CNA – Ever find yourself sighing more as the years go by? Each birthday, each task – whether climbing stairs or retrieving a forgotten password – seems to draw a weary sigh from deep within. But before you dismiss it as just another sign of ageing, there’s some surprising news: those sighs could be helping you more than you think.
Shallow breathing could be the culprit behind that stiff neck or those aching shoulders and chest, as these muscles try to do the heavy lifting that should be left to your diaphragm. Breathing experts say that sighing isn’t just a sign of exasperation; it’s your body’s way of reminding you to breathe more deeply.
The medulla oblongata, the brain’s respiratory control centre, keeps your breathing ticking along without conscious thought. This command centre, located at the base of the brain, monitors sensors that track carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pH levels in your blood.
When those levels get out of whack, it sends out an urgent request for a deeper breath. Cue the sigh.
According to Jaclyn Chow, principal physiotherapist at Heart & Lung Physio, shallow breathing often happens when stress or anxiety leads us to breathe through our mouths. This hypoventilation causes carbon dioxide levels to rise, triggering the body’s alarm system.
“That’s when you get a deep sigh to regulate carbon dioxide levels,” Chow explained.
Dr Steve Yang, a respiratory physician with Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Hospital, added that shallow breathing, especially when it becomes a pattern, can tilt the body’s pH to an alkaline state, causing symptoms like dizziness and tingling in the extremities.
“Shallow breathing isn’t sustainable. Your body will prompt you to slow down and reset,” he said.
If you’re unsure whether you’re breathing shallowly, watch your shoulders. If they’re moving more than your abdomen, chances are you’re not engaging your diaphragm. “Shallow breathing means air might not reach the deeper air sacs at the base of the lungs,” said Chow. This type of breathing recruits the neck and chest muscles instead of the diaphragm, leading to tension and aches.
So, why exactly is sighing beneficial? It all comes down to how it expands the lungs and improves gas exchange, clearing out excess carbon dioxide more efficiently.
“Sighing helps prevent the collapse of the alveoli, those tiny air sacs in the lungs, and maintains lung elasticity,” explained Chow.
The result? Restored oxygen and carbon dioxide balance, and, as Dr Yang noted, a reset for the body’s natural ‘autopilot’ mode – the parasympathetic nervous system – which helps regulate heart rate, digestion, and more.
“An average person sighs about 12 times an hour while awake,” Chow shared. “These involuntary sighs engage the lung’s natural elasticity during the longer-than-usual exhalation.”
This slow, deep breathing soothes the body, says Professor David Spiegel of Stanford University’s Centre on Stress and Health.
Unlike the shallow, rapid breathing that preps you for fight-or-flight, sighing is more like tapping the brakes, gently signalling the body to relax.
But is there a way to make sighing work even better for you? Professor Spiegel recommends ‘cyclic sighing’: breathe in through your nose until your lungs are comfortably full, take a second deeper sip of air, and then exhale very slowly through your mouth until there’s no air left. Repeat this for five minutes daily.
According to Spiegel’s study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, cyclic sighing outperformed meditation and other controlled breathing exercises at lowering heart rate and boosting mood.
Chow also champions another technique: box breathing. It follows a similar principle, but with the addition of breath-holding between each phase of inhalation and exhalation. This, she says, helps regulate the autonomic nervous system and further enhances relaxation.
However, if the thought of learning breathing techniques leaves you breathless, Chow suggests starting simple.
“Take breathing breaks throughout the day,” she advised.
“Focus on slow, deep breaths with extended exhalation, and let the next breath come naturally. Don’t try to force more air in; instead, prioritise the exhale.”
Next time you find yourself sighing, don’t fight it. Breathe out, let it happen, and know that your body is looking out for you. Sighs aren’t just the soundtrack to your exasperation – they’re vital breaths of relief. – Khoo Bee Khim
