Physiological Sigh Heart Rate Drop

Students learn the physiological sigh, two nasal inhales in a row followed by a long exhale through the mouth, and test its effect by checking their pulse. It's a quick way to calm down after exercise or under stress.

How to play

1. After the main activity, students sit and take their pulse for 15 seconds using the teacher's stopwatch, then multiply by 4 (1 min).
2. The teacher demonstrates the sigh: a deep nasal inhale, a short second inhale to top off the lungs, and a slow exhale through the mouth (0.5 min).
3. Everyone does five sighs in a row, cued by the teacher's voice (1 min).
4. Students continue for one minute with normal, relaxed breathing, noticing changes in the body (1 min).
5. They do five more sighs on their own and take their pulse again for 15 seconds (1.5 min).
6. Quick share: how much it dropped and when they could use it outside class (1 min).

Rules

• No more than five sighs in a row to avoid dizziness.
• The exhale must be slow and longer than the inhale.
• Stay seated during the whole practice.
• Compare your pulse only with your own earlier reading.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do it in the student's own chair with no changes.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher shows the phases with a hand: two short lifts and one slow lowering.
• Asthma or breathing issues: cut it to two sighs and stop at any discomfort.

Learning goals

• Use a quick breathing technique to lower arousal.
• Check pulse to measure the technique's effect.
• Identify everyday situations to use breathing tools.

Equipment for a class of 25

• stopwatch: 1

Teacher tip

Make clear this isn't hyperventilating: the key is the short second inhale and the long exhale. It's especially useful right before a fitness test or an exam.

More activities like this

More cool-downs for High School