A sigh of relief
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A sigh of relief is a breathing pattern that can quickly reduce stress and promote calm.
- Cyclic sighing: Take two successive inhales through the nose—the second tops up the first—then make one long exhale, typically through the mouth. Repeat the pattern for a cyclic sighing practice.
- About five minutes daily: In the practices compared, cyclic sighing for five minutes a day had the strongest effects on reducing stress and improving sleep and mood.
- Rest-and-digest shift: A single physiological sigh can help rebalance sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, shifting the body toward the calming, parasympathetic “rest and digest” state.
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