Understanding the Vagus Nerve: The Body's Silent Regulator
You may not be aware of your Vagus Nerve, but it's doing some very heavy lifting for you. As the largest component of our parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates essential body functions, it also balances our fight/flight/freeze responses. The Vagus Nerve is the most complex of the cranial nerves, originating in the brain stem, it runs down both sides of the neck into the chest and abdomen, connecting our brain and our body, and regulates our emotional states.
The Role of the Vagus Nerve
The Vagus Nerve carries both motor and sensory information, sending information from the brain to the body, and body to brain. The brain controlling autonomic functions such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, and the secretion of immune cells. And the body informing the brain about what's happening with your heart, major blood vessels, lungs, diaphragm, stomach, intestines, and spleen. The Vagus Nerve also plays a role in reducing systemic inflammation, and is supported when we stimulate it, thereby increasing it's "tone". In my practice, I've observed people who struggle with severe digestive issues finding relief from their symptoms by improving their vagal tone, through deep breathing, humming, and singing, among other exercises.
Supporting Vagal Tone for Healing
Recently, working with a client who has long suffered with sinus issues, that required surgeries to help ease her pain and discomfort, I was able to help on her healing journey by bringing awareness to her Vagus Nerve. When she mentioned she received relief from her sinus pain when receiving microcurrent treatment directly on her neck, the Vagus Nerve came to mind immediately. By supporting the Vagus Nerve and improving it's tone and function, we might be able to prevent future sinus challenges.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) uses electrical impulses through a small device that is either hand held or implanted in the chest under the skin. VNS works by sending mild, painless electrical signals to calm down irregular electrical activity in the brain. Initially introduced to reduce epileptic seizures, and depressive symptoms, new research indicates it may be helpful treatment for auto-immune and chronic inflammatory diseases as well.
As you can see now, this beautiful wandering nerve, integral to so many of our autonomic functions, is easily supported and kept healthy with minimal action on our part. So go ahead and sing in the shower, in the car, and on your walks in nature, and feel good knowing you're loving up your Vagus Nerve✨
VAGUS NERVE FUNCTIONS
Digestion
Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration (breathing)
Immune system responses
Mood
Mucus and saliva production
Skin and muscle sensations
Speech
Taste
CONDITIONS LINKED TO VAGUS NERVE
Loss or change of voice
Loss of the gag reflex
Difficulty swallowing or speaking
Slow heart rate + Low blood pressure that may lead to fainting
Nausea or vomiting
Abdominal pain
WAYS TO SUPPORT THE VAGUS NERVE AND IMPROVE VAGAL TONE :
Humming and singing
Deep and slow breathing
Cold immersion/exposure (cold showers work too)
Aggressive gargling
Using a tongue depressor to induce a gag reflex to the point of tearing
Would you like to give your Vagus Nerve some love?
My dear friend, incredible bodyworker, and aerial yoga instructor Anna Dixon,
teaches an online class called The Breathing Sanctuary
Sundays 8am Pacific/11am Eastern
A technique she developed "that flosses the vagus - it's like natural Xanax."
Sign up here: https://www.purpleblossomyogastudio.com/yoga-classes-this-week/
I'm Lisa Thompson, a Functional Nutritionist (FNTP) and I'd like to guide you on a journey to optimal health by providing education, support, accountability, motivation and inspiration. Using a holistic approach, I look deeply at how all of our inter-dependent systems work uniquely, and specifically in each of us- keeping in mind the bigger picture and LIFESTYLE choices that impact our well-being. For instance: how and when we eat, whether we get good sleep, what role exercise plays in our life, and how community, friends, family and belief systems impact our health and vitality.
I am currently taking new clients at this time and would love to work with you.
Email me: lisa@lisamarlenethompson.com