24/02/2021
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It's no surprise that in today's fast paced world we are more than ever. The rise of technology has led us to being both more connected and further from ourselves at the same time. In the past you could meet up with whoever you wanted and if you came across some people you found particularly unpleasant once you came home that was your sanctuary to relax and unwind – now there is social media that brings the world into our homes. Additionally, in the past work stayed at work or if you brought work home this was decided upon once you were in the office – but now we are more connected to our workplaces than ever before and often times a boss or colleague will contact us after hours when we are just about to relax and eat our dinner, of course we feel obliged to respond. All of these situations leave less time for us to be with ourselves and take time to relax and destress without the pressures of the outside world. So, now more than ever it is important to learn how to and ourselves down so we can feel , and .
Recently scientists have shown that the vagus nerve controls our sense of well-being and relaxation and that activating the vagus nerve can slow down your heart rate, dial down the inflammatory hormone cortisol, and release a whole host of calming chemicals into your body. The vagus nerve, and specifically low vagal activity, has been shown to be associated with depression. People who are depressed have low vagal activity which leads to less intonation while speaking and less animated facial expressions.
So what is the vagus nerve? The vagus nerve is actually the largest cranial nerve of the human body and is part of the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS,) which is responsible for rest-and-digest processes. It's interesting to note that although it is the largest cranial nerve in our bodies, not many people have heard about it let alone know what it does. This is because although its existence was known about some time ago, it is only now that scientists and researchers are finding out about how it influences the human experience. We know now that the vagus nerve is responsible for many things such as:
• cooling down inflammatory responses
• strengthening our memory
• controlling heart rate
• releasing a relaxant hormone
• giving you a “gut feeling” (generally fear or anxiety about something)
• making you feel faint or controlling you actually fainting
We also know that the vagus nerve can be stimulated. In the past the vagus nerve had been stimulated via electronic devices. Many of these devices were fairly invasive for example chest implants where a device is placed under the skin in the chest and a wire connects this device to the left vagus nerve. These devices worked by sending signals through the vagus nerve to the brainstem, which then transmits the information to your brain. Because of the procedure's invasive nature, it was mainly seen as a last resort treatment for patients who experienced either depression or epilepsy that did not respond well to other forms of treatment. However, it has recently been found that a simple breathing technique may be able to stimulate vagus nerve activity.
Although the vagus nerve is quite complex overall, its main purpose is relatively simple – to calm us down. Nobel prize winner Otto Loewi first discovered the relaxing hormone that the vagus nerve releases, named acetylcholine during a medical experiment. He noticed while conducting experiments on frogs that “a tranquilizing substance squirted directly out of the vagus nerve onto the heart, which caused a frog's heart rate to slow down immediately.” He thus names the hormone vagusstoff.
Scientists are now putting medical definitions and evidence behind what dedicated yogis have known for years – that breathing techniques are very important and can have extraordinary effects on those than practice them. In 2018 two researchers from the Netherlands found that a slow breathing technique using longer exhalations (i.e. exhalations that are longer than your inhalations) can stimulate the vagus nerve. Another study conducted in 2019 showed that taking part in these breathing techniques can substantially improve people’s decision-making ability. This is extremely exciting as who wouldn’t want improved decision-making capacity just by taking longer and more thoughtful breaths.
The specific breathing technique in question is called the 4:8 breathing technique. This is because to complete the technique correctly you should be exhaling for twice as long as you are inhaling. It helps to count to four while you inhale, and then count to eight while you are exhaling. Additionally, it helps even more if you breathe through your nose, and then exhale through pursed lips.
Evidence coming from those who have tried the 4:8 breathing technique on a regular basis have stated that it can help with sleep regulation. It can make it easier to fall asleep quicker, and stay asleep, which leads to a more restful and restorative night. Research has shown that the breathing technique can also be effective in reducing stress. This is because the vagus nerve is stimulated through the long exhalations found in the technique but also because of the way it is done. Breathing in this way is unnatural (but does not feel unpleasant) and therefore concentration is required to keep it going. If you are concentrating on your breathing it can be a good distraction from the things that are bringing you stress and anxiety.
Although the 4:8 breathing technique will not solve all your worries, or serious life issues, it is a great tool to help manage stress. People practicing yoga and meditation have known this for years and it’s only now that scientists are catching up and proving this for themselves. If you find yourself overly stressed, or consider yourself to be a chronic worrier, give this breathing technique a try.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201905/longer-exhalations-are-easy-way-hack-your-vagus-nerve
