Did you know that there is a long and rambling nerve in your body that connects the base of your brain to almost every other part of your body?
This nerve is called the vagus nerve and scientists are only just beginning to understand its importance.
Whilst it was originally named based on the latin word “vague” we now know the effects of the vagus nerve are not vague at all.
In fact, vagus nerve activity affects:
digestion
kidney and liver function
sexual arousal
breathing rate and depth
heart beat
constriction and dilation of blood vessels
blood sugar regulation
inflammation
immune balance
Vagus nerve ‘tone’ can affect how well your body responds to food through the production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes.
This means many problems like indigestion, constipation and bloating can be in part related to vagus nerve ‘tone’.
The vagus nerve is key to helping us enter the ‘rest and digest’ state (or the parasympathetic state). It is only in this state that our body is able to heal, regenerate and turn off inflammatory processes.
This is one reason our hectic lifestyles have led to such an increase in chronic illness.
By improving your vagus nerve’s ability to help you enter the ‘rest and digest’ state you also help your body to better cope with daily challenges.
What is vagus nerve tone?
Like muscles, the vagus nerve can be trained. An underused or under-activated vagus nerve becomes lazy or weak and no longer carries out its functions properly.
There are a few ways to improve vagal tone (that we know of so far):
Gargling
Singing, especially chanting
Deep, belly breathing
Cold showers
Laughter
Sunlight
Movement
Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to increase your sense of peace and relaxation. In the long run it may lead to benefits associated with immunity, blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of chronic illness and improved digestion.
My challenge for you:
This week’s #1M4YH challenge is simply to choose one of the vagus nerve toning activities I’ve listed above and turn it into a regular practice.
If you choose to gargle or chant you need to do this for 1-2 minutes twice a day.
If you try cold showers start by ending your shower with just 10-15 seconds of cold water, over time you can work your way up to longer cold showers.
If you want to try deep belly breathing try 2-5 minutes before lunch and dinner.
Comment below with your experiences, I love to hear from you 💚💚💚
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Links and References:
https://vagusnerveconnectionsummit.com/
Google Books. (2010). Activate Your Vagus Nerve. [online] Available at: https://books.google.dk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xgx-DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA5&dq=gargling+vagus+nerve&ots=IMDkE_2Nkz&sig=B-Fy4cfKNBI1MxGIyQPxxC1dBJI&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=gargling&f=false [Accessed 22 Sep. 2020].
https://www.cput.ac.za/storage/students/student_counselling/SH%20-%20Relaxation%20techniques%202020.pdf
Fallis, J. (2017). How to stimulate your vagus nerve for better mental health. Retrieved from https://sass.uottawa.ca/sites/sass.uottawa.ca/files/how_to_stimulate_your_vagus _nerve_for_better_mental_health_1.pdf A
https://www.gutxy.com/2020/05/12/mental-health-covid-19-boost-emotional-resilience-via-your-gut-brain-axis/
Bonaz B, Bazin T, Pellissier S. The vagus nerve at the interface of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Front Neurosci. 2018. doi:10.3389/fnins.2018.00049
Forsythe P, Bienenstock J, Kunze WA. Vagal pathways for microbiome-brain-gut axis communication. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2014. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0897-4_5
Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front psychiatry. 2018;9:44. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
Ranee, A., MUSLIM PRAYER, QURANIC RECITATION AND VAGUS NERVE CONNECTION: A CALL FOR RESEARCH.
Images from www.canva.com and the Vagus Nerve Summit.
Learn more about me at www.efiaskitchen.com