Help Me Calm Down
The physiological sigh
The physiological sigh is the fastest research-backed way to calm down: breathe in through your nose until your lungs are about three-quarters full, take a second short sip of air on top, then let it all out slowly through your mouth in a long exhale. Repeat for about a minute.
How to do it
- First inhale. Breathe in through your nose until your lungs feel about three-quarters full.
- Second inhale. Without breathing out, take a second short sip of air through your nose to fully inflate your lungs.
- Long exhale. Let all the air out slowly through your mouth — make the exhale longer than the two inhales.
- Repeat. Repeat for one to five cycles, about a minute, until you feel calmer.
When to use it
Best for acute moments — a panic spike, a surge of anger, a sudden wave of anxiety. It works in real time, so it is the one to reach for when you need to come down right now.
The evidence
A 2023 Stanford study (Balban, Huberman, Spiegel and colleagues, published in Cell Reports Medicine) compared breathing techniques with mindfulness meditation. Five minutes a day of cyclic sighing — the physiological sigh, repeated — produced the greatest improvement in mood and the largest reduction in anxiety and resting breathing rate of the methods tested.
Common questions
What is the physiological sigh?
A double inhale through the nose followed by a long exhale through the mouth. Two inhales reinflate the lungs and the long exhale offloads carbon dioxide and slows the heart, calming you quickly.
Why does the physiological sigh calm you down so fast?
The two inhales reopen tiny collapsed air sacs in the lungs, and the long exhale engages the vagus nerve and slows the heart, shifting you toward the rest-and-digest state within a breath or two.
Is this the same as Huberman’s cyclic sighing?
Yes. "Cyclic sighing" is the name used in the Stanford research for repeating the physiological sigh for a few minutes.
How many times should I do it?
Even one sigh helps. One to five cycles — about a minute — is usually enough to take the edge off, and you can keep going as long as it feels good.
Other breathing techniques
Box Breathing · 4-7-8 Breathing · Calm Breathing
Read more on the blog, add it to ChatGPT, or learn about the project.
A wellness aid, not medical advice. If you feel dizzy or unwell, stop. If you are in crisis, contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline. See terms.