The Body Language of Blowing off Steam or Exhaling
Cue: Blowing Off Steam
Synonym(s): Exhaling, Blowing Out Air Through The Lips, Sighs, Deflating.
Description: Deflating is done by forcefully exhaling air through a compressed mouth or lips. It is a rapid expulsion of air accompanied with a low huff or tone. Sighs can be so low as to be barely distinguishable from ordinary exhalation. Sometimes air comes out of a gapped mouth as an “Ugh.”
In One Sentence: Exhaling air suddenly indicates that one is suffering from a particular stressor or has recently overcome a stressor successfully.
How To Use it: One might use the huff of air to show that one is suffering and wish for that to be known nonverbally by others. This may work in poker or bluffing while negotiating a contract or to show anxiety over a matter in a relationship. This “honest signal” will show others that you are suffering. The hope is that someone else can resolve the issue for you or offer you a sympathetic ear. You can also forcibly exhale a breath to show others that you disagree with them and that they are causing you frustration. The hope of course, is that your nonverbal signal will be understood and the issue will be resolved without having to use more obvious or costly methods (such as using words).
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: a) “I really can’t believe this is happening again!” b) “Finally I can take a load off.” c) “I’m stressed and need to slow down my breath, control my breathing and concentrate on what comes next.”
Variant: N/A.
Cue In Action: a) When her husband was called into a late meeting at work, Jill huffed in displeasure. b) Jill got all the kids organized for school and tucked them in bed. She let out an audible sigh, “ahhh,” as she plopped down on the couch. c) Before taking stage, she forcefully blew air out of her mouth to get in the right frame of mind.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Blowing air out indicates frustration, disapproval, uncertainty and an attempt at pacifying. It signifies that pressure is being released from our bodies usually due to frustration and stress. To imagine this cue, think of the pressure being released from a balloon. We call this “deflating” and it’s similar to the emotional deflating of a person – the person feels deflated. A person might blow out air forcefully to prepare the body to concentrate on a difficult task or in preparation for a stressful event.
Sighs signify frustration, being overwhelmed or weighted down, burdened and thoughts of powerlessness. People often sigh many times throughout a regular day as their level of stress increases and decreases.
At other times, sighs are done at the completion of a difficult task spelling relief and relaxation.
Cue Cluster: Cues that accompany blowing off steam include slumped shoulders, slack arms that seem to hang off the body, and eyes rolling back and pacing. A general relaxation will come over the body at task completion. It might be plopped down on a chair or sofa, allowing the face to relax and relieving tension. Shortly thereafter, joy might appear.
Body Language Category: Emotional body language, Frustration or frustrated body language, Nervous body language, Stressful body language, Pacifying.
Resources:
Allen, Ben ; Friedman, Bruce H. Positive emotion reduces dyspnea during slow paced breathing. Psychophysiology. 2012 49(5): 690-696.
Brown, Richard P ; Gerbarg, Patricia L. Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: part I-neurophysiologic model. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine . 2005. 11(1): 189-201.
Ekerholt, Kirsten Bergland. Breathing: a sign of life and a unique area for reflection and action. Astrid Physical therapy. 2008 88(7): 832-40.
Geronemus, Hillary. Breathe Through It. Women’s Health. 2010. 7(3): 068
Hunter, Virginia. Clinical clues in the breathing behaviors of patient and therapist. Clinical Social Work Journal. Summer. 1993 21(2):161-118.
Mohiyeddini, C., Bauer, S., & Semple, S. (2013a). Displacement behaviour is associated with reduced stress levels among men but not women. PLoS One, 8, e56355.
Mohiyeddini, C., Bauer, S., & Semple, S. (2013b). Public self-consciousness moderates the link between displacement behaviour and experience of stress in women. Stress, 16, 384–392.
Mohiyeddini, C., & Semple, S. (2013). Displacement behaviour regulates the experience of stress in men. Stress, 16, 163–171.
Navarro, Joe. 2008. What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People. William Morrow Paperbacks.
Sand-Jecklin, Kari. Patient Anxiety Levels Related to Gynecologic Examinations: Use of the Color Breathwork Relaxation Method. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 2008. 22(4): 240-242.
Troisi A. 1999. Ethological research in clinical psychiatry: the study of nonverbal behaviour during interviews. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 23:905–913.
Troisi A. 2002. Displacement activities as a behavioral measure of stress in nonhuman primates and human subjects. Stress 5: 47–54.
Tainsky, Al. Calm, cool, collected: a meditation primer. Inside MS, Wntr. 2002. 20(1): 24(4).