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Michael DeMattos

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Becky Ferguson

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Carol

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Kate Cook

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Practice the sighing breath technique to stimulate your vagus nerve and release deep-seated stress.

Secular

Stress & Anxiety

Secular Mindfulness

Anxiety

Visualization

English

In this practice, you will have a sighing breath which is a highly effective coping mechanism for bringing down stress. Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman researched the effects of the Cyclic Sighing Breath. His studies showed that participants doing this breath for 5 minutes a day felt happier and more relaxed as compared to other breathing and mindful practices.
One of the best ways that you can stimulate the healthy function of the vagus nerve is through deep slow diaphragmic breathing.

Vagus Nerve: Easy Way To Cope With Stress

 I invite you to find any comfortable position, seated, lying down, or even standing. Whatever feels right today. We will be working with a research-based practice that can help break the cycle of anxiety and stress, lessen the symptoms, bring more peace and relaxation into the body. Close your eyes and do a pre-check. Notice any stress in the body, perhaps in the face, jaw, shoulders, or belly. Now I invite you to place one hand on your belly so that the palm is covering the navel and just below it. Place the other hand at your heart. Relax your elbows, perhaps propping them up if you're lying down. We will be practicing the sighing breath. In this breath, you're inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. I will lead you through it, then give you time to practice at your own pace. To begin, exhale, squeeze the stale air from your lungs by pulling belly to spine. Inhale halfway, pause. Inhale to fill the lungs, pause. Exhale with a long, slow sigh from your mouth. Inhale halfway, pause. Inhale to fill the lungs, pause. Exhale with a long, slow, smooth sigh. Again, inhale halfway, pause. Inhale to fill the lungs, pause. Exhale with a long, slow sigh. Now breathe at your own pace, just remembering the three parts. Inhaling halfway, pause. Inhale to fill the lungs, pause. And exhale through your mouth with that long, slow sigh. Do this practice in a gentle manner. We don't want to add strain to the body by overdoing the inhale and lifting the shoulders. So keep this practice up. We use this technique for five minutes to get the full effects. Note your hands on your body, and when you inhale halfway, the belly swells and the low ribs widen. When you inhale to fill the lungs, the chest lifts. Then that long, slow exhalation is releasing, relaxing, and letting go. Continue breathing in a rhythmic manner. I invite you to connect to the sound of this breath. Our nervous systems are calmed by the sound of the body breathing. Your body is naturally releasing stress with the sigh. Stanford neuroscientist Anthony Huberman researched the effects of the sighing breath. His studies found that participants using this breath for five minutes a day for 30 days felt happier and more relaxed as compared to other breathing and mindfulness techniques. With this long, slow diaphragmatic breath, you are stimulating the vagus nerve, creating a healthy, vagal tone. This breath improves your body's oxygen intake and allows the body to offload carbon dioxide. Just keep breathing at an unhurried pace and feel the breath coming into your body on that inhalation, releasing and relaxing on the exhalation, perhaps noting that the inhales are getting fuller and deeper and the exhales have slowed down. Letting go of this conscious breathing. Five minutes have passed. Release your hands and just notice the effects of this practice. Anchor deeply into your hips and begin to notice the low ribs moving with your natural breath. With this breath, I breathe in. With this breath, I breathe out, never knowing when my last breath will be. How do I live my life? Wishing you deep peace, my friends.