Master the art of the ‘physiological sigh’ and eradicate stress in seconds, says neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman

A neuroscientist has discovered the fastest way to relieve stress – and it works in seconds.

According to Dr. According to Andrew Huberman, the “physiological sigh” is the quickest way to relax when you feel under pressure.

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The Stanford University expert explained how the technique helps rid the body of carbon dioxide, reducing your stress levels.

On his podcast, The Huberman Lab, he said, “The physiological sigh is the fastest, hard-wired way for us to eliminate the stress response in our body quickly and in real time.”

“If you feel stressed, you can take two inhales and then take a long exhale.”

According to Champion Health, around one in 14 – 7 per cent – ​​of Brits feel stressed every day.

YouGov data shows that three quarters of people have felt so stressed that they were overwhelmed or unable to cope.

Some people don’t breathe enough or hold their breath when they feel stressed, which causes carbon dioxide to build up in their blood.

Studies show this can lead to anxiety symptoms, including panic attacks.

To counteract this, Dr. Huberman that you use the physiological sigh to allow your body to restart.

He said that double inhalation helps to fill the lungs to maximum capacity, “even if the second inhale only takes in a tiny bit more air.”

Dr. Huberman said, “You take a big breath and then a small one, inhaling it secretly.”

“Your lungs aren’t just two big sacs – they have millions of little sacs throughout your lungs.

“You actually make the surface area of ​​your lungs the size of a tennis court.

“These tend to break down when we are stressed. But if you breathe in and out twice, the double inhalation re-inflates the small alveoli.

“If you exhale for a long time, that long exhale is now much more effective at ridding your body and bloodstream of carbon dioxide, which relaxes you very quickly.”