Physiological sighin

Physiological sighing is a double inhale through the nose followed by a long exhale through the mouth; it can quickly reduce acute stress and bring on calm. 1

• Take the breath: Inhale deeply through your nose, add a short second nasal inhale, then exhale slowly through your mouth until your lungs are empty. 2
• Use it in the moment: One to three sighs can ease stress quickly; repeating the sigh can also help with sleep. 3 Five minutes of cyclic sighing daily was associated with reduced stress across the day and improvements in mood and sleep. 4