A method for determining the time curve of the depth of breath of a, particularly sleeping, person, wherein by means of a detector unit being directed towards the person continually at successive recording times (t 1,..., t p) a height profile of the person is respectively created, a) wherein in the height profile a number of at least two points is set in the room, which are positioned on the surface of the person or on the surface of an object located on or near to the person, b) wherein for each of the recording times (t 1,..., t p) the respective height profile is saved in a data structure and made available, c) wherein a number of height profiles recorded at successive recording times (t 1,..., t p), particularly within a time range of 3 to 20 seconds, is merged into one segment (S 1,..., S q), d) wherein an area indicating the abdominal or chest area of the person depending on the respective reference point or reference range, is selected as the viewing area, e) wherein respectively separately for each height profile within the segment (S 1,..., S q) the average is determined of the intervals of the points of the height profile being located within the viewing area at a reference point or reference target, and for the segment (S 1,..., S q) a signal (s i) is determined, to which the average calculated for this height profile is assigned to the respective recording time (t 1,..., t p) of the height profile, and f) wherein based on the calculated signal (s i), particularly based on its signal amplitude, one or more values characterising the time curve of the depth of breath is or are calculated, characterised in that g) simultaneously in parallel to the recording of the distance of the person from the detector unit the noise emitted by the person is calculated and made available in the form of an audio signal (s a) with a number of audio samples, h) the audio signal (s a) is split into a number of audio segments (S A1,..., S Ar), particularly with a length of 100 ms to 1 second, and for each of the audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) it is investigated whether human breath sounds or other noises are contained therein, and for each audio segment (S A1,..., S Ar) a classification result is made available respectively, i) simultaneously recorded audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) and segments (S 1,..., S q) are assigned to one another, and j) audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) or segments (S 1,..., S q) with low depth of breath or a lack of breath sounds are searched for and the segments (S 1,..., S q) or audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) assigned to such an audio segment (S A1,..., S ar) or segment (S 1,..., S q) are also investigated for the presence of low depth of breath or a lack of breath sounds, and k) in the case that low depth of breath and a lack of breath sounds were respectively detected in consecutive segments (S 1,..., S q) and audio segments (S 1,..., S q), the absence of respiration of the person is detected. a) wherein in the height profile a number of at least two points is set in the room, which are positioned on the surface of the person or on the surface of an object located on or near to the person, b) wherein for each of the recording times (t 1,..., t p) the respective height profile is saved in a data structure and made available, c) wherein a number of height profiles recorded at successive recording times (t 1,..., t p), particularly within a time range of 3 to 20 seconds, is merged into one segment (S 1,..., S q), d) wherein an area indicating the abdominal or chest area of the person depending on the respective reference point or reference range, is selected as the viewing area, e) wherein respectively separately for each height profile within the segment (S 1,..., S q) the average is determined of the intervals of the points of the height profile being located within the viewing area at a reference point or reference target, and for the segment (S 1,..., S q) a signal (s i) is determined, to which the average calculated for this height profile is assigned to the respective recording time (t 1,..., t p) of the height profile, and f) wherein based on the calculated signal (s i), particularly based on its signal amplitude, one or more values characterising the time curve of the depth of breath is or are calculated, characterised in that g) simultaneously in parallel to the recording of the distance of the person from the detector unit the noise emitted by the person is calculated and made available in the form of an audio signal (s a) with a number of audio samples, h) the audio signal (s a) is split into a number of audio segments (S A1,..., S Ar), particularly with a length of 100 ms to 1 second, and for each of the audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) it is investigated whether human breath sounds or other noises are contained therein, and for each audio segment (S A1,..., S Ar) a classification result is made available respectively, i) simultaneously recorded audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) and segments (S 1,..., S q) are assigned to one another, and j) audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) or segments (S 1,..., S q) with low depth of breath or a lack of breath sounds are searched for and the segments (S 1,..., S q) or audio segments (S A1,..., S ar) assigned to such an audio segment (S A1,..., S ar) or segment (S 1,..., S q) are also investigated for the presence of low depth of breath or a lack of breath sounds, and k) in the case that low depth of breath and a lack of breath sounds were respectively detected in consecutive segments (S 1,..., S q) and audio segments (S 1,..., S q), the absence of respiration of the person is detected.