Heat stress is a challenge for farm animals and animal production, particularly in warmer regions of the world. Inpig production, the consequences of heat stress are the adverse effects on animal welfare including behavioralalterations, increased respiration rate, body temperature and mortality and reduced feed intake, milk productionand piglet growth rate. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of increased air velocitythrough wall air inlets directed towards the resting area on respiration rate and resting behavior of gestatingsows under commercial conditions.The gestating sows were loose housed and chill inlets (including adjustable guiding plates to direct theincoming air in a downward direction) directing air towards the resting area were mounted in one of two restingareas within each pen. The purpose of the latter was to investigate whether the sows preferred to lie in the areawith increased air speed. Compared to normal inlets (control) the chill inlets increased the average air velocityfrom 0.19 to 0.45 m/s (measured 0.4 m above the floor). Respiration rate was recorded and the chill inletssignificantly reduced the respiration rate (P < 0.0001). Within the three temperature intervals, 24.4–27.0,27.1–28.2 and 28.0–32.2 ⁰C, the reduction was 4.2, 6.2 and 7.6 bpm (beats per minute) respectively.There was no difference in percentage of sows resting in the lying areas with activated vs. inactivated inlets.