What is the physiological sigh?
A physiological sigh is a double inhale followed by a long, slow exhale. People sigh like this spontaneously every few minutes, and more often when stressed. Practiced deliberately and repeated, it is called cyclic sighing.
How to do the physiological sigh
- Inhale through your nose until your lungs feel almost full (about 1.5 seconds).
- Take a second, short inhale on top to fill them completely (about 1 second).
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for about 6 seconds, until your lungs feel empty.
- Repeat. One to three sighs work for a quick reset; keep going for a longer session.
What the physiological sigh helps with
- Stress in the moment. One or two sighs can take the edge off quickly.
- Emotional peaks. Anger, frustration or panic after a message or a news headline.
- Mood over time. In a study, a few minutes of daily cyclic sighing improved mood more than an equal time of mindfulness meditation.
Why it works
The second, top-up inhale reopens tiny air sacs in the lungs that collapse over time, and the long exhale offloads carbon dioxide efficiently and slows the heart. In a 2023 Stanford study published in Cell Reports Medicine, five minutes of cyclic sighing a day for a month improved mood and lowered breathing rate at rest more than mindfulness meditation did (Balban et al., 2023).
Where the physiological sigh is used
It was popularized by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman and studied by Jack Feldman’s lab at UCLA and David Spiegel’s at Stanford. Today it is used by athletes, coaches, therapists and anyone who needs a fast, discreet way to calm down—it works in a meeting and nobody notices.
How long and when to practice
For quick relief, one to three sighs, whenever you feel stress rising. For a daily habit, 5 minutes—the amount used in the Stanford study.
Physiological sigh in Hima
Open the Recharge tab, choose Physiological Sigh and pick how long you want to breathe—anywhere from 1 to 60 minutes, with one-tap 3, 5, 10 and 15 minute options. A calm animation shows each phase, so you can follow it with your eyes half closed.
- Background sounds. Thirteen to choose from: Ocean Waves, Rain, Forest, Wind, Flowing Stream, Fireplace, Pink Noise, Brown Noise, Om Chant and four binaural beats—Delta 2.5 Hz, Theta 5 Hz, Beta 16 Hz and Gamma 40 Hz (use headphones for these).
- Vibration. Light or strong haptic cues mark each phase, so you can breathe with your eyes closed.
- Reminders. Set a daily reminder for your breathing practice at the time and days you choose.
- A breath before the scroll. The same calm breath appears when you open an app you have chosen to pause—one breath between you and the feed.
Sources
- Balban M. Y. et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 2023. doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895
Hima is a wellness app, not a medical device. Breathing exercises are not a treatment for any condition. If you feel dizzy, short of breath or unwell, stop and breathe normally. If you have a heart, lung or anxiety condition, are pregnant, or have epilepsy, talk to your doctor first.