Happiness Break: A Breathing Technique to Help You Relax

Dr. David Spiegel leads us in a practice of cyclic sighing, a simple breathing technique that uses slow, extended exhales to calm your nervous system, ease stress and anxiety, and help you feel more relaxed.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Prepare: Find a comfortable seated or standing position in a quiet environment. Relax your shoulders and jaw.
2. First Inhale: Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Start with your abdomen, allowing it to expand (diaphragmatic breathing) as you fill your lungs about halfway. Hold this breath briefly.
3. Second Inhale: Continue inhaling through your nose, now expanding your chest to completely fill your lungs. Hold this combined breath (abdomen and chest filled) for a moment.
4. Exhale: Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth. Make sure the exhale is gentle and lasts about twice as long as the combined inhales.
5. Repeat the Cycle: Repeat the inhale sequence for a total of 3 cycles (or as desired): Start with a diaphragmatic inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen. Follow with a chest expansion inhale through your nose to fill your lungs completely. Hold briefly after each combined inhale. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, ensuring it's twice as long as the inhales.
6. Reflect and Relax: After completing the cycles, take a moment to observe how your body feels. Notice any sensations of relaxation, reduced tension, or a calmer state of mind.

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Today’s Guide:

DR. DAVID SPIEGEL is Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also the co-founder of the clinically backed self-hypnosis app Reveri.

Read Dr. Spiegel’s cyclic sighing study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...

Related Happiness Break Episodes:

A Mindful Breath Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/5b454xu9

A Humming Technique To Calm Your Nerves: https://tinyurl.com/tyhwkwe2

Related Science of Happiness Episodes:

The Science of Humming: https://tinyurl.com/yvedc8z3

How To Breathe Away Anxiety: https://tinyurl.com/3taj9ybe

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

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Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/fmk63bjw