Optimize Mood & Heart Rate; Reduce Stress & Inflammation: Natural Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Our vagus nerve (pronounced like the city in Nevada) plays such a powerful role in the body. Most of us don’t think about this nerve because it controls so many involuntary functions that we, quite literally, don’t have to consciously think about it. However, post COVID-19, I believe we are beginning to lean into benefits of keeping our vagus nerve balanced so it can help us respond more effectively in times of stress (both emotional and physiological).

UNDERSTANDING THE VAGUS NERVE & ITS ROLE IN HEALTH

Most of us think that our nerves just sit in the body and are not influenced unless we feel pain. However, pain represents only 10% of a nerves function. The other 90% of the nerve controls function of bodily processes (think heart, lungs, and digestion). Nerves behave a lot like a dimmer switch on a light- they can switch on high (bright light) to low (dull light).

Our vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body and plays a major role into health. The vagus nerve runs from the brain to the large intestine, innervating multiple organs along the way including the heart. It is arguably one of the most important nerves in the body because of its control of involuntary function- including heart rate, speech, mood and urine output. What I want to focus on is our stress response and where the vagus nerve fits in. Like the light switch we discussed, the vagus nerve can switch on between two modes: sympathic mode (think fight-or-flight response in times of high stress ) and parasympathic mode ( think relaxation and good digestion). If you remember the last time you were stressed in traffic or had a stressful event with your spouse or child, you remember your heart rate climbing and your breathing speed up. This is the response when the vagus nerve is switched on to sympathic. Once you’re out of traffic or you’ve calmed down after a disagreement, you can feel your heart rate go down and your breathing relaxes, thus the parasympathics have switched on.

VAGUS NERVE DYSFUNCTION

Vagus nerve can lose its ability to switch back to it’s relaxed mode due to high stress and age. The nerve can stay switched on to sympathic mode for too long, far after the stress has gone down. This dysfunction can put you at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety. Research is also popping up to discuss how COVID-19 virus may have adverse effects on the vagus nerve to cause persistant voice problems, dizziness, and low blood pressure.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is key to Improving Stress & Bodily Function

By strengthening this nerve’s stimulation, you can influence and tap into better health and organ function. The really neat thing about this is that you can actually strengthen this nerve’s stimulation naturally- meaning without drugs, medications or surgery.

Here are the known benefits to strengthening and balancing this nerve’s stimulation:

Minimize seizures in those with epilepsy
Treat Depression
Regulate Emotions
Lower heart rate
Reduce inflammation
Treat migraines and cluster headaches

NATURALLY STRENGTHEN YOUR VAGUS NERVE

If you’re looking to improve your stress levels and overall health, tap into vagus nerve stimulation utilizing a variety of techniques.

Top 5 Techniques to Naturally Strengthen the Vagus Nerve

Meditation – Meditation can help regulate the nervous system by lowering rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, and cortisol levels.
Exercise – Working out can increase vagus nerve activity and improve your heart rate variability.
Massage Therapy – Not only is this relaxing, but it can also reduce some of the heightened activity in the vagus nerve. I would recommend trying reflexology at West Health Spa, a 30 minute treatment that can be added onto your restorative massage to help ease tension and stimulate the vagus nerve. Check out additional massages and enhancements here: Massage Therapy – West Health Spa
Music – Listening to music can motivate us, give us joy and tap into emotions. Your vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords. By humming or singing, the vibrations may be able to stimulate the vagus nerve.
Chiropractic treatments specializing in TRT technique.

Chiropractic Care & Vagal Tone Improvement

Chiropractic care has been long known to regulate the autonomic nervous system. Specifically, TRT is a chiropractic technique that identifies underlying neurological imbalances through a ‘tonal’ approach. By identifying and correcting the imbalance (subluxation) using a tool, called an Integrator, the body uses its natural healing potential to restore neurological balance and patterns within the body, allowing the body to function and heal as intended.

One benefit to TRT is improvement and strengthening of the vagus nerve. The Integrator is a torque and recoil release adjusting instrument that blends the best of existing chiropractic techniques and principles, quantum physics, and the body/mind connection.

New to TRT? Check out this new-age, reputable technique and benefits here: Experience a Gentler Adjustment… Try Torque Release Technique – West Health Spa