5-Minute Breathwork For Anxiety And Stress Relief

This guided practice uses cyclic sighing, also known as the physiological sigh, a simple breathing technique designed to calm the nervous system and reduce stress.

By combining a double inhale with a long, slow exhale, you support your body in shifting out of fight-or-flight and into a more regulated, grounded state.

Research suggests that practicing this technique for just a few minutes a day over 30 days can lead to meaningful improvements in stress, anxiety, and overall mood.

Use this practice anytime you need a reset. Before sleep, between meetings, or in moments when your mind feels busy and your body needs support.

Come back to your breath. Let your body lead the way.

Transcript

Hi, It's Jordana here. I am so excited to practice breath work with you today. And the breathing that we're going to do is something called the physiological sigh. And it's been shown that practicing the physiological sigh for three to five minutes over the course of a month leads to reduced anxiety, Improved mood, And better physiological calm. So how amazing is that? I am hoping that you'll commit with me to practicing this every day for 30 days and notice the results in your life. We'll do it together. All right, So here's how we do this breath. It's going to be a double inhale and then a long, Slow exhale. The first inhale and the second inhale through the nose will be first long and deep, But not forced, And then short, Topping off the lungs. All right, That's enough explanation. Let's get into it. Find a way to sit comfortably and let your shoulders drop and the belly be soft. And then let's do this together. You're going to inhale long through the nose, Deep, And then a short inhale and then a long, Slow exhale out of the mouth. Good. Good. Now let's try this again. Inhale long through the nose, And then a second, And then an even longer exhale out the mouth. Good. As you're doing this, Can you relax the shoulders, Relax the jaw, Inhale through the nose, Second short inhale, And then a slow and long exhale through the mouth. Good. Keep it going. Inhaling long, Second short inhale, And then breathing out through the mouth. I want you to keep going with this, And as you do, I'll share some of the benefits. So this double inhale helps you to fully expand the lungs and reopen the tiny air sacs in the lungs. And the long exhale, It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, And this turns on your rest and relaxed state. It also helps to lower any carbon dioxide imbalance, And this is what can really reduce anxiety sensations. And this long exhale is really the magic piece to letting your exhale through the mouth be really slow, The slower the better, Like you are landing in the most comfortable chair. We're almost there. Moving into our full reset. Inhaling long, A second short inhale, Filling up the lungs, All those tiny little air sacs, And then slow exhaling out the mouth. How slow can you go? And of course, This practice is great before you go to bed, When you feel anxious or activated, Before or after a tough conversation, Or even just a midday reset. I'd like you to do one more right here, And then release it completely. Let's take a moment just to sit and allow that to settle. Noticing if any shifts have already begun. Maybe you're feeling a little bit more solid, Stable, Grounded in your body. Maybe a bit more peaceful in your mind. You can take a moment here, Place a hand on your belly and another on your heart. Taking a long breath in through the nose. Exhale, Sigh, Maybe bringing a smile to your face. I look forward to practicing this with you tomorrow. Have a great day.