The physiological sigh – a mindful way of sighing a few times each day to reduce symptoms of stress in a few minutes.
It in involves 2 consecutive inhales and a long steady exhale – this causes these little sacks of air in the lungs (alveoli) to reinflate with air, increasing the surface area of the lungs and removing carbon dioxide from the body more effectively. This brings about the feeling of calm, peace and relaxation.
So basically, alveoli to inflate and increase the volume of air in the lungs. Because these alveoli tend to collapse over time, oxygen levels start to go down and carbon dioxide levels go up in the bloodstream and body, signalling the stress response. The double inhale of the physiological sigh reinvigorates and pops open the alveoli, allowing oxygen in and the long exhale enables you to offload more carbon dioxide than with a short exhale.
To practice, breathe in through your nose with a long deep inhale. Come to nearly the end of the inhale and top up with another short inhale and then do a long, slow exhale through the mouth.
The simple way to describe it is that the double inhale followed by the extended exhale allows you to offload a greater volume of CO2. A number of research trials at places like Standford University have found that just a few rounds of the physiological sigh brings level of stress down very fast and the bonus is that it is a tool you can use anytime.
Breathing and the exhales in particular are so vital because it helps to manage heart rate variability (HRV). When you breathe in your diaphragm moves down as the lungs expand, creating more space in the thoracic cavity and the heart gets bigger – expands and as a consequence blood flows more slowly through that larger volume and the brain sends a signal to the heart to speed the heart up. So inhales speed the heart up. When you exhale, the diaphragm moves up and the space in your thoracic cavity gets smaller and the heart gets smaller and blood moves more quickly through this smaller space and the brain sends a signal to the heart to slow down. This is the basic mechanics HRV.
So anytime you focus on inhales you speed the heart up, waking up and invigorating the system (think kapalbhati or bastrika pranayama) and anytime you focus on exhales, making them longer than inhales you are slowing the heart rate down, calming your system (think a slow steady exhale with the full yoga breath or box breathing)
Try it for yourself at home and let me know how you go - Reach out with a DM, email or call us to discuss or ask a question. I teach this technique along with others at clinic in my counselling sessions or in 1:1 guided meditation and talk therapy as well as in group meditation (currently on hold but coming soon this year!)
Enjoy your practice and see you soon!
