How does the SIPS breathing practice actually work?
4 MINUTE READ
So—you tried the SIPS breathing practice. Maybe you weren’t expecting much. It’s just a few minutes of focused breathing, right? A deep breath in, another quick inhale on top of that, then a long, slow exhale.
But something shifted.
Maybe it was subtle. A little less tension in your chest. A small space between your thoughts. A sense that your body had dropped into a quieter gear, even if just for a moment.
Now you’re wondering: What’s actually happening here? Why does something this simple make you feel so different?
Good news—your body isn’t imagining it. The calming effect you felt is real, and there’s science to explain exactly what’s going on beneath the surface.
What SIPS Actually Is
SIPS stands for Self-Initiated Physiological Sighs. It’s based on something your body already does naturally: a deep sigh, like the one that happens when you finally relax after a stressful moment or settle into bed at the end of a long day.
The SIPS practice takes that instinctive release and makes it intentional. It looks like this:
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Take a second, smaller breath on top of the first.
Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth.
Repeat that for a few minutes. No fancy setup. No special position. Just your breath, used with purpose.
What’s the Deal with the Second Inhale?
That little second inhale at the top of the breath might feel like an odd detail at first, but it serves a very real purpose.
It helps you fully expand your lungs, especially the tiny air sacs (called alveoli) that don’t always open up when you’re breathing shallowly. That means better oxygen exchange, more circulation, and a deeper, fuller, more satisfying exhale which activates your vagus nerve and gives you the benefits.
A long exhale, from fully inflated lungs activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the body’s rest-and-digest mode. This is the part of your system responsible for calming you down after stress. Every time you breathe out slowly, you’re sending your brain a message: It’s okay now. You’re safe. That’s what makes this practice more than just deep breathing.
The Science Behind Your Calm
A randomized controlled trial in 2022 looked at this and found that SIPS (they called it “cyclic sighing”) was the more effective at boosting mood and calming the body than meditation (n=111).
All the participants practiced for just a few minutes a day for 28 days. The results?
Cyclic sighing had the biggest effect on improving mood.
It also led to lower breathing rates and increased heart rate variability (HRV)—both signs of a more relaxed and resilient nervous system.
And importantly, it was easy to stick with. People kept showing up for the practice, which says a lot.
So when you felt more grounded after those few minutes, that wasn’t just a lucky fluke. That was your body actually shifting out of stress mode—and the data backs that up.
What You Might Notice Over Time
If you stick with the SIPS practice, even just for five minutes a day, you might start to notice:
You bounce back faster after stressful moments.
Sleep comes more easily, especially if you do it before bed.
You feel less tangled up in racing thoughts or reactivity.
You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to “clear your mind.” Just show up, breathe in, breathe in again, and exhale it all out.
You’re giving your body a moment to recalibrate—and over time, those moments add up.
Why SIPS Works When Other Things Don’t
SIPS works with your body’s natural rhythms. It’s simple, low effort, and biologically potent. SIPS offers faster physiological benefits for many people than meditation. You don’t have to wait weeks to feel a difference. You can feel it in your body now
This Is a Tool You Already Have
You don’t need a special setting. You don’t need an app or a perfect routine. You already have what you need—your breath, your body, and a few minutes of space.
So next time you feel overwhelmed, edgy, or just worn down, try it again. Breathe in deeply. Add that second little inhale. Let it all out, slowly. Repeat.
You’re not just relaxing—you’re rewiring. You’re activating systems of calm and regulation that have always been there, waiting for you to use them.
And the more you practice, the more your body remembers how to return to balance—anytime, anywhere.
