Recent research has confirmed what experts in the field have known for years – that the long exhalations associated with these kinds of techniques calm the autonomic nervous system, reduce physiological arousal, lower stress and reduce feelings of anxiety.

The study, carried out by a team at Stanford University, saw participants take part in one of four different practices – three different controlled breathwork techniques and mindfulness meditation – to see which was most effective at boosting mood and reducing stress.

The breathwork techniques in question were exhale-focused cyclic sighing (made up of a 1:2 ratio in which the exhalation is twice as long as the inhalation), box breathing (made up of an inhalation, retention and exhalation pattern of equal lengths) and cyclic hyperventilation (a sequence of ‘robust’ inhalation followed by a short retention and rapid exhalation).

The group of 108 participants were split into four groups and each assigned one of the three breathwork techniques or mindfulness meditation, and were asked to practise their technique for five minutes per day over 28 days. Those in the mindfulness meditation group were the only ones not instructed to regulate their breathing – instead, they were asked to focus their mental attention on the “forehead region” between their eyes.

Why ‘cyclic sighing’ could be the key to keeping your stress and anxiety levels in check