16/09/2022
The vagus nerve â also known as the wandering nerve â is the longest cranial nerve connecting your brain to your body. Itâs responsible for regulating automatic body functions such as digestion, hormones, mood, and immunity.
It regulates how you react to fight, flight, or freeze mode, and is what switches on your parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system, helping you to feel calm. When the vagus nerve is working well, it supports emotional regulation and mental health, and gives you more resilience to deal with stress and traumas. Ever wondered what causes you to have âgut feelingsâ? Thatâs the vagus nerve sending signals to help you deal with fear, anxiety, or scary and stressful situations. Our body is amazing, right?
How do you know if the vagus nerve is functioning well or not? By checking your vagal tone, which can be measured by heart rate variability (HRV) â the amount of time between heartbeats. The more variability between heartbeats, the better your vagal tone. If youâre nerds like us, using an Oura Ring is a good way to understand your baseline and track this. đ¤
If youâve been experiencing fatigue, poor memory, depression or anxiety, heart disease, issues with speech or gag reflexes, have nutrient deficiencies or struggle with motion sickness or gut issues, they could be signs that you have a dysfunction with your vagus nerve. đ§
If that sounds like you, or youâre looking for simple ways to improve your vagal tone, try some of the below:
â¨Ice baths, cold water, or contra showers
â¨Humming, chanting âOmâ, singing at the top of your lungs to your favourite song in the car (not recommended in public spaces)
â¨Deep breaths and diaphragmatic breathing
â¨Meditation/journaling
â¨Expressing gratitude and abundance
â¨Yoga
â¨Self-love and positive self-talk
Let us know if you tried any of these, or if you have any other suggestions?