Humming
Hum on every exhale for 2 minutes. The vibration stimulates the vagus nerve through the throat. Bonus: it increases nasal nitric oxide, which improves airway tone.
The physiological sigh
Two short inhales, one long exhale, repeated for five rounds. Fastest acute parasympathetic shift in the toolkit.
Gargling
30 seconds of vigorous gargling with cold water, three times a day. The pharyngeal muscles share innervation with the vagus.
Cold exposure
A 30-second cold-water face splash or a cold shower finish. Activates the dive reflex, slowing heart rate within seconds.
Slow exhale (5-5 then 5-7)
Two minutes of 5-5 coherent breathing, then two minutes of 5-7 (longer exhale). Quiet, low-effort, suitable even on hard days.
Log your sessions in Breathe On and explore the matching guidance at [/breathing-for/long-covid](/breathing-for/long-covid).