More and more knowledge is being spread about the vagus nerve and its functions, but what does it do and how can we work with it to benefit our overall health?
What is the vagus nerve?
The starting location is in the brain stem and is called the 10th cranial nerve, two nerves that work together with the parasympathetic nervous system and control the heart, lungs and digestion.
The vagus nerve supplies parasympathetic motor fibers to all organs (except the adrenal glands). It is the longest nerve in the body and includes both motor and sensory fibers. It then branches to other nerves, allowing the brain to control and receive various bodily functions.
The parasympathetic side, which heavily involves the vagus nerve, lowers alertness, blood pressure and heart rate and promotes calmness, relaxation and digestion. As a result, the vagus nerve helps with defecation, urination and sexual arousal.
Other effects on the vagus nerve include:
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Communication between the brain and the intestines: The vagus nerve delivers information from the intestines to the brain.
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Relaxation with deep breathing: The vagus nerve communicates with the diaphragm. Taking deep breaths makes a person feel more relaxed.
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Reduction of inflammation: The vagus nerve sends an anti-inflammatory signal to other parts of the body.
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Decrease in heart rate and blood pressure: If the vagus nerve is overactive, it can cause the heart to be unable to pump enough blood around the body.
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Anxiety management: The vagus nerve sends information from the gut to the brain, linked to stress, anxiety and fear. These signals help a person recover from stressful and scary situations.
How Does Craniosacral Help the Vagus Nerve?
It is one of the central areas we work with; if you’ve ever had a CranioSacral session, you may remember suddenly taking a deep breath; this is the vagus nerve kicking into gear. You may notice after you have to go to the toilet; this is the vagus nerve that kicks in during the session. Your abdomen may make noises or gurgles, all good signs.
Often after a session, anxiety decreases, you feel completely relaxed and have fewer stress reactions, and there is a decrease in inflammation in the body, resulting in less pain.
Your body over time, especially in our current culture, where chronic emotional and physical stress and trauma are prevalent. Most people suffer from vagal/stress responses and years of interrupted digestion, reproductive and growth hormone production, and tissue and cellular repair, causing all kinds of problems and inflammation throughout the body.
BALANCE – CranioSacral therapy brings it back into balance and also helps release the emotions that are stuck in the body.
Another way to balance the vagus nerve?
Sound therapy – the frequency of the sound or even making your sound through chanting and singing will help support the vagus nerve.
A study of adult singers found that singing in a group affects heart rate variability. Researchers found that singing requires guided breathing, which can affect vagal tone. This type of even breathing helps improve vagal response and improves well-being
Yoga – A study in healthy adults found that slow breathing and contracting the throat muscles help improve vagal responses. The yoga techniques helped lower blood pressure and relieve anxiety.
Meditation – supports the parasympathetic nervous system and helps you de-stress.
Breathing exercises – Deep breathing exercises where you consciously control air intake and output can help relax and stimulate the vagal response.
One study found that doing breathing exercises for 15 minutes a day for two weeks significantly affected the amount of air people with chronic heart failure could exhale.
Probiotics – You can help resolve many of the symptoms of vagal dysfunction by taking probiotics to improve the microbiota of your gut. (Consult a naturopath before starting a probiotic to ensure you’re using the right one)
Massage – One of the benefits of a massage to help you relax is that it helps increase your body’s vagal activity.
Fasting – One way to naturally stimulate your vagus nerve and benefit your heart rate variability is to intermittently fast.
Laughter – There is some scientific support for the saying that laughter is the best medicine. The news Alternative therapies in health and medicine published a study on the effects of yoga laughter on heart rate variability. Additionally, controlled laughter sessions helped reduce anxiety and improve mood.