Get To Know The Vagus Nerve
- Steph John
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
The vagus nerve is a big communication line between your mind and body. It's essential for staying balanced and It's not just a trendy wellness thing; there's real science behind why it matters. Amanda Armstrong from the Regulate & Rewire podcast hits the nail on the head: if you're dealing with a mix of physical and mental health issues, it could be connected to your vagus nerve. Spending time doing activities that improve the tone (health) of your vagus nerve does help us to be more resilient. However, if you're dealing with long-term stress or past trauma, then think of improving vagal nerve function as laying the groundwork so that you are better able to handle the deeper work with a therapist, counselor or loving adult. Calm the body first and the mind follows.
A whopping 80% of communication goes from your body to your brain, which shows how much your physical state affects your mental state. That’s why just talking about things in therapy might not be enough when you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression. You’ve got to include body-based practices too. Trying to just talk yourself into calming down in some cases is like being in a blizzard and trying to get warm by thinking “I will be warm!”
These are simple things you can do with your body to help your brain calm down so you will be able to have your logical brain start working better for you. Sometimes your body needs to first release what your mind can’t explain.
We measure vagus nerve health with something called "vagal tone." If you've got good vagal tone, your nerve is active and working well, which means you're generally more balanced and healthy. You'll handle emotions better, have stable energy, handle stress like a champ, and digest food better. Low vagal tone, on the other hand, can lead to the opposite: poor stress management, being easily upset, hormone problems, digestive issues, anxiety, and depression.
The best way to measure vagal tone is by checking your heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is basically how much time varies between your heartbeats. The higher HRV usually means higher vagal tone. You can track this with wearable devices like an Oura Ring, Apple Watch, Android Galaxy Watch or Fitbit. Keeping an eye on your HRV trends can tell you when your body is under extra stress and might need some vagus nerve activation exercises. You can also get clues from how you feel – are you generally emotionally stable and have good energy, or do you struggle with stress and feel off-balance or easily triggered? Everyone's baseline is different. The good news is that if you improve your vagal tone, that will boost both your mental and physical health.
Think of vagal tone like muscle tone. The better it is, the better you can handle life's curveballs and bounce back from stress. To improve it, you want to avoid things that hurt it, like chronic stress and trauma.
Lifestyle Factors That Generally Increase Vagal Tone:
Sleep
Physical Activity
Nutrition
Posture
Stress Management
Factors That May Decrease Vagal Tone:
Botox
Antibiotics
Alcohol
Cannabis
Environmental stress, including clutter, heavy metals, mold, and personal safety
Relational stress
Work stress
Building up your vagal tone is a process. You can give your vagus nerve a nudge by doing things like massaging your ears and neck. The Vagal nerve is like a huge root network that runs from the brain behind the ears down through the body and into the intestines. It is connected to places like your ears, throat, heart, lungs, and stomach. By working on these different parts, you can actually influence how your body reacts to stress.
The vagus nerve is a big deal. It's the longest nerve in your head. Experts at Charlie Health say that giving it a little stimulation helps your body bounce back from stress and get back to feeling normal. It helps calm you down if you're feeling anxious or worked up.
Five Easy Practices to Support Vagus Nerve
The Vagus Nerve is a key regulator responsible for calming the body, reducing inflammation, and restoring balance! Here are some simple, therapist-backed ways to activate and support it:
1. Breathe Deep: Think belly breaths here. Long, slow inhales into your stomach and even longer exhales. This helps chill you out & slow your heart.
2. Get Vocal: Hum, sing your heart out, or even gargle some water. All those vibrations in your throat are like a little nudge for your vagus nerve. Plus, it helps with that heart rate variability thing (that's a good thing, by the way). You can even track it with your smartwatch.
3. Chill Out with Cold: I know, nobody loves a cold shower, but hear me out. Cold water can trigger a reflex that calms you right down. Try a cold shower, a quick plunge, or even just an ice pack on your neck. It's surprisingly effective.
4. Get Moving: Exercise, especially stuff like interval training or going for a run, is great for your vagus nerve. It's like a win-win for your body and your brain.
5. Get a Massage: Head, neck, even your feet! A good massage can really get those vagus nerve signals going and help you relax completely.
I was recently introduced to the concept of using a tens or taVNS unit on the tragus of the ear to stimulate the vagus nerve. Research showed the taVNS device does indeed stimulate the vagus nerve. It lowered depression symptoms and changed brain activity in areas linked to mood, reducing anxiety and pain.
There is a unit made specifically for stimulating the vagus nerve in the ear. It is called Vagustim v1. This unit has been shown to boost vagal tone by increasing heart rate variability; higher HRV indicates better stress regulation.
Studies suggest using low frequency 20-30 Hz (barely perceptible) and limiting sessions to 15-30 minutes, once or twice daily. Avoid using the Vagustim if you have a pacemaker, heart rhythm problems or seizures. Check out these podcasts to learn more or to do vagus nerve exercises.
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