The Physiological Sigh: A 30-Second Breathing Exercise for Stress

You know those moments when someone tells you to meditate for 20 minutes and you think:

That sounds lovely. In what alternate universe?

Enter the physiological sigh.

It takes seconds.

You don't need silence, candles, a yoga mat or a child who has suddenly decided to respect your personal space.

And researchers at Stanford have actually studied a repeated version of it.

What Is a Physiological Sigh?

A physiological sigh is a breathing pattern that typically involves two inhales followed by a longer exhale.

Humans naturally sigh throughout the day. But we can also intentionally recreate a similar breathing pattern.

It looks something like this:

Inhale through your nose.

Take a second, smaller inhale.

Then let out one long, slow exhale.

That's it.

And here's where it gets interesting.

What Does the Research Say About Cyclic Sighing?

In a 2023 randomized controlled study, researchers including Stanford psychiatrist David Spiegel and neuroscientist Andrew Huberman compared several short daily practices.

Participants practiced for five minutes a day for about a month, using either mindfulness meditation or one of three structured breathing techniques.

One of those techniques was called cyclic sighing.

The breathing groups showed improvements in mood and reductions in respiratory rate, and the cyclic-sighing group showed the greatest increase in positive mood among the practices studied.

Even more interesting?

Researchers found that the more time participants spent practicing cyclic sighing, the greater the improvement in positive mood.

Five minutes.

No candles required.

Why the Double Inhale?

That unusual double inhale resembles something your body already does naturally: a physiological sigh.

The deeper inhale can help reinflate tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, while the longer exhale changes the rhythm of breathing and may help reduce physiological arousal.

In other words, your body already knows how to sigh.

We're just doing it on purpose.

Try This 30-Second Breathing Exercise

You don't necessarily need five minutes to stop and notice your breathing.

Try one physiological sigh right now.

Take a comfortable inhale through your nose.

Add one more small sip of air.

Then...

exhaaaaaale slowly.

Let the exhale be long and comfortable.

No need to force it.

No need to “clear your mind.”

No need to become a different person.

Just breathe.

A Breathing Exercise Made for Real Life

Because motherhood doesn't always give you twenty uninterrupted minutes to reset.

Sometimes you have a baby crying.

A toddler asking for a snack.

An email that needs an answer.

Someone calling your name from another room.

And approximately 14 other things happening at the same time.

But sometimes life gives you thirty seconds.

Thirty seconds in the car.

Thirty seconds before you walk into the house.

Thirty seconds in the park.

Thirty seconds before you answer.

And sometimes, that's enough to change the next moment.

Inhale. Inhale again. Long, slow exhale.

Then keep going.

Breathe Mama.

A Breathe Mama Note:

Breathwork can support relaxation and general wellbeing, but it isn't a substitute for medical or mental health care. If breathwork makes you feel dizzy, lightheaded, uncomfortable or anxious, return to normal breathing and stop the practice.