The vagus nerve is probably one of the most important aspects of your healing process regardless of your concern or the condition you’re currently struggling with. Without Vagal Nerve tone, the healing process will not be properly initiated and deep lasting healing will not occur. This is however a long-term process and will be part of your long-term treatment goals.
The vagus nerve plays a critical role in stress regulation and overall health.
It does however start with small steps, which you can take daily, and slowly over time build and build…remembering that no effort is lost, no matter how small! Tonifying the vagus nerve is like exercise for your muscles or puzzles for your brain. For best results, you want to maintain some level of consistency.
Here are a few exercises you can practice regularly:
- Deep diaphragmatic breathing with a focus on your exhale. Slowly inhale through your nose, and hold for 1-3 seconds, then blow the air out through your mouth. To remember how long your exhale is required to be, imagine blowing into a huge HUGE balloon. Or blowing 100 candles on a very large cake. Your exhale needs to engage your diaphragm (imagine your diaphragm tightening up and pushing your lungs up and letting the air out) even to the point of creating the discomfort of getting gut punched. You can also exhale out gently with a chant (the sacred Om ॐ) as you breathe out. This engagement of the vocal cords also helps tonify the vagus nerve.
- Your vocal cords are another avenue through which your vagus nerve is tonified. But this isn’t done through speaking but through singing, humming, chanting. So when doing yoga, make sure you do your chant along with the moves. Sing in the shower. Blast the music in the car (if your nerves have the tolerance for it) and sing along. And when the opportunity presents itself, make it a ritual to sing with family and friends. There’s something to communal singing that goes even beyond the benefits to the vagus nerve.
- Cold water splashes to the face. This stimulates the diving reflex which stimulates the vagus nerve. Do this every morning and whenever you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
- Positive social interaction (connection) and safe touches/hugs/etc.
- Meditation which is more specifically designed to wish well-being, love, joy, health, etc for others. Or in other words, a prayer where you’re thinking of, while feeling love & joy your heart and wishing well for another.
- Laughter is said to be “Spiritual Relaxation” (Abdu’l-Baha) and one of the best medicines.
- Last on my list but not nearly the last of the many Vagus Nerve stimulants: ACUPUNCTURE! You must ensure this is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture. Acupuncture offered through MD’s, physiotherapists and chiropractors isn’t always done from the TCM perspective and treatment methods usually differ. TCM is available through my clinic in London Ontario if you wish.
For more information please visit the following pages:
Vagus Nerve Re-set (Youtube)
Listen 🔊 BBC Radio Frontiers Podcast: Vagus Nerve
Natural Vagus Nerve Stimulation by Dr. Arielle Schwarts
19 Factors that may Stimulate your Vagus Nerve Naturally
Please have a listen (or watch or read) the links above for more detailed information. These exercises although seemingly simple, can have profound effects -proven by research- for the treatment of serious health concerns. Please don’t overlook them.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Negin
For your perusal, some articles I’ve written about acupuncture over the years:
Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture: Shrink Therapy without a Shrink
Acupuncture for Musculoskeletal Pain
Reducing Hot flashes with Acupuncture
