The Vagus Nerve: It’s Connection to Stress + How to Protect It
The nervous system plays a huge role in not just our everyday health, but our ability to manage stress and stay healthy.
The Vagus nerve (or vagal nerves) is a series of nerves that runs the length of your body (along the spine) from brain to digestive system. And act as the main network of nerves for your Parasympathetic Nervous System. In other words the balancing and opposing system to your Sympathetic Nervous System or ‘fight-flight-freeze’ response.
If the sympathetic nervous system acts to keep you safe from danger, then the parasympathetic nervous system is what makes you feel safe + calm afterwards.
What Does the Vagus Nerve Do?
As well as making up about 80% or the parasympathetic nervous system the vagal nerves also control a range of functions in the body ; This system controls specific body functions such as your digestion, heart rate, immune system + mood.
All involuntary functions, meaning you can't consciously control them.
When the vagus nerve is functioning properly, it helps us to maintain a sense of calm, and can also aid in achieving flow states more frequently.
But today’s modern world makes it harder and harder for us to maintain a healthy vagal nervous system (often called vagal tone) without effort.
Low vagal tone is associated with inflammation, heart disease, stroke, anxiety, panic attacks, mood imbalances, gut and digestive problems, poor psychological well-being, and much more. Including, most relevantly for this blog chronic fatigue.
Things that cause low vagal tone
Things that disrupt and can cause poor functioning or low vagal tone can be caused by a number of things :
Toxins + heavy metals
Circadian rhythm dysfunction (or poor sleep)
Viruses
Surgery
Prolonged stress
Extreme fatigue
Emotional distress
Severe pain
The Importance of vagal Tone in Chronic Fatigue Recovery
So of course it stands to reason that if poor vagal health can lead to chronic fatigue, then improving vagal health and tone will in turn help improve health and wellbeing.
When the vagal nerve is not functioning properly, it leaves the sympathetic nervous system open to become heightened + overstimulated. Which over a prolonged period can create chronic fatigue, burnout and CFS/ME.
The good news is there are things you can do to improve vagal health.
Increasing your vagal tone activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and having higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.
In 1921, a German physiologist named Otto Loewi discovered that when you stimulate the vagus nerve, it triggers the release of acetylcholine. Why is that important? Acetylcholine is like a tranquilizer that we have the power to tap into at any point through slow, long, deep breaths.
“By developing an understanding of the workings of your vagus nerve, you may find it possible to work with your nervous system rather than feel trapped when it works against you.” — Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Clinical Psychologist
9 Ways to Improve Vagal Tone For Better Health
1. Cold Exposure
Ice baths, cold water swimming, cold plunge pools, and cold showers are scientifically proven to boost vagal activity.
Acute cold exposure has been shown to activate the vagus nerve and activate cholinergic neurons through vagus nerve pathways.
Researchers have also found that exposing yourself to cold on a regular basis can lower your sympathetic “fight or flight” response and increase parasympathetic activity through the vagus nerve. I often take cold showers and go outside in cold temperatures with minimal clothing. Try finishing your next shower with at least 30 seconds of cold water and see how you feel. Then work your way up to longer periods of time.
You can also ease yourself into it by simply sticking your face in ice-cold water
2. Slow Deep Breathing
Deep and slow breathing is another way to stimulate your vagus nerve. It’s been shown to reduce anxiety and increase the parasympathetic system by activating the vagus nerve.
Most people take about 10 to 14 breaths each minute. Taking about 6 breaths over the course of a minute is a great way to relieve stress. You should breathe in deeply from your diaphragm. When you do this, your stomach should expand outward. Your exhale should be long and slow.
Try breathing in for the count of six, and then breathing out for the count of six a few times.
This is key to stimulating the vagus nerve and reaching a state of relaxation.
3. Vagal Massage
Research shows that massages can stimulate the vagus nerve, and increase vagal activity and vagal tone. The vagus nerve can also be stimulated by massaging several specific areas of the body.
Foot massages (reflexology) have been shown to increase vagal modulation and heart rate variability, and decrease the “fight or flight” sympathetic response.
Massaging the carotid sinus, an area located near the right side of your throat, can also stimulate the vagus nerve to reduce tightness, tension and muscle stress.
Even Indian head massage or back massage will help the body to relax and releve stress. The nervous system responds well to physical touch.
4. Chanting, singing, humming, and gargling
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. And this has been shown to increase heart-rate variability and vagal tone
5. Meditation
Meditation is my favourite relaxation technique and it can stimulate the vagus nerve and increase vagal tone. Research shows that meditation increases vagal tone and positive emotions, and promotes feelings of goodwill towards yourself.
Another study found that meditation reduces sympathetic “fight or flight” activity and increases vagal modulation.
6. Probiotics
It’s becoming increasingly clear to researchers that gut bacteria improve brain function by affecting the vagus nerve. In one study, animals were given the probiotic Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, and researchers found positive changes to the GABA receptors in their brain, a reduction in stress hormones, and less depression and anxiety-like behaviour.
The researchers also concluded that these beneficial changes between the gut and the brain were facilitated by the vagus nerve. When the vagus nerve was removed in other mice, the addition of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus to their digestive systems failed to reduce anxiety, stress, and improve mood.
Another study found that the probiotic Bifidobacterium Longum normalized anxiety-like behavior in mice by acting through the vagus nerve.
7. Omega 3’s
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that your body cannot produce itself. They are found primarily in fish, flax and hemp seeds and are necessary for the normal electrical functioning of your brain and nervous system.
They often appear in recommendations for brain and mental health, but they affect so many aspects of wellness. They’ve been shown to help people overcome addiction, repair a “leaky brain”, and even reverse cognitive decline.
But researchers have also discovered that omega-3 fatty acids increase vagal tone and vagal activity. Studies have shown that they reduce heart rate and increase heart rate variability, which means they likely stimulate the vagus nerve. And high fish consumption is also associated with “enhanced vagal activity and parasympathetic predominance”.
8. Exercise
Exercise not only increases your brain’s growth hormone, supports your brain’s mitochondria, and helps reverse cognitive decline. But it’s also been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve, which may explain its beneficial brain and mental health effects.
Many brain health experts recommend exercise as their number one piece of advice for optimal brain health.
Lifting heavy weights. High-intensity interval sprinting. Walking as much as possible (ideally 30-60 minutes every day). Yoga and/or Pilates.
Walking, weightlifting and sprinting are the best forms of exercise, and mixing up your forms of exercise is good for the body, but you should choose a sport or exercise routine that you enjoy so that you will stick with it consistently.
9. Laughing
Finally, and this should be considered one of the most important, there are social interactions and relationships. Humans have evolved to be highly community oriented creatures, which makes it highly beneficial in such a disconnected world. Studies of people who have simply had positive and loving thoughts towards others were found to have higher vagal tone. And laughing is known to improve not just our mood, but also uses the throat again, vibrating around the vagal nerves in the neck.
You don’t have to be controlled by your body and mind.
You have the power to influene them; By stimulating the vagus nerve, you can send a message to your body that it’s time to relax and de-stress, which leads to long-term improvements in mood, wellbeing and resilience, and in the long-term can help you to reduce and manage your stress response + improve your recovery from chronic fatigue.
I hope you implement some of the above steps into your daily life, and they allow you to live more optimally.
xo Emily
