Vagus Nerve
Your vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your nervous system and your ally when it comes to your mental health wellbeing! When we stimulate our vagus nerve, it sends messages to the brain that we are safe and can feel at ease; helping us enter into rest and digest mode instead of fight or flight.
So, you may be wondering, how in the world do I “stimulate my vagus nerve?!”
Let’s get into a couple ideas!
Slow, deep belly breaths
As you inhale slowly, notice your stomach expand, and as you exhale, notice your stomach constrict. If you’d like to combine the breath with a calming word, phrase and/or visualize a calming color, go for it.Hum, sing or chant
Pick a favorite song and belt it out! Or hum as you run an errand or are in the midst of racing towards a stressful deadline. Incorporate saying “OM” as you roll your neck or shoulders.Gut work
Our gut is so important when it comes to our mental health! It’s estimated that at least 90% of our happy hormone, serotonin, is created in our gut. We can increase our gut health through eating whole foods and supplementing with probiotics.Yoga
The Cat-Cow yoga pose is a great one to stimulate your vagus nerve! Incorporating mindful movement, such as yoga, increases our mind-body healing. As you move, take in the pleasure or pressure of the movement by observing and appreciating it.Notice Something Pleasant (Internally or Externally)
Since our vagus nerve’s language is one of sensations, we can send our brain a calming message by scanning our body for a body part that feels pleasant or neutral and/or scan our environment for a pleasant sight. This brings us to the present moment.
Check out this book resource if you’d like to learn more about activating your vagus nerve!