What is the physiological sigh?
The physiological sigh is a double inhale through the nose followed by a long, slow exhale through the mouth. You already do it naturally when you sob or before falling asleep. Done on purpose for five minutes, it is called cyclic sighing.
How to do it
- 1Breathe in deeply through your nose until your lungs are full (your belly should expand).
- 2Without exhaling, sharply inhale a second time through your nose to maximally inflate your lungs.
- 3Slowly exhale through your mouth until your lungs are empty.
- 4Repeat one to three times for a quick reset, or continue for five minutes (cyclic sighing) for the full studied effect.
Why it works
In a 2023 randomised study from Stanford, five minutes a day of cyclic sighing improved mood and reduced breathing rate more than mindfulness meditation over one month. It was a single study of about 100 people, but it is one of the better-designed breathwork trials.
Tips
- The exhale should be the longest part, roughly twice as long as the inhales combined.
- The second inhale is sharp and short, just a quick top-up to maximally inflate your lungs.
- Just one or two sighs can take the edge off acute stress. Use before presentations, hard conversations, or any time you feel your chest tightening.