“Take a breath.”
That’s the first thing people suggest when someone seems anxious or agitated. It’s not only good instinct, it’s solid science.
Andrew Huberman, PhD, a Stanford University neurobiologist, offers a calming breathing technique called the physiological sigh: Breath in through the nose, then breathe in a little more. Then take a long exhalation through the mouth. Repeat three times.
His research found that this technique can noticeably slow a racing heart in as little as 40 seconds.
This practice seems to be hardwired in all of us, Huberman says. We often do it in our sleep or unconsciously throughout the day as a form of self-calming. It’s the body’s way of addressing the imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs and bloodstream, caused by stress.
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