We reside in a world stuffed with noise. Dings and notifications rule our fashionable lives. Inevitably, our focus is on the mercy of our telephones—texts, emails, and messages beckon perpetual consideration. This rings notably true in my life: I’m juggling the mental load of motherhood, work, and every little thing in between. Everybody appears to want my consideration, and so they want it stat. Perhaps you, like me, end up in the same place—trapped in a low-grade state of stress, unaware of how deeply it impacts your well-being. Luckily, one highly effective wellness practice could make all of the distinction. By studying stimulate our vagus nerve (the nerve that runs out of your mind to your stomach), we are able to all start to reclaim our peace.
Exploring the Vagus Nerve: A Key to Wellness
Given our fast-paced lives, discovering methods to manage stress and promote total wellness is paramount. That is the place the vagus nerve is available in. This nerve performs an important function in regulating our physique’s response to emphasize, influencing every little thing from coronary heart charge to digestion. Understanding its influence can empower us to make higher selections—for our psychological and bodily well being. With this in thoughts, I tapped an knowledgeable within the discipline to delve deeper into the connection between the vagus nerve and holistic well-being.
Meet Brooke Taylor. She based The Road—an Austin-based haven for all issues beauty acupuncture and pure alternate options for skincare (and past). Taylor is our go-to useful resource for harnessing the facility of holistic modes of therapeutic. With Taylor’s steerage, I received the 411 on all issues vagus nerve. We dug into its influence on stress, digestion, and psychological readability. With Taylor’s steerage, I discovered activate this nerve to usher calm into our every day lives. Scroll for her deep-rooted knowledge.
Brooke Taylor LAc, MAcOM
Brooke created The Street in Austin, Texas to share her expertise in holistic skincare, acupuncture and Chinese language medication to nurture our personal innate therapeutic responses. Beforehand an esthetician and world skincare educator and model supervisor, she pursued her masters in Chinese language medication to assist heal others on a deeper degree.
What’s the vagus nerve?
The vagus nerve is the superhighway of your physique. It transports very important info between your mind and the remainder of your inner organs. The vagus (or vagal nerve) originates within the brainstem and extends by means of the face, neck, lungs, coronary heart, diaphragm, and stomach. It reaches a slew of organs: the abdomen, spleen, intestines, colon, liver, reproductive organs, and kidneys—its influence is profound!
Taylor talked about that though communication flows each methods, most indicators journey from the intestine to the mind—somewhat than the reverse. That is why we frequently discuss with the “gut-brain connection” or the concept of “listening to your intestine response.”
“Vagus” is Latin for wanderer, a becoming identify for the physique’s longest cranial nerve.
How does the vagus nerve affect our parasympathetic nervous system?
Vagal nerves are the primary nerves of our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This method controls our involuntary features (e.g., digestion, coronary heart charge, temper, and sexual arousal). Taylor likened the PNS to a symphony conductor—it orchestrates the tempo and depth of your nervous system. It helps sluggish issues down after stress, reducing your coronary heart charge, aiding digestion, and selling a relaxed, balanced state. It’s generally related to the rest-and-digest operate. Naturally, it’s the counterbalance to our fight-or-flight response—aka the sympathetic nervous system.
How are you going to observe your vagal tone?
You possibly can observe your vagal tone by measuring your heart rate variability (HRV). This exhibits how a lot your coronary heart charge accelerates and slows down while you breathe. Greater HRV normally signifies a more healthy vagal tone, that means your physique handles stress and leisure effectively. Taylor defined {that a} increased vagal tone signifies a faster restoration post-stressful or traumatic occasion. You probably have an Oura Ring, Whoop, Garmin, or Polar watch/sensor, you need to use it to trace your vagal tone.
Indicators of a Robust Vagal Tone
In keeping with Taylor, when our vagal tone is robust, we expertise a way of total well-being. We reply to stressors with resilience and keep a well-functioning immune system. It additionally helps us regulate blood glucose levels extra successfully!
Indicators of a Weak Vagal Tone
On the flip facet, a weak vagal tone inhibits our skill to handle and recuperate from stressors. It’s been linked to increased ranges of irritation, digestive points (together with food sensitivities), fatigue, and temper issues. There are additionally links between a weak vagal tone and sure ailments like cardiovascular circumstances and autoimmune circumstances.
By the Numbers
For adults, a better HRV typically ranges from 60-100 milliseconds or extra, whereas a decrease HRV (beneath 50 milliseconds) could counsel stress or decrease vagal tone. Nevertheless, HRV is very private! It’s greatest to trace your baseline over time.
What on a regular basis habits weaken or strengthen the vagus nerve?
From mindful eating to buzzing, you possibly can considerably enhance your vagal tone with easy habits.
Correct Vitamin
Taylor emphasised a weight loss program wealthy in essential fatty acids, B nutritional vitamins, and zinc. Adaptogens can assist, too! Nevertheless—much more essential—is chewing your meals. Decelerate, eat mindfully, and take a look at to not multitask. Enjoyable truth: chewing completely engages the vagus nerve. This assists the ‘digest’ in relaxation and digest. Taylor stated, “Have your tongue meet the taste bud on the roof of your mouth as you swallow. In the event you apply with saliva, you would possibly discover you’re feeling like yawning—an indicator that it’s working!”
Releasing Neck Rigidity
Decreasing neck stress is useful, as tightness within the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle can limit the vagus nerve alongside the facet of the neck. In the event you have a tendency to carry stress on this space, learning to stretch and therapeutic massage your neck can assist launch it. In flip, you’ll assist optimum vagus nerve tone.
Get Vibration Going
Different methods to tone the vagus nerve embody red light therapy, therapeutic massage, and craniosacral remedy. In keeping with Taylor, chilly remedy is nice as effectively. Her favourite trick? Buzzing, chanting, and singing. All of those get vibration going! She additionally inspired motion (tai chi, qi gong, yoga, and dancing) and 4-7-8 breathwork. Lastly, she talked about the facility of meditation, journaling, and listening to binaural beats.
How does acupuncture work to stimulate the vagus nerve?
In keeping with Taylor, acupuncture excels at safely and successfully treating the vagus nerve. “The shift is commonly noticeable within the first session, even inside minutes—a brand new sense of zen, feeling ‘again in your physique,’ and fewer emotionally reactive.” Studies present that acupuncture can scale back irritation, enhance coronary heart charge variability (HRV), and regulate autonomic operate. Taylor relayed that mixed with herbal medicine, acupuncture can deal with different circumstances associated to vagus nerve dysfunction. She additionally highlighted auricular acupuncture for vagal tone well being (this is the reason ear seeding has change into so common!).
Anything in regards to the vagus nerve that you simply want extra individuals understood?
“The vagus nerve is commonly ignored, but it connects our thoughts and physique in ways in which profoundly influence our total high quality of life,” Taylor famous. “Whereas we work with this method commonly in all modalities of Chinese language medication, I hope extra individuals change into conscious of all of the instruments they’ve at their disposal to control this method. From breathwork to massaging acupressure factors, to buzzing, and extra, you possibly can self-regulate and take again management in minutes.”
Camille’s Suggestions: What’s Serving to Me Help My Nervous System
To carry this full circle, Camille recently wrote about how she’s focusing extra on nervous system regulation. She’s been constantly integrating practices to stimulate the vagus nerve—a reminder that small steps and consistency make a huge impact on well-being. Beneath are her go-to instruments:
- Omnibiotic Probiotic
- This probiotic is efficient for stress aid and therapeutic intestine dysfunction. Within the lab research, 83% of their probiotics attain the intestine alive and lively (versus a median of seven% in main U.S. manufacturers!). She’s been taking this primary factor each morning.
- Breathwork
- Strategies like diaphragmatic respiration and the 4-7-8 respiration activate the parasympathetic nervous system, selling leisure. Camille likes to do the classes from Mindful in Minutes. (Kelly’s podcast is wonderful, too.)
- Yoga Block
- Camille likes to sit down cross-legged on this easy yoga block so she will have a cushty posture whereas she does her breathwork and journaling within the morning.
- Vagus Nerve Stimulator
- She purchased this system that strengthens her vagal tone over time, selling rest-and-digest and total well-being.
- Juna Nightcap Sleep Gummy
- Good sleep is necessary for a well-functioning nervous system! In keeping with Camille, this gummy is such a superb combo of botanicals, magnesium, and microdosed phytomelatonin.
- Calm music
- Auditory stimulation has a large impact on our nervous system—and calm music reduces stress and anxiousness nearly immediately. She loves the Spiritune app, which mixes music remedy with neuroscience that will help you chill out. She’ll do 5-10 extra minutes with the Vagus Nerve Stimulator at night time whereas she listens to music and reads.
- Essential oil
- Important oils—like lavender and chamomile—calm the nervous system. She retains this attractive oil on her bedside desk and rubs it on her and her husband’s wrists once they get in mattress.
- Weighted blanket
- Camille loves how a weighted blanket feels, however since she’s a scorching sleeper, she’ll normally curl up with one whereas she reads at night time—after which ditch it when it’s time for sleep. The mild strain stimulates deep contact strain receptors which sends a message of safety and luxury to the physique.
Discovering Your Supportive Rituals
In the end, the muse of this work comes from inside—offering area in our every day schedules for prayer and mindfulness, and prioritizing good sleep. No merchandise or fast fixes can change these necessities. That stated, the suitable toolkit can assist your nervous system as a lift to your different foundational efforts. Cheers to supporting a wholesome vagus nerve, one deep breath at a time.
