Physiological Sigh
Double inhale through nose, then long exhale through mouth. The fastest way to calm down.
Inhale ~3s → Exhale 8s
Why it works
The Science of the Physiological Sigh
The physiological sigh is a natural breathing pattern discovered by researchers at Stanford University. It’s the fastest known way to reduce real-time stress.
The double inhale reinflates the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs that collapse during shallow breathing. This maximises the surface area for gas exchange, allowing the long exhale to efficiently offload CO&sub2;, which is what actually makes you feel calmer.
A 2023 Stanford study found that just 5 minutes of cyclic sighing per day was more effective at reducing stress and improving mood than meditation alone.
Research: Balban et al. (2023), Cell Reports Medicine; Ramirez (2014), Nature