By Chrissy Craven
“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
Breathing is vital to life, but did you know the way you breathe can be used as a cheat code to vitality? Breath work has been the recipient of some much well deserved attention lately. You may have heard of deep breathing or box breathing, but one breathing technique stands out above the rest. Enter the physiological sigh (or cyclic sighing if done on repeat). This sigh isn’t your typical exasperated "why me?" sigh that you let out when your drink spills. A physiological sigh is essentially a double-inhale followed by a long exhale. It’s a natural pattern of breathing you may have noticed yourself performing after a good cry. That’s because the physiological sigh has been known to help your body move from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” or “chill and heal” via the parasympathetic nervous system, making the physiological sigh a sort of super hero. Humor alert: If sighs were a superhero, they'd be "Captain Reset"—swooping in to save the day from emotional villains like "The Overthinker" or "Deadline Doom." And unlike caffeine, they won't leave you jittery—just joyfully zen. From what mechanisms does the physiological sigh gain its super powers? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Sighs have been studied since the early 1900s, but modern research has revealed just how powerful they truly are. At the brain level, sighs originate in the preBötzinger complex—a tiny brainstem hotspot that controls both regular breaths and deeper ones (like sighing). Regular breathing keeps you oxygenated, but sighs use a separate calcium-signaling pathway to "reset" things when your lungs get a bit deflated or your breathing gets a bit wonky. You can think of them as your body's way to auto-correct for respiratory glitches. Sighing may be the body’s subconscious way of resetting, but you can tap into this super power consciously any time you want to, and you should!
In a landmark study (1), researchers compared cyclic sighing to box breathing (equal in-out-hold) and mindfulness meditation. After just 5 minutes a day for a month, cyclic sighing won big! It improved mood more, reduced anxiety better, and even slowed breathing rates (a sign of relaxation). They also found that cyclic sighing creates slow waves in your cardiovascular system, boosting heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity— those are fancy terms for "making your heart and blood vessels more resilient to stress." Perhaps most importantly, cyclic breathing can help you right in the heat of the moment when you desperately need a superhero friend to save you from that panic attack. That’s because the extended exhale activates your parasympathetic "rest and digest" mode, lowering heart rate and blood pressure while flooding your brain with calming signals. The double inhale also helps to balance your CO2 levels, preventing that panicky hyperventilation loop, and promoting a steady, calming rhythm in your breathing.
Ready to try for yourself? The physiological sigh goes like this: First, breathe in through your nose deeply, filling your lungs about 70-80% full. Without exhaling, sneak in a second, shorter inhale to really top off those lungs to full capacity - like you're sipping the last bit of a smoothie. This second inhale is really important! Then, slowly exhale through your mouth, letting it all out until your lungs feel empty (try to make the exhales longer than the inhales). Repeat this for 1-5 minutes, and aim for 2-3 sighs per minute at first, then build up. Pro tip: Do this anytime stress hits—before a meeting, after a tough conversation, or when your mind's racing at bedtime. Studies show that even one sigh can drop your anxiety fast, but cycling them multiplies their superpowers.
Start with just one physiological sigh today, then try cyclic sighing for 5 minutes tomorrow. Track how you feel; science says you'll notice the difference. At MyBestSelf101.org, we believe small habits like this can build big lasting changes. So, take a deep breath (double, actually), exhale slowly, and smile—you're one sigh closer to being your best self.
“Sighs are the gales that blow us to heaven, I sometimes think; they breathe unconscious weariness of the ‘here,’ and longing for the ‘there.’”
References
Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, Weed L, Nouriani B, Jo B, Holl G, Zeitzer JM, Spiegel D, & Huberman AD. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports. Medicine, 4, 100895–NaN. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895