Have You Been Told to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve for Better Digestion or Overall Health?
Engaging in vagus nerve exercises will stimulate your vagus nerve and it will activate a part of your Autonomic Nervous System, specifically the Parasympathetic branch. This branch promotes the ‘rest and digest’ state of your nervous system, in contrast to the Sympathetic branch, which triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response.”
The Autonomic part of your Nervous System manages involuntary movements, controlling movements that occur without conscious effort.
This nerve activates a lot of the Autonomic Nervous System, which falls into the Central and Peripheral Nervous System on a bioenergetic test report.
The vagus nerve runs down each side of the body. These nerve branches control your heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, spleen, stomach, pancreas, and even throat and airway.
From a bioenergetic scan perspective, this means that the vagus nerve can influence:
- The Cardiovascular System: heart rate, blood pressure
- The Respiratory System: the diaphragm.
- The Urogenital System: the kidneys
- The Liver & Gallbladder: stimulates blood sugar release, signals satiety and bile release
- The Pancreas: secretion of digestive enzymes and blood sugar
- The Digestive System: stimulates the smooth muscle cells and movement
- The Immune System: inflammation, thymus, spleen and Digestive System
With so many connections, it’s no wonder that supporting your vagus nerve branch supports your overall health. We’ll cover the basics of this cranial nerve and five ways to stimulate your vagus nerve to improve digestion and overall health!
What Is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is one of 12 paired cranial nerves that originate in the stem of your brain. They are part of your Nervous System and regulate sensations like smell, taste, and hearing. Cranial nerves also work to relay information from your body to your brain.
The origin of the name ”vagus” is from a Latin word that, in essence, means “wandering” or “strolling”. You may see the vagus nerve called the “wanderer.”
You can imagine that any injury to the vagus nerve or the brain can greatly impact daily life activities.
The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve and the longest and most complex nerve in the human body. It extends from the brainstem to the abdomen, connecting the brain to the organs mentioned above. This complicated network is a communication system linking the brain and the body.
CBH Energetics does not bioenergetically test the vagus nerve itself, but it can show bioenergetic stress connections and how they may be influencing your vagus nerve or the body parts it connects with.
What Does Vagus Nerve Stress Look Like on a Bioenergetic Report?
- Digestive Stress: including acid reflux, bloating, and abdominal discomfort
- Changes in the Cardio Dial: heart rate or blood pressure changes
- Pancreas: may have mild stress and blood sugar issues
- Liver/gallbladder Stress: which may mean fatigue and poor detox
What Does Vagus Nerve Stress Look Like in the Body?
- Dizziness
- Changes In voice
- Appetite or weight changes
- Heart rate changes
- Immune issues
How (And Where) Is the Vagus Nerve Connected?
Four sets of nuclei (neurons or nerve cells) come together in the brainstem. The vagus nerve is so special that it is the only nerve with these four different nuclei and four different functions.
These nuclei are called:
- The spinal trigeminal nucleus
- The dorsal motor nucleus
- The solitary nucleus
- The nucleus ambiguus
Each nucleus is connected to different parts of the vagus nerve.
The spinal trigeminal nucleus is connected and activated when touching the skin of the central ear. Acupuncture targets this to try to stimulate the vagus nerve.
The dorsal motor and solitary nuclei receive signals from the lungs, heart, liver, stomach, gut, spleen, gallbladder, and pancreas. The dorsal uses the parasympathetic nervous system to send these signals.
The nucleus ambiguus controls muscles in the throat and upper airway. They also help produce sound through the vocal cords.
Here, branches of nerve fibers travel into the skull and out through the jugular foramen, an opening in the base of the skull. The fibers then go to the ear and through the upper neck. The next stop is the internal jugular vein and common carotid arteries.
The base of the neck is where the right and left vagus nerves take slightly different pathways to get to the thorax. Various branches of the vagus nerve connect to specific parts of the body, from the neck to the thorax and the abdomen.
There are two components to the vagus nerve: somatic, which innervates skin and muscles, and visceral, which connects to body organs. The somatic portion is that part of the nerve connected to the ear’s skin. The visceral portion has more connections, including:
- The laryngopharynx: a deep structure in the throat
- The superior aspect of the larynx: connects through the laryngeal nerve, which supplies sensation to the mucosa (mucous lining) in that area.
- Cardiac branches of the vagus nerve
- Digestive system: the terminal portion of the nerve.
Scan tip: when you think of all that the vagus nerve is linked to, what areas of stress can you see on a Full Scan? Throat and tonsils, Digestive System, Cardiovascular System, Liver/gallbladder, along with Governing Vessel (life force energy) and the Central and Peripheral Nervous System.
Functions of the Vagus Nerve
Sensation:
This is where that somatic role comes into play. The auricular branch is all about the skin sensation on the ear’s central portion. If you guessed that you can stimulate your vagus nerve by touching the center part of your ear, you guessed right.
Muscle Activation:
The pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve activates 5 muscle actions of the pharynx. These muscles help you swallow food and keep it from going down your airway. This branch is also involved in the gag reflex. Poor vagal tone can increase coughing and decrease the gag reflex.
Manages Inflammation:
When pathogens invade the body or there is a danger response, the inflammatory reflex regulates immune responses and the inflammatory process. The vagus nerve is an integral part of that inflammatory response or reflex.
ACh, or acetylcholine, is the vagus nerve’s main neurotransmitter. It has a huge anti-inflammatory effect on the body. The Cleveland Clinic notes that low levels of ACh are linked to Alzheimer’s Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome.
If inflammation is not regulated in the body, we know that it can become chronic and contribute to other health conditions.
Airway and Voice:
The vagus nerve innervates part of the diaphragm called the crural area. It is a major sensory input for the larynx, trachea, and lungs. If you tire out by talking too much, you may have a poor vagal tone. An irritated vagus nerve can also increase the risk of aspiration.
Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability:
Your vagus nerve decreases your heart rate. The lower your resting heart rate, the better your vagus nerve.
Heart rate and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) are markers that can be used to measure your vagal tone, according to Dr. Navaz Habib, author of the book Activate Your Vagus Nerve, Unleash your Body’s Natural Ability to Heal.
Your heartbeat and the time between beats, which is your HRV, indicate the activity level of your vagus nerve. If you have a vibrant and active vagus nerve, you will have a lower heart rate and higher variability between beats. This indicates cardiovascular resilience and lowers your risk factors for chronic health issues.
The Benefits When You Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve
Stimulating your vagus nerve can have a wide range of benefits for our physical and mental health. Some of the key benefits include:
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety: you’ve read that the vagus nerve is linked to Parasympathetic nerve function, which puts us into a more relaxed state. Increasing this state influences the rate of digestion and nutrient absorption, along with shifting the liver’s production of glucose to the role of detoxification. This is key if you are battling mold illness or other similar conditions.
- Improved satiety signals: from the stomach, the vagus nerve sends signals to the brain telling it how the stomach has stretched. If you are not feeling this fullness toward the end of your meal, only to feel like you have overeaten 30 minutes later, you may have a lower vagal tone.
- Enhanced Heart Health: besides regulating heart rate, the vagus nerve regulates blood pressure. Increased vagus nerve tone may decrease blood pressure, perhaps indirectly by reducing heart rate and helping with stress and anxiety.
- Mood Regulation: The vagus nerve is connected to the limbic system, which is responsible for emotional processing. Vagus nerve stimulation has been associated with improved mood, reduced symptoms of depression, and enhanced emotional resilience.
How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is the process of intentionally activating or modulating the vagus nerve to trigger specific physiological responses. Many techniques exist for stimulating the vagus nerve, ranging from noninvasive methods like deep breathing and meditation to more advanced interventions like electrical or magnetic stimulation.
When you stimulate the vagus nerve, you influence your body’s parasympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for the “rest and digest” functions, promotes relaxation, and counteracts the “fight or flight” response of the sympathetic nervous system.
Several techniques and devices are available, ranging from noninvasive to more invasive approaches. We will focus on the noninvasive things that you can do at home.
The best part: many are free!
Deep Breathing Exercises
There are many different types of breathing exercises out there! Just the simple act of tuning into how deep you breathe and taking in more air will support your nervous system health and help your vagal tone.
The 4 types of breathing exercises we share with both clients and practitioners are:
- Box Breathing
- Diaphragmatic breathing
- 4-7-8 breathing
- Kapalabhati breathing
If you want to learn more about breathing to reduce stress, visit Breathwork: The Answer to Body-Wide Stress?
Mindfulness Practices & Meditation
Meditation and mindfulness can go hand in hand. You don’t have to meditate to be mindful. Let’s clarify the two!
Mindfulness is the practice of close observation of the current moment you are in. Many define mindfulness as being present. What is that exactly?
It means tuning in to the present, acknowledging what is happening, and trying not to judge anything. Mindfulness equates to the act of observing. It can happen at any time of your day, even when doing the dishes! There are many ways to practice mindfulness, including mindful eating, mindful walking, and incorporating meditation.
Reducing distractions while doing a task can decrease anxiety and help you feel more satiated with your meals. When we practice mindfulness, we engage the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerve.
Meditation is a technique that increases mindfulness by clearing one’s mind of thoughts. It sounds confusing! How can you clear your mind of thoughts? We think all the time! Meditation can train your mind to be aware of thoughts but not follow each one. It will help you focus on that much-needed breath in the body.
Many shy away from meditation because they think they must always have a “clear” mind. Truly, meditation is the practice of noticing when thoughts come and go and bringing yourself back to the present moment with breath or imagery.
Both of these have a positive effect on vagal nerve tone.
Singing, Humming, and Gargling
When you sing or hum, you are activating your vagus nerve. The muscles in your throat have a voluntary component, and when you activate them through singing or humming, you activate your vagus nerve. This is because signals are going to your brainstem through your vagus nerve.
Singing and humming before a meal is a great way to prepare yourself up for optimal digestion! Gargling also stimulates your vagus nerve through muscle activation at the back of the throat.
Cold Exposure
We’re watching everyone dunking in their ice baths on social media, knowing that this isn’t just a post-exertion practice anymore! Cold exposure or cold plunging is the act of submerging oneself in cold, icy water.
What’s with this trend? Have you not jumped into a freezing cold lake only to feel a bit panicky and short of breath? Isn’t your stress response ramped up?
Yes, it is. However, practicing this cold exposure long term has a different effect.
Exposing your body or parts of your body to cold helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s all about the parasympathetic!
You don’t have to rush out and buy a cold plunge tub or dive into your nearest lake full of ice in the winter. We advise you to ensure you have no other health conditions that would make cold plunging contraindicated.
Simply putting cold water on your face and neck will help this part of your nervous system. You can progress to running cold water on your body in the shower, going outside in the cold, and plunging into icy water if that fits you.
Tips and Takeaways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve
We focus so much on food and exercise to make us healthy, don’t we? After reading this article, you can see the many moving parts to our well-being that we can build upon. Diet and exercise are only part of the recipe for balanced health.
Bioenergetic testing can help us all discover the many areas in our body that need attention.
Considering the role the vagus nerve has in the gut-brain link, nurturing the microbiota in your digestive system and supporting your gut lining can go a long way toward vagus nerve health.
Consider incorporating;
- More natural light
- Laughing more
- Evaluating your social relationships
- Blocking leisure time and relaxation in your schedule
- Yoga or pilates, which focuses on the breath
All of these can move you toward increased vagal tone and a greater sense of well-being.
