The Physiological Sigh

6 hours ago

3 min read

Written by: Danilio Taloma

Have you ever noticed the way your breathing changes when you are crying? More specifically, when you are in a highly activated or intense state of crying, your breathing pattern shifts in a profound way that often goes unnoticed. There’s a peculiar phenomenon happening with the breath in these intense states: sudden, “double-sharp” inhales and longer exhales. Think back to the last time you may have felt or seen this reflex take action. As the body shifts into an intense “fight-or-flight” state, especially during crying, the body often involuntarily performs what is known as the physiological sigh. This type of breathing consists of two quick breaths followed by a long, slow exhale through the mouth.

This is our bodies’ intuitive way of calming our nervous system down. When we are intensely crying and dysregulated, the brainstem detects the physical distress and makes attempts to switch to a “rest-and-digest” mode, forcing the body to reset into calm (Balban et al., 2023). You may have noticed this especially on the comedown of an intense crying experience. As the body moves from hyperventilation into that restful state, the physiological sigh establishes and maintains regulation.

This double inhale works by opening up the tiny collapsed air sacs in your lungs. Initially, due to shallow breathing in states of anxiety, the air is not able to reach these air sacs, depriving them of the air pressure to hold them open, putting you at risk for shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, and fatigue (American Lung Association). The physiological sigh restores air to these air sacs and circumvents the risk of hyperventilation. Thanks to this breathing pattern, we are able to restore regulation in times of high stress!

This is an incredible insight, because it not only means that our body has a built-in tool for calming down, but that it is also one we can use intentionally! Why wait until we are in these highly activated states to try the physiological sigh? We have access to this type of breathing here and now. This is my favorite breathing technique to teach clients because it is quick and easy, taking less than 5-10 seconds. It functions as an incredible grounding technique that regulates emotions and distress while also establishing a stronger sense of awareness of the breath and sensory information.

Try the physiological sigh with me now, as you are finishing this reading.

Step 1) Take a deep inhale through the nose, filling the lungs. Allow the body to expand. Aim for 4 or more seconds.

Step 2) Take a second quick inhale right after on top of the first one. Aim for no more than a second.

Step 3) Briefly pause for a second or two.

Step 4) Exhale long and slow through the mouth, as long as you comfortably can, allowing the lungs to empty.

Step 5) Repeat one to three times for fast relief.

Step 6) Check in with how you feel!

I find that this breathing pattern is incredibly calming and intuitive. If our body had it built-in, it was there for a reason! Use it to your advantage to calm down and regulate yourself in times of distress or to bring yourself into a calm state. Allow yourself to reap the benefits of intentional breathing.

References

American Lung Association. Atelectasis (https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/atelectasis). Accessed 6/22/2026.

Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kahan, M. E., Speicher, L., Feldchman, A., Chang, G. H., Keller, J., Zeitzer, J. M., Huberman, A. D., & Spiegel, D. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), 100895. doi.org