Скачать или смотреть 5-Minute Cyclic Sigh Breathing | The Technique Stanford Found Most Effective

SAFETY NOTE: Only Practice this session if you are seated or lying down in a safe place. Do
This is a 5-minute guided Cyclic Sigh breathing session, designed to help you downshift your nervous system, reduce stress, and improve emotional regulation.

Cyclic sighing is a specific breathing pattern studied by researchers at Stanford University, where it was found to be the most effective technique for improving mood when compared with other breathing methods and mindfulness meditation.

In this session, you’ll practice:
• A slow inhale through the nose
• A second short “top-up” inhale
• A long, controlled exhale
• Repeated gently and rhythmically

This pattern emphasizes the extended exhale, which strongly engages the parasympathetic nervous system and helps reduce physiological arousal.

You can use this session:
• When you feel stressed or overwhelmed
• Before a difficult conversation or meeting
• To reset your nervous system during the day
• As a short daily practice for emotional regulation

No experience with breathwork is required.
Just sit or lie down comfortably and follow along. Never practice this session in water, while driving, or while in any situation where dizziness may cause danger.

The Science Behind Cyclic Sighing

In a 28-day Stanford study comparing different breathing techniques and meditation, cyclic sighing produced the largest improvements in mood and emotional state, even with just five minutes per day.

This breathing pattern helps:
• lower resting breathing rate over time
• reduce physiological stress
• improve emotional regulation
• support nervous system balance

Pair This With the Episode

This guided session pairs with Episode 3 of Breath Lab, where we break down the Stanford research and explain why cyclic sighing works so effectively.

Support the Work

If you’d like to support the Breath Lab series and access exclusive breathwork sessions and deeper educational content, you can join the Patreon community here:

www.patreon.com/midwesternmethod