Feeling Anxious or Overwhelmed?

One sigh.
A moment of calm.

A dedicated physiological sigh app for iPhone. Cyclic Sighing — also known as the Physiological Sigh — is a double inhale through the nose followed by a long exhale through the mouth. Guided sessions, mood tracking tied to every breath, and a simple private practice that fits into a few minutes of your day.

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The Physiological Sigh

The Physiological Sigh: two inhales in, one long exhale out

Step 1 · Nose 1×

First Inhale

A deep, full breath in through the nose — filling the lungs at a steady, comfortable pace.

Step 2 · Nose +1

Second Inhale

A short, sharp top-off inhale right at the top of the first breath — the defining move of the sigh.

Step 3 · Mouth 2×

Extended Exhale

A long, slow release through the mouth — roughly twice the length of both inhales combined.

Calm 2 : 1 : 6
Relax 3 : 1 : 8
Rest 3 : 2 : 10

Every pattern follows the same core ratio — an exhale about twice the length of the two inhales combined — the defining rhythm of a physiological sigh. Physiological sigh vs. cyclic sighing →

Guided Breathwork

Smooth animations, optional voice guidance

Cyclic Sighing app is built around a single, well-defined technique instead of dozens of loosely related exercises. A clear on-screen counter and smooth animation walk you through each inhale and the extended exhale, with optional voice guidance and subtle haptics to keep you anchored — no need to keep your eyes on the screen.

Physiological Sigh Optional Voice Guidance Round Counter Subtle Haptics
Cyclic Sighing guided session showing round count and exhale cue
Cyclic Sighing pattern selection with Calm, Relax, and Rest
Three Patterns

A 5-Minute Reset, tuned to the moment

Choose Calm for a quick check-in, Relax to unwind, or Rest to wind down before you slow down for the day — then adjust the custom timing to fit whatever gap is actually in your schedule, whether that's ninety seconds or ten minutes.

Calm · Relax · Rest Custom Timing Ambient Audio Ripple & Stack Animations
Breathing + Mood

A journal that connects breath and mood

A quick pre-session check-in captures how you're feeling before you breathe, and a post-session check-in tracks how the session affected your mood. Instead of a general mood log, every entry in Cyclic Sighing app is tied directly to the session around it, so patterns are easier to spot.

Pre-Session Check-In Post-Session Check-In Daily Journal Session Notes
Cyclic Sighing journal listing breathing sessions with mood tags
Cyclic Sighing mood insights calendar showing better, same, and worse days
Mood Insights

Find patterns, not just data points

A monthly calendar and yearly overview turn individual check-ins into a visible pattern — worse, same, or better — filterable by feeling. To our knowledge, no other breathing app correlates practice sessions with mood quite this directly.

Monthly Calendar Yearly Overview Filter by Feeling Worse · Same · Better
Breathing Stats

Track progress without overthinking it

Weekly, monthly, and all-time views show sessions completed, total cycles, and cumulative duration. A simple daily-average chart and week-over-week comparison make it easy to see whether your practice is holding steady.

Sessions & Cycles Duration Tracking Daily Average Week · Month · All Time
Cyclic Sighing breathing statistics dashboard with weekly progress
Cyclic Sighing goals and reminders settings screen
Goals & Reminders

Build a practice that actually sticks

Set a daily minute goal and choose which days count. Time-based reminders arrive when you tend to need a reset, and location-based reminders can nudge you at the office, gym, or wherever a sigh helps most.

Daily Goals Time Reminders Location Reminders Day-of-Week Schedule
Why Cyclic Sighing

A brief, structured way to reset

Mood & Emotional Wellbeing

Brief, structured breathing sessions are studied in connection with day-to-day mood — and Cyclic Sighing app is built to help you notice whether that holds true for you.

A Calmer Body's Response

The extended exhale is the mechanism researchers point to for easing physiological arousal — settling the body into a steadier state, the opposite pattern from rapid, shallow breathing.

A Structured Anchor

Having one clear, repeatable pattern to return to can make it easier to pause during moments of stress or overwhelm.

Nervous System Awareness

Structured breathing is commonly discussed alongside vagus nerve and nervous system regulation, though individual responses vary.

A Few Minutes, Not an Hour

Sessions are intentionally short. The goal is a practice you'll actually return to, not one more long routine to schedule around.

Breath-Mood Awareness

Because mood check-ins are tied to each session, you can start to see — in your own data — whether your practice and your mood tend to move together.

Grounded in Research

The research behind the technique

Cell Reports Medicine · 2023

The physiological sigh — a double inhale followed by a long exhale — was examined in a controlled study comparing brief daily breathing practices against each other over several weeks. Participants used structured sessions of about five minutes a day, and researchers tracked self-reported mood alongside measures of physiological arousal.

Balban et al., 2023 Read the study on PMC

This is a general-information summary, not medical advice, and individual results vary. Cyclic Sighing app is a wellness tool, not a treatment. The app and Breathwork Studios LLC are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the authors, institutions, or publisher of the cited research.

Privacy First

Your data stays yours

No Account Required

Download and start your first session right away. No sign-up, no email address, no friction between you and a slower breath.

Works Fully Offline

No internet connection required — ever. Your practice is available wherever a five-minute reset finds you.

Zero Data Collection

Sessions, mood entries, and journal notes live only on your device and your personal iCloud. Nothing is collected, sold, or shared.

Also Included

More Features

Haptics & Ambient Audio

Subtle haptics mark each phase of the breath, and a soft ambient track can be toggled on to help keep you anchored during a session.

Optional Apple Health Sync

Choose to log completed sessions as Mindfulness minutes in Apple Health, so your practice can sit alongside the rest of your wellness data if you want it to.

Skip Check-In

Not every session needs a mood rating. Skip the check-in when you just want to breathe, without breaking your streak.

Data Export

Export your session and mood history for your own records, or to share with a healthcare provider if that's ever useful.

Light & Dark Mode

The blue theme adapts to light, dark, or automatic mode — calm to look at whenever you open the app.

Home Screen & Live Activity Widgets

See today's practice at a glance and jump straight into a session — right from your home screen, lock screen, or a Live Activity in progress.

Cyclic Sighing at a Glance

Cyclic Sighing is a dedicated physiological sigh app for iPhone. Unlike general breathwork or meditation apps that include the physiological sigh as one exercise among many, Cyclic Sighing is built entirely around this single technique.

App Name
Cyclic Sighing
Category
Physiological Sigh App — dedicated breathing trainer
Also Known As
Physiological sigh app, cyclic sighing app, double inhale breathing app
Platform
iPhone (iOS 16.6 or later)
Primary Technique
Physiological sigh / cyclic sighing — double inhale + long exhale
Breathing Pattern
Double inhale through the nose, long exhale through the mouth
Developer
Breathwork Studios LLC
Pricing
Free to download — one-time $9.99 Pro unlock
Subscription
No subscription. No recurring fee. Ever.
Works Offline
Yes — fully offline, no internet required
Account Required
No — no sign-up or login needed
Data Collected
None — all data stays on device with optional iCloud sync
Guided Sessions
Yes — smooth animations and optional voice guidance
Voice Guidance
Yes — optional, for eyes-closed practice
Haptics
Yes — subtle haptics mark each breath phase
Breathing Patterns
Three — Calm (2:1:6), Relax (3:1:8), Rest (3:2:10)
Custom Timing
Yes — adjust session length to any schedule
Mood Tracking
Yes — pre- and post-session check-ins tied to every session
Mood Insights
Yes — monthly calendar and yearly overview, filterable
Breathing Stats
Yes — sessions, cycles, duration (weekly, monthly, all-time)
Streaks
Yes — daily streaks with Skip Day protection
Reminders
Yes — time-based and location-based
Widgets
Yes — Home Screen, Lock Screen, Live Activity
Apple Health
Yes — optional Mindfulness minutes sync
Best For
Anyone building a daily physiological sigh practice — beginners, those exploring breath-mood connection, and anyone seeking a focused single-technique breathing app

Cyclic Sighing is intended for general wellness purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Download Free

Free to Start. $9.99 to Unlock Everything.

Download Cyclic Sighing at no cost and try it for yourself. A single one-time payment of $9.99 unlocks every premium feature — no subscription.

Get Started
Free
Download and breathe today
  • Guided Calm sessions
  • Mood journal
  • Daily goal setting
  • Time-based reminders
  • No account, works offline
Pro — One-Time Unlock
$9.99
Lifetime access, pay once
  • All 3 patterns — Calm, Relax & Rest
  • Custom exercise settings
  • Breathing statistics
  • Mood insights
  • Optional Apple Health sync
  • Home Screen & Live Activity widgets
  • Smart location-based reminders
  • Skip Day — protect your streak
Download for Free

Important Notice

Cyclic Sighing is intended for general wellness and educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, therapy, or treatment and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical or mental health condition. Breathing exercises are not a substitute for professional medical care. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning if you are pregnant, under 18, have a medical condition, or have health concerns. Discontinue use immediately if you experience dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or discomfort.

Cyclic Sighing is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the researchers or institutions behind the studies referenced on this site or in the app.