Physiological Sigh
What It Is:
The Physiological Sigh technique helps to reduce stress and can help to bring the nervous system back into a more regulated state. This technique helps to bring our bodies into a relaxation response. This technique involves a breathing pattern consisting of two inhales through the nose, followed by an extended exhale ‘sigh’ through the mouth. This is a great technique to use any time you feel yourself getting stressed, anxious/worried or “rev’d up” throughout the day.
How It Works:
This technique utilizes Respiratory Arrythmia (which is the physiological basis for Heart Rate Variability). As we inhale the diaphragm moves down and this heart increase volume, which in turn causes the blood in your heart to move more slowly through that larger heart volume. As a consequence, your brain sends a signal to your heart to speed your heart rate up.When we actively exhale, the opposite happens: your diaphragm moves up, and your heart reduces in volume slightly, which causes the blood inside of it to move more quickly. As a consequence, your brain sends a signal to the heart to slow your heart rate down.
The bottom line for this technique then is that when you actively exhale, you are able to deliberately slow down you heart rate, and this helps with anxiety and stress (making the system more coherent). This technique works very quickly and can be utilized throughout the day to help us is feeling more grounded and calm and to keep our nervous system more regulated.
How To Do the Technique:
Physiological Sigh:
Inhale through the nose followed by another inhale through the nose layered on top
Then actively exhale with a sigh
Complete 3-5 cycles
Can do any time as a tool to reduce anxiety/stress and help to modulate the ANS/stress response
