30 Seconds to Less Stress

I won’t lie, we’ve had our share of stress in our household and we all know there’s plenty of stress coming from what’s happening in the United States. I’m sure everything will be fine in our home, and I’m trying to do what I can to help the greater good. But sometimes, I just need to feel better now. As much as I know that eating well, exercising, and getting restful sleep are part of the solution, a quick release from all that tension is what’s needed. 

Nervous System Regulation

Have you heard the phrase “nervous system regulation”? It’s trendy right now (for good reason!), but it is also a little confusing. Your nervous system manages your fight-or-flight systems, and transitions you from calm, to stressed, to calm again. It’s a natural bodily function (though very complex), but it is one we can influence to reduce our stress levels.  

You might think that to do this, you need to:

• Do a 90-minute yoga flow.
• Learn to meditate.
• Start an early morning routine that includes light exposure, vitamins, and stretching.
  

Yes, those might be helpful to you if you like that sort of thing, but let’s make it easier.

Try A 30-Second Sigh 

Here is a science-backed reset that takes just thirty seconds and helps your body shift out of stress mode quickly. It’s called a Physiological Sigh, and it can bring you a moment of calm when everything feels like too much. The best part is that your body already knows how to do it – and science says it works better than a lot of techniques out there. (I’ll take 30 seconds over a 4:30am morning routine any day!)

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Take a long, deep breath in through your nose.
2. At the top of that breath, take a quick second inhale - just a little more air.
3. Then sloooowly exhale all the way out through your mouth.

That’s it! Do it two to three times. 

A Stanford researcher (Huberman) found that this outperforms meditation and other breathing techniques when it comes to lowering stress quickly. That’s because it: 

• Activates your parasympathetic nervous system (your “calm” state).
• Helps offload carbon dioxide from your lungs.
• Signals safety to your brain in real-time.

It’s free, easy, and takes less time than scrolling on Instagram (which isn’t stress reducing). Try using it: 

• When your heart rate spikes for no reason.
• When you feel edgy or scattered and don’t know why.
• After a workout to calm your system back down (especially if you exercise in the evening).
• Before meals to support digestion and blood sugar regulation (it’s more important than you think).

Keep It Simple

Less stress is great for all sorts of reasons, and lifestyle modifications can be part of that. But keeping it simple is a great trick too, and this is a perfect example. Try it today or keep it in your back pocket for when stress sneaks up on you and you need a break. Just a few seconds can change everything!

Want to dive deeper? Here are a few great resources:
🔗 Watch on YouTube (Dr. Huberman)
🔗 Stanford article on Cyclic Sighing
🔗 Research study from Cell Reports Medicine