Exploring the Vagus Nerve: A Key to Wellness
Given our fast-paced lives, discovering methods to handle stress and promote general 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 part from coronary heart charge to digestion. Understanding its affect can empower us to make higher selections—for our psychological and bodily well being. With this in thoughts, I tapped an knowledgeable within the area to delve deeper into the connection between the vagus nerve and holistic well-being.
Meet Brooke Taylor. She based The Street—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 steering, I obtained the 411 on all issues vagus nerve. We dug into its affect on stress, digestion, and psychological readability. With Taylor’s steering, I discovered easy methods to 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 international skincare educator and model supervisor, she pursued her masters in Chinese language medication to assist heal others on a deeper stage.
What’s the vagus nerve?
The vagus nerve is the superhighway of your physique. It transports very important data between your mind and the remainder of your inside organs. The vagus (or vagal nerve) originates within the brainstem and extends via 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 affect is profound!
Taylor talked about that though communication flows each methods, most alerts journey from the intestine to the mind—quite than the reverse. Because of this we regularly consult with the “gut-brain connection” or the concept of “listening to your gut reaction.”
“Vagus” is Latin for wanderer, a becoming title 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 capabilities (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 gradual 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 perform. Naturally, it’s the counterbalance to our fight-or-flight response—aka the sympathetic nervous system.
How will you monitor your vagal tone?
You’ll be able to monitor your vagal tone by measuring your coronary heart charge variability (HRV). This reveals how a lot your coronary heart charge quickens and slows down if you breathe. Larger HRV often signifies a more healthy vagal tone, which means your physique handles stress and leisure properly. 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 should use it to trace your vagal tone.
Indicators of a Robust Vagal Tone
In line with Taylor, when our vagal tone is robust, we expertise a way of general well-being. We reply to stressors with resilience and preserve a well-functioning immune system. It additionally helps us regulate blood glucose ranges extra successfully!
Indicators of a Weak Vagal Tone
On the flip facet, a weak vagal tone inhibits our skill to handle and get well from stressors. It’s been linked to increased ranges of irritation, digestive points (together with meals sensitivities), fatigue, and temper issues. There are additionally hyperlinks between a weak vagal tone and sure illnesses like cardiovascular situations and autoimmune situations.
By the Numbers
For adults, a better HRV usually ranges from 60-100 milliseconds or extra, whereas a decrease HRV (beneath 50 milliseconds) could recommend 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 aware consuming to buzzing, you possibly can considerably enhance your vagal tone with easy habits.
Correct Vitamin
Taylor emphasised a weight-reduction plan wealthy in important fatty acids, B nutritional vitamins, and zinc. Adaptogens may help, too! Nevertheless—much more necessary—is chewing your meals. Decelerate, eat mindfully, and check out to not multitask. Enjoyable truth: chewing completely engages the vagus nerve. This assists the ‘digest’ in relaxation and digest. Taylor mentioned, “Have your tongue meet the soft palate on the roof of your mouth as you swallow. If you practice with saliva, you might find you feel like yawning—an indicator that it’s working!”
Releasing Neck Rigidity
Lowering neck rigidity is useful, as tightness within the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle can prohibit the vagus nerve alongside the facet of the neck. When you have a tendency to carry rigidity on this space, studying to stretch and therapeutic massage your neck may help launch it. In flip, you’ll help optimum vagus nerve tone.
Get Vibration Going
Different methods to tone the vagus nerve embody pink gentle remedy, therapeutic massage, and craniosacral remedy. In line with Taylor, chilly remedy is nice as properly. 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 line with Taylor, acupuncture excels at safely and successfully treating the vagus nerve. “The shift is often noticeable in the first session, even within minutes—a new sense of zen, feeling ‘back in your body,’ and less emotionally reactive.” Research present that acupuncture can scale back irritation, enhance coronary heart charge variability (HRV), and regulate autonomic perform. Taylor relayed that mixed with natural medication, acupuncture can deal with different situations associated to vagus nerve dysfunction. She additionally highlighted auricular acupuncture for vagal tone well being (this is the reason ear seeding has develop into so widespread!).
Anything concerning the vagus nerve that you simply want extra individuals understood?
“The vagus nerve is often overlooked, yet it connects our mind and body in ways that profoundly impact our overall quality of life,” Taylor famous. “While we work with this system regularly in all modalities of Chinese medicine, I hope more people become aware of all the tools they have at their disposal to regulate this system. From breathwork to massaging acupressure points, to humming, and more, you can self-regulate and take back control in minutes.”
Camille’s Suggestions: What’s Serving to Me Help My Nervous System
To convey this full circle, Camille not too long ago 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 big effect on well-being. Beneath are her go-to instruments:
Omnibiotic Probiotic
This probiotic is efficient for stress reduction and therapeutic intestine dysfunction. Within the lab research, 83% of their probiotics attain the intestine alive and energetic (versus a median of seven% in main U.S. manufacturers!). She’s been taking this primary factor each morning.
Breathwork
Methods like diaphragmatic respiratory and the 4-7-8 respiratory activate the parasympathetic nervous system, selling leisure. Camille likes to do the classes from Conscious in Minutes. (Kelly’s podcast is superb, too.)
Yoga Block
Camille likes to take a seat cross-legged on this straightforward yoga block so she will be able to 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 general well-being.
Juna Nightcap Sleep Gummy
Good sleep is obligatory for a well-functioning nervous system! In line with Camille, this gummy is such a very good combo of botanicals, magnesium, and microdosed phytomelatonin.
Calm music
Auditory stimulation has an enormous 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 can assist you loosen up. She’ll do 5-10 extra minutes with the Vagus Nerve Stimulator at evening whereas she listens to music and reads.
Important 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 sizzling sleeper, she’ll often curl up with one whereas she reads at evening—after which ditch it when it’s time for sleep. The light stress stimulates deep contact stress receptors which sends a message of safety and luxury to the physique.
Discovering Your Supportive Rituals
Finally, the inspiration of this work comes from inside—offering house in our every day schedules for prayer and mindfulness, and prioritizing good sleep. No merchandise or fast fixes can substitute these necessities. That mentioned, the precise toolkit can help your nervous system as a lift to your different foundational efforts. Cheers to supporting a wholesome vagus nerve, one deep breath at a time.
