The Vagus Nerve – A Pathway Out of Fight and Flight

The vagus nerve, the underrated superstar to your body that almost nobody talks about, but once you get to know it, you will feel like you have discovered a cheat code for your health and mental well-being.

The vagus nerve is the 10^th cranial nerve (CN X) and one of the most important nerves in the body. It runs from the brainstem through the neck and down into the chest and abdomen. “Vagus” is Latin for “wandering” because it wanders throughout the body, connecting to many organs.

Imagine the vagus nerve as your body's communication superhighway. It's the longest cranial nerve, stretching from your brain, all the way down to your heart, lungs, and gut. It helps your brain and organs talk to each other in real time.

Stimulating the vagus nervous system helps calm the body after stress by reducing heart rate, improving digestion, helping your lungs breathe calmly, bringing relief from sore throat and swallowing, and improving many other sensory experiences. It even sends messages from your belly back up to your brain (yes, your gut feelings are real!)

You may have heard of a “fight or flight” response, the parasympathetic response. Activation of the vagus nerve helps us to come out of fight or flight (also fawn and functional freeze, etc). The vagus nerve controls your parasympathetic nervous system - also known as rest and digest.

Disruption in vagal activity over time can lead to conditions such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or gastroparesis.

A healthy vagus nerve supports a balanced gut microbiome, and in turn, gut health can influence mood and mental clarity.

A lot of anxiety, burnout, and even depression comes from being stuck in stress mode - your body feels like the gas pedal is pressed down all the time. The vagus nerve is like your brake pedal. When it's toned and healthy, you can bounce back faster after stress, building resilience, confidence, self-compassion.

Okay, so at this point, if you have stuck around, surely I have convinced you of how important it is to care for and to strengthen your vagus nerve. We call behaviors that improve vagus nerve functioning stimulating the vagus nerve.

Ways to stimulate your vagus nerve:

Deep, slow breathing - especially exhaling longer than you inhale. Practice now taking a couple deep breaths, with long exhales, notice how your body shifts.

Cold water splash - a quick face splash or cold shower signals for the vagus nerve to kick in.

Humming, singing, chanting, or gargling - the vagus nerve passes through your vocal cords, so vibration wakes it up.

Laughter - There's a reason it can feel so healing.

Social Connection - Eye contact, safe touch, warm conversations strengthen vagal tone.

Yoga and Meditation - These practices naturally activate the "rest and digest."

Knowing and learning about your vagus nerve changes how you approach stress. Instead of only relying on your willpower to "come down" you can use body-based hacks to shift your nervous system. Consider how you might practice these skills today.

If you would like to talk about this further and learn ways to practice stimulating your vagus nerve - and generally improving your mental health - schedule a session with me via email at brittany.gilchrist@peaceandpurposecounseling.com.