The Physiological Sigh

Reset your nervous system by using a simple double-inhale breathing technique. Use this "physiological sigh" to release tension in the moment or as a daily ritual to foster a lasting sense of peace. It’s a quick, natural way to anchor yourself whenever you need to shift out of stress and back into balance.

Transcript

The physiological sigh is a breathwork technique that can help to stimulate your vagus nerve and produce a sense of calm, A sense of peace within, It can help to calm anxiety, It can also help you move out of a state of shutdown if you're feeling depressed and down in the dumps. It is one of my favorite go-to techniques that I use just about every day. Sometimes I use this technique in the moment when I'm feeling some distress inside, I need some kind of strategy to get some more regulation in my body, And sometimes I start my day out with a mindfulness meditation practice and I start by doing about five minutes of this breathing exercise. So you can use it when you absolutely need somebody to throw you a lifeline, Well someone being your breath, Or you can use it as just a way to kind of foster wellness and kind of set yourself off on the right foot for the day. So the physiological sigh involves taking two breaths through the nose. The first breath in through the nose is a long inhale through the nose, Followed by a quick short breath in through the nose, And then you exhale by opening your mouth and exhaling or sighing out. So it sounds kind of like this. So go ahead and practice a couple of rounds on your own. Now that you've tried this breath out a couple of times, I encourage you to just pause and notice anything that's happening inside your mind, Body, And heart. Again, I usually practice this breath over the length of about five minutes. So just doing it say three to five times in and of itself may not achieve the desired effect, But hopefully now you know how to practice the physiological sigh, Again, Consisting of one long inhale through the nose, Followed by one short inhale through the nose at the top of the breath, And then opening the mouth and sighing out on the exhale. I encourage you to practice this for about five minutes, Maybe setting a timer. Try it when you really need some quick regulation, And also try using it as more of a kind of I'm going to stay ahead of anxiety or I'm going to stay ahead of feeling really uncomfortable and dysregulated inside as a self-care practice. All right, Be well.