So what the heck is a vagus nerve, and why would you want to stimulate it?
It happens to be the longest nerve in your body. It exits at the medulla which is part of the brainstem. It is basically the commander and chief of your parasympathetic nervous system. It travels down your throat, along the esophagus and then to several of your main organs like your heart, lungs, liver, kidney and other glands.
There has been research done showing that a stronger vagus response helps repair brain tissue, and research found that stem cell growth is directly connected to vagus nerve activity. By activating the vagus nerve, it can stimulate stem cells to produce nerve cells and even repair and rebuild organs!
You could almost call it a nerve with superpowers:)
The picture below gives you an idea of what the vagus nerve looks like but this doesn’t even scratch the surface of how complex and amazing it really is.
When we stress out our sympathetic nervous system is triggered and we find ourselves in the flight, flight or freeze mode. The stress alarm goes off and our bodies are flooded with stress hormones which creates a perfect breeding ground for sickness and disease. It is like we have our foot on the gas pedal at all times.
Our bodies cannot heal in this state!
Our parasympathetic nervous system puts our body in rest and digest mode. It is basically the reset button for the sympathetic nervous system. When our bodies go into relaxation mode, it boosts our immune system and improves our overall health. It is like putting on the brakes.
We need to find ways to keep our body in the parasympathetic state, and one way to do that is by stimulating the vagus nerve.
People with stronger vagus response are likely to recover more quickly after they become stressed, injured or ill and this can increase their life span.
Benefits of stimulating the vagus nerve:
- It releases levels of endorphins which puts you in a positive mood and helps to reduce pain
- Decreased inflammation throughout the body
- Helps with memory
- Helps to create new brain cells
- Improves sleep
- Raises levels of human growth hormone
- Decreases anxiety and depression
Ways to stimulate the vagus nerve:
- Deep breathing using your diaphragm
- Humming or chanting
- Laughing with deep diaphragmatic laughs
- Lying with butt up to wall with legs going up wall
- Putting your face in cold water covering forehead, eyes and 2/3 of cheeks
Were you aware of the vagus nerve? What ways have you tried to stimulate it? I would love for you to share your comments and questions.
With Love and Gratitude,
Beth