Breath in breath out.
We have long been told that this is the key to calming down.
And there is some evidence that deep breathing not only reduces anxiety, but can also lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
However, it is not only long meditations that have an effect.
Wellness gurus at Gosh now suggest that sighs can reduce anxiety symptoms and calm you down in minutes.
Wellness gurus at Gwenyth Paltrow’s Goop have touted cyclical sighing as a way to lower anxiety levels
Research from Stanford University has shown that cyclical sighing reduces anxiety levels and improves positive mood
The wellness site – owned and run by health nut and Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow – recently published an article entitled; ‘According to researchers, sighing is an effective breathing technique.’
The article went on to describe a study by researchers of Stanford Universityabout the mental health effects of cyclical sighing, a breathing exercise that involves prolonged exhalation.
In the study, 111 healthy volunteers were asked to perform one of three types of breathing exercises for five minutes every day for a month. Their mental health was compared with a group that did mindfulness meditation, as well as a control group.
Before and after the experiment, participants answered two online questionnaires: the State Anxiety Inventory, a standard anxiety measure, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, a research instrument that rates good and bad feelings on a scale of 1 to 5.
The groups that practiced breathing exercises gained an average of 1.91 points per day on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule scale, compared to 1.22 points for those who practiced mindfulness meditation.
This was an improvement of one third.
Dr. David Spiegel, lead author of the study and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral studies at Stanford University, said: ‘Controlled breathing exercises may have a faster and more direct effect on physiology than mindfulness.’
Christine Schneider, a manual voice specialist at The Visceral Voice, shared a clip on TikTok demonstrating cyclical sighing
Additionally, the researchers noted that cyclical sighing’s focus on slow exhalation could be more effective than other types of breathing exercises.
Participants in the cyclical sigh group had the greatest daily improvement in positive feelings on their questionnaires, and the effect continued as the study progressed.
‘It ensures that you breathe in and out with purpose; the combination is essential,” Dr. Denise John wrote for Goop.
Dr. Spiegel told Goop that cyclical sighing likely works because it emphasizes the conscious sigh or longer exhalation.
This ensures that you breathe deliberately.
“What it does is slow your breathing and possibly lower your heart rate because of the parasympathetic activation, rather than sympathetic,” Dr. Mirror to Goop.
“It’s a quick way to calm ourselves down.”
Although the survey took place a year ago, the cyclical sighs are gaining momentum in the wellness world and on social media.
Christine Schneider, manual voice specialist at The visceral voiceshared a clip on TikTok demonstrating cyclical sighing.
“It’s a longer inhale, followed by a quick inhale and then a long sighing exhale,” she said.
‘It’s recommended to do this for about five minutes, although you should feel an impact after just a few minutes.’
In her video, Ms. Schneider closes her eyes, inhales for a few seconds, exhales quickly, and then exhales for longer.
To try cyclical sighing, Goop recommends five steps.
The first step is to get comfortable by sitting or lying down.
From there, inhale slowly through your nose as you fully expand your abdomen before stopping for a moment.
Continue inhaling by expanding your chest so that it is completely filled. Then exhale slowly through your mouth or nose.
Repeat this for five minutes.
Dr. However, Spiegel said that if you have a different breathing method that works for you, it’s fine to stick with it. “If you take just a few minutes every day to self-regulate and build your ability to use control over your body and mind, you will feel better,” he said.