When you have an important call or interview, everyone tells you to just breathe. And while that advice may be true, it's also pretty useless because no one ever tells you how or for how long to actually do it. There's a better way and it's called cyclic sighing (or physiological sigh). It's a technique that researchers at Stanford studied and found to be remarkably fast and effective.

Cyclic sighing improved mood faster than mindfulness meditation and measurably slowed resting breathing rate within a month of daily practice, which makes it a powerful tool that you can easily use at your desk without anyone noticing.

The technique is simple and can be done at your desk.

How to Use Cyclic Sighing

Breathe in through your nose to fill your lungs.

Now take a second, shorter sip of air to fill your lungs further.

Then exhale slowly through your mouth to let the air go.

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That double inhale and long exhale work quickly because you're not relying on your mind which is prone to distraction. It's a direct way to slow your heart rate in under a minute. You don't need privacy, an app, or even peace to do it. You just need the desire for calm.

The real takeaway is that you don't need a massive lifestyle upgrade to do it. Just try three cycles of the sigh right before your next stressful moment and see the difference for yourself.