VIBING WITH THE VAGUS NERVE
The Well Canto Newsletter - Ponder This - Volume 24
Sometimes called the Wandering Nerve because it interacts with so many parts of the body, the Vagus Nerve is how our brain talks to our body, and vice versa; a two-way superhighway of information. It plays a key role in regulating our bodily functions as well as our emotional state.
Searching for Safety/Scanning for Danger
Remember our survival instinct? We definitely want to feel safe and sound, and we’re always on the lookout for any threats to that aim. Just like Goldilocks, we want things to feel juuuuuust right.
Here’s what we don’t want:
Maladaptive emotion regulation can take two forms:
1) Under-regulation, which refers to the inability to contain emotional experiences sufficiently to engage in goal-directed behavior, or acting out, and
2) Over-regulation, which occurs when emotion regulation strategies are used to consistently stop emotion experience from unfolding, or shutting down.
Another way of understanding our stress response is with Polyvagal Theory. This theory says our nervous systems have three main response states through which we move on a daily basis:
The first response is ‘mobilization’, i.e. Fight or Flight (think of a cornered, wild animal).
The second response is ‘immobilization’, i.e. Collapse or Freeze (think of an opossum playing dead).
The third response is ‘social engagement’, termed ‘ventral vagus’ in the Theory, which is activated when we feel safe and connected to others.
Polyvagal Theory suggests that by understanding the fluctuation of these different response states, we can better manage our own health and wellness and better understand the behavior of others.
Here’s a good illustration of the process (follow the black line from left to right). Notice that ideally we return to the green box and don’t get stuck in the yellow or red boxes.
WATCH (4:17) Vagus Nerve Reset - most effective way to Destress your Body!
Keeping the Vagus Nerve in Shape
In 2010, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found a positive correlation between a high Vagal Tone (a biological snapshot of the activity of the vagus nerve) and positive emotions and overall good health. Medical devices implanted under the skin stimulate the Vagus Nerve with electrical impulses are used to treat a variety of conditions like epilepsy, depression, and stroke recovery. Here are some less invasive actions we can simply add to our lifestyle that stimulate and tone the vagus nerve:
Making sounds
Singers rejoice! Humming, singing, and even gargling can increase vagal tone because the vagus nerve innervates the voicebox.
For all you ‘sciency’ folks, here’s a video showing how thoroughly the vagus nerve and vocal apparatus are entwined:
WATCH: (4:09) Vagus Nerve - Neuroanatomy and Functions, Animation
Breathing
Most types of deliberate, deep breathing can activate the vagus nerve: Slow and low, alternate nostril breathing, box breathing, breath of fire, and cyclic sighing, to name a few.
Movement
As in, exercise. But you already knew this, didn’t you? Keep in mind we are not only talking about a long, sweaty gym session here. Walk! Dance! Play! The idea is to move your body as often as you can.
Laughter
A combination of making sounds, breathing, and aerobic activity, laughing also stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles while releasing endorphins.
Here is a classic video to enjoy. I DARE you not to laugh!
WATCH: (3:33) Laughing Yoga original by Yogi Ramesh Padney
Cold Exposure
Cold water immersion, like a cold shower or face splash, can trigger the mammalian diving reflex (MDR), a reflex which optimizes respiration by preferentially distributing oxygen stores to the heart and brain, slowing your heart rate while directing blood flow to your brain. Brrr!
Massage
Professional massages are fabulous, but small breaks throughout the day for self-massage may relieve tension and energize us. Gentle pressure on the neck, shoulders, head, feet, or outer ear can stimulate the vagus nerve. Take a look at all the muscles just in our head and neck available for self-massage:
Meditation
There is no doubt that meditation is the Olympic Champion of stress management. Let’s not make it hard or scary, though. Just as the idea behind exercise is simply movement, the idea behind meditation is detaching from thoughts and staying aware of the present. Even a minute or two of this behavior has profound benefits.
Other
Connecting with others, prayer, walks in nature, listening to inspiring music, or any activities that cause awe and wonder - engaging with something greater than ourselves - are all ways to increase Vagal Tone. What will you try right now?
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