Ever heard of your vagus nerve? If you haven’t, it is a large cranial nerve that plays a huge role in your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system responses in the body...meaning it can help you survive and thrive.
This nerve has three separate branches that help the body and brain communicate with the throat, heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and is involved in reflexes like vomiting, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing. It sends a massive amount of information to the brain in its parasympathetic function, helping the body maintain its immune responses to heal and take care of base functions as well as to stay socially engaged and present in a situation. When there is a threat, the vagus nerve signals the blood to flow from our internal organs to divert it to the heart and extremities in order to fight, flee, or stay put for the best chances of survival.
This multifaceted approach is fantastic until we are unable to respond appropriately to or decompress from stress and threats of any variety in your mind, body, or environment and evolutionarily your nervous system doesn’t inherently know the difference between getting yelled at by your family or boss and a saber tooth tiger trying to make you dinner. When we are in a state of chronic stress our bodies start to break down from the inside out. We can start to experience some of the following symptoms:
high muscle tone
difficulty focusing
irritability
trouble swallowing
insulin resistance
changes in libido
PMS/PMDD/PCOS
thyroid imbalances
gastroparesis
diarrhea
constipation
heart palpitations
high or low heart rate
fainting
anxiety
depression
low muscle tone
If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, don’t worry! Our nervous system is extremely plastic, or capable of healing and adapting to new conditions, and simply requires practice, focus, and repetition to unlearn unhealthy responses and teach ourselves new ones that lead to:
decreased systemic stress
more confidence
a better sense of control over your life
improved well-being
decreased pain and inflammation
improved digestion
healthy menstrual cycles and pain free predictable periods
stronger immunity
Try these three vagus nerve hacks to promote vagal tone, balance, restoration, and growth within your system:
Deep Breathing - try to breathe into your belly and have your exhales be longer than your inhales.
Gargling, singing, chanting, humming, etc
Gut health support - probiotic and prebiotic rich fuel to help adjust the internal flora in your favor
A constant stress state and an unruly vagus nerve can have a major effect on our ability to thrive, feel resilient, or just survive. Know that if you’re in survival mode right now, you’re not alone and we can help get you to a thriving state.
If you or someone you know is struggling and are ready to have support, make a change, and feel like you’re in charge of your own life contact us! If your struggles include or surround your menstrual cycle and period, make sure to sign up for our Cycle Recovery 101 course in July! It’s time to make life feel limitless and learn how to truly support yourself from the inside out!