1. Cyclic sighing
One example of such slower, more intentional nasal breathing is cyclic sighing, which Spiegel describes as the type of breathing we do naturally when singing. In 2023, a randomized controlled trial compared various breathwork exercises to mindfulness meditation, with the results showing that just five minutes per day of cyclic sighing in particular, elicited significant improvements in mood and anxiety over the course of a month.
Spiegel says that one of the likely reasons is because cyclic sighing involves a prolonged exhalation of breath. He points out that the typical advice we give for stress, of taking a deep breath or inhalation, isn’t actually that helpful. “If you’re just inhaling, that’s the wrong thing to do,” he says. “Because when you inhale, you’re reducing blood flow and oxygen, and the heart gets a signal to pump harder. While when you’re doing a nice, long, slow exhale, you’re forcing air out, as well as pushing blood out into the anterior chambers of the heart, and you get a stimulus saying, ‘Slow down.'”
Cyclic sighing begins with two consecutive inhales through your nose. Begin by taking a deep breath in through your nose, and then at the top, take a second, shorter inhale of air to fully expand your lungs. Then, slowly exhale all the air through your mouth over several seconds until your lungs are empty. Spiegel advises repeating this pattern for around five minutes.
The more you practice cyclic sighing, you will also strengthen your diaphragm. “That allows you to really fill your lungs, and carry out a longer, slow exhale which gives your body that period of more parasympathetic [nervous system] control,” says Spiegel.
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