A method for monitoring vital parameters of a living being, wherein broad-band light is beamed into the tissue of a living being, a spectrum of the beamed-in light is recorded, and absorption is evaluated. At least one first parameter is determined on the basis of the absorption values of a first spectral range, and at least one second parameter is determined on the basis of the absorption values of a second spectral range. The first parameter is compared to the second parameter, and at least one vital parameter is determined with the aid of this comparison.
