Catch your breath. Here’s a technique that reduces anxiety.

Introduced Stanford researcher Dr. Andrew Huberman, the Physiological Sigh is a very effective technique to halting the effects of anxiety on the body.

According to Dr. Huberman, this practice works to reduce stress by decreasing the CO2 levels in the lungs, bringing the autonomic nervous system (ANS) into balance and down regulating your emotional state.

The Method

• Sitting or standing, begin by exhaling fully

• Eyes open or gently closed, take 2 full inhales through the nose followed by an extended exhale through the mouth, breathing all the air out.

• Complete 2-3 rounds

• At the end, drop your hand down, take a big breath in through both nostrils, hold in a few seconds and sigh it out. This is a great time to do a short meditation if you want to make this part of your daily routine.

Recommended to do a minimum of 6 times. Never use this technique while driving or near bodies of water.

Physiological Sighing

• Creates a calm in the mind

• Pumps oxygen into the body

• Brings balance to your nervous system

• Creates equilibrium between alertness and relaxation