09/08/2022
Repost from
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The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, running from your brain to your large intestine, passing through the neck, chest, heart, lungs and digestive system.
These nerves control specific body functions such as your gut function and digestion, heart rate, immune system, energy and stress balance, and carries an extensive range of signals from different organs and vice versa.
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The vagus nerve consists of the main nerves of your parasympathetic nervous system - the "rest and digest" response that occurs when we feel safe and our bodies are relaxed.
However, what's unfortunate in modern society, is that many of us are stuck in a sympathetic dominant state, which affects our mood, stress levels, digestion and more. When this is the case, we may have what we call 'low vagal tone'. Vagal tone is an internal biological process that represents the activity of the vagus nerve.
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What's amazing is that there are different things we can do to stimulate the vagus nerve to send messages to the body that it is safe to relax, de-stress and rebuild.
Increasing your vagal tone activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and having higher vagal tone means your body can relax faster after stress.
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These are some simple ways you can increase your vagal tone:
๐๐ผSinging, humming, chanting, gargling ๐๐ผ
The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, chanting and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, regulating internal organs and increasing vagal tone.
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How do you feel after trying these exercises?