The Triple-Inhale Hissing Reset
Interrupt shallow anxious breathing with Kennedy's extended exhale reset.
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 96%
The Triple-Inhale Hissing Reset is Kennedy's modification of the physiological sigh for acute anxious activation. First get physically safe and steady. Take three deep sniffs or inhales through the nose, hold the full breath for three to five seconds, then close the teeth and let the air escape slowly with a hissing sound. Kennedy pairs the exhale with the image of an overinflated tire gradually collapsing and may repeat the sequence for several rounds. The protocol counters the helpless feeling of increasingly shallow breathing by giving the body and attention a defined action. It should be treated as a short-term regulation practice, not proof that symptoms are psychological or a replacement for assessment and longer-term care. Pause between rounds, avoid over-breathing, and stop if dizziness, pain, faintness, or other concerning symptoms appear.
Origin
Kennedy describes adapting Andrew Huberman's physiological sigh for his anxiety patients by adding three deep nasal inhales, a brief hold, and a resisted hissing exhale.
Core principles
- 01Anxious states can gradually make breathing shallower.
- 02A deliberate breathing pattern gives attention a concrete bodily task.
- 03Kennedy modifies the physiological sigh with three nasal inhales and a held breath.
- 04A slow, resisted hissing exhale emphasizes release.
- 05The technique is a state-regulation tool, not a diagnosis or complete treatment.
How to run it
- 1
Get physically safe
Stop driving or any hazardous activity, then sit or stand somewhere stable before changing the breath.
Pro tip Practice the sequence while calm so it is familiar under stress.
Watch out Breathing practice must not delay emergency care for severe or unfamiliar symptoms.
- 2
Take three nasal inhales
Draw in three deep sniffs or inhales through the nose in succession, following Kennedy's described variant.
Pro tip Keep the face and shoulders as relaxed as possible.
Watch out Do not force air painfully or continue if inhalation is difficult.
- 3
Hold briefly
Pause at the top of the inhale for three to five seconds without straining.
Pro tip Shorten or omit the hold if a clinician has advised against breath retention.
Watch out Breath holds may be inappropriate for some respiratory, cardiovascular, or other medical conditions.
- 4
Hiss the exhale
Bring the teeth together gently and release the breath slowly so it produces a controlled hissing sound.
Pro tip Let the exhale be longer and softer rather than pushing it out forcefully.
Watch out Stop if the exhale causes pain, coughing, dizziness, or worsening distress.
- 5
Use the collapsing-tire image
Imagine excess pressure draining from an overinflated tire as the breath leaves.
Pro tip Pair the image with releasing the jaw, shoulders, and abdomen.
Watch out The image is an attentional aid, not a claim about literal pressure leaving the body.
- 6
Pause before repeating
Return to normal breathing, assess your state, and repeat only if the first round was comfortable and useful.
Pro tip Judge success by a small increase in steadiness, not complete symptom removal.
Watch out Rapid repetition can contribute to lightheadedness or over-breathing.
In the wild
Kennedy describes patients whose blood pressure rises when a doctor approaches. He guides them through several rounds of the triple-inhale, brief hold, and hissing exhale before reassessing their state.
→ He reports substantial acute reductions in some patients, while the example remains an account of his practice rather than a substitute for medical evaluation.
Before a familiar high-pressure meeting, a person notices shallow breathing, sits safely, completes one comfortable round, then returns to normal breathing and reassesses before entering.
→ The person gains a concrete regulation action without needing to resolve every anxious thought first.
Common mistakes
Repeating until dizzy
More rounds are not necessarily better. Pause after each sequence and stop if lightheadedness or other adverse symptoms appear.
Forcing the breath
The hold and exhale should be controlled rather than strained. Painful effort can add alarm instead of reducing it.
Using breath to dismiss danger
A regulation technique cannot determine whether symptoms are medically benign. Seek appropriate care for new, severe, or concerning episodes.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for familiar, non-emergency episodes of acute stress when a short breathing reset can be practiced safely.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal during medical emergencies, faintness, unsafe activities, or without clinician guidance when respiratory or cardiovascular conditions make breath holds inappropriate.
From the transcript
“what I do with people is I take get them to take three big sniffs in like and then hold it at the top 3…”
“close your teeth and breathe out. And while you make that hissing sound through your teeth, you you just imagine like an overinflated tire just…”
“three three breaths in through your nose really deep opens up the alveoli and then you you almost load the CO2 by holding your breath…”
From the episode
Why You Feel So Anxious All The Time - Dr Russell Kennedy - #563
Dr Russell Kennedy