I have seen a lot about the vagus nerve recently and how important it is for our bodies. But – I have to say I knew very little (ok – almost nothing) about it. But, the more I learned, the more fascinated I became. So here are my findings 😉.
What is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve. What is a cranial nerve is probably the first question you are asking? A cranial nerve links information between the brain and other regions of the body, mainly the back and neck area. There are 12 cranial nerves in total, which are numbered by the Roman numeral system. Some of them have an important sensory function (for example, the function of smell, sight, taste, and sound). Other cranial nerves control the movement of muscles and certain glands, also called motor functions. Finally, some nerves combine sensory and motor functions in one. The vagus nerve (Roman number X) is one of these.
What does the Vagus Nerve do?
The vagus nerve plays a huge role in various bodily functions, in particular, our digestion, heart rate, breathing, cardiovascular activity, and reflex actions (e.g. coughing, sneezing, or even vomiting). You have heard me talk about the “brain-gut” connection before and how your digestive tract may well influence how “sharp” you feel in your brain. Scientists believe that the vagus nerve may well present said connection.
The vagus nerve runs all the way from the brain to the colon and is simultaneously the longest cranial nerve we have in our body. The sensory functions of the vagus nerve include sensations felt on the skin, in the muscles, and in the organs of our body. Motor functions of the vagus nerve include stimulating muscles in the back and roof area of the mouth, the heart, and various areas of the digestive tract.
The Vagus Nerve Controls our Autonomic Nervous System
Our autonomic nervous system consists mainly of three elements: (1) the sympathetic nervous system, (2) the enteric nervous system, and (3) the parasympathetic nervous system. Our sympathetic nervous system is responsible for “flight or fight” reactions, and our response to perceived danger. I have covered more on this in my post about the mind-body connection. The enteric nervous system plays a role in our digestive function and communicates directly with our central nervous system.
Our parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for our “rest and digest” stage. As indicated above, it calms the body down by slowing down our heart rates and our breathing (amongst others). That means that bodily resources can be used where they are needed most. And it allows our bodies to work at its full capacity. The vagus nerve is basically the road that brings all of this together and provides the switchboard to fully move into this rested state.
Vagus Nerve and Health
Stimulating the vagus nerve supports our parasympathetic nervous system, which we nowadays do not spend enough time in, even though, it is so beneficial to our well-being. When our parasympathetic nervous system is “switched on” we can experience so many benefits, for example:
- Stomach acid and digestive enzyme production tend to be improved which, in turn, hugely supports a healthy gut, gut microbiome, and the absorption of nutrients
- Our immune system tends to also improve
- Hormones are more regulated
- Blood pressure is lowered
- It has also been linked to lower inflammation in the body. The nerve senses when there is enough inflammation for healing (and remember inflammation is not always a bad thing) and signals to the body to halt any further inflammation
In addition, stimulating the vagus nerve may also be hugely beneficial for our mental well-being. It can alter your mood and potentially reduce anxiety.
Vagal Tone
Here is where it gets interesting and equally amazing. “Vagal tone” refers to stimulating the vagus nerve so that it responds with strength, speed, and efficiency. You can test the vagal tone via an electronic diagram that measures the difference between your heart rate and your breathing. A high difference indicates a high vagal tone. There are some “invasive” methods (such as the implementation of a vagal nerve stimulator) to stimulate the vagal tone. But there are also ways to improve your vagal tone without invasion, which we will cover below.
Auditory Vibrations
Humming or rhythmic chanting have long been acknowledged and proven in stimulating the vagus nerve. You can combine humming with slow breathing techniques during your meditation, for example. Slowly breathe in and hum on the exhale. You will feel the vibration in your ribs, throat, mouth, and cranium. Singing, choir, prayer, or even gargling (I know — totally related to the practice of mediation and relaxing 😉) are also great for improving your vagal tone.
Meditation
The loving-kindness meditation (a meditation where you think kindly both of yourself and of others) has been shown to improve the vagal tone. BUT studies have also shown that next to improving said vagal tone, participants also had a lower inflammatory response to stress. There has also been some compelling research indicating that people live longer when they have a higher vagal tone (the study was conducted with people who had stage 4 cancer), due to said anti-inflammatory response by the body.
Cold Water
Last but not least – cold water can also be hugely beneficial for your vagal tone. Cold water allows your heart rate to come down. Simply put your face into icy water for ca. 30 to 60 seconds. The vagus nerve will slow down your heart rate in order to preserve oxygen. First discovered during cold water diving, the cold water will also reduce feelings of anxiety, panic, stress, and inflammation.
And that is it for this week’s post. I hope you enjoyed this deep-dive into the vagus nerve and have learned some fascinating new things about it 💕!! Let me know what the most surprising thing was for you in the comments below!! Beautiful cover photo by Steven Lasry on Unsplash.
