structure with which an electromagnetic alternating field can be irradiated into a body, at least one receiving structure through which the alternating field irradiated into the body can be received after it has passed through the body, a signal generator, which is coupled to the at least one transmitting structure and with which an AC voltage can be generated that can be applied to the at least one transmitting structure, a comparison unit, with which as a comparison a difference of the phase of a signal supplied from the receiving structure to a phase of the AC voltage can be formed as a function of time; and an evaluation unit, with which at least one respiratory parameter can be determined from a result of the comparison of the phase of the signal supplied from the receiving structure to the phase of the AC voltage, wherein the at least one transmitting structure is an antenna, and wherein the at least one receiving structure is an antenna, wherein at least one of the antennas of the receiving structure is arranged in the near field of at least one antenna of the transmitting structure, wherein a distance between the antennas is less than or equal to four times the wavelength of the irradiated signal, wherein the at least one respiratory parameter is at least one selected from the following quantities: whether an inspiration or an expiration is taking place, a beginning of an inspiration or expiration, an end of an inspiration or expiration, a course of an inspiration and/or expiration wherein the transmitting and/or receiving structure is arranged in a support surface for a patient or in a side element of a patient bed. whether an inspiration or an expiration is taking place, a beginning of an inspiration or expiration, an end of an inspiration or expiration, a course of an inspiration and/or expiration wherein the transmitting and/or receiving structure is arranged in a support surface for a patient or in a side element of a patient bed.