Get out of fight or flight with the vagus nerve

By Karen Bruno, PT

Ever get queasy from a shot or the site of blood? Or experience something and feel like fainting? Sometimes, those feelings are due to the overstimulation of the vagus nerve. And on the other end, the vagus nerve can also initiate relaxation after stress. So it makes sense that when we’re in fight or flight mode, the vagus nerve comes into play.

Fun fact: the vagus nerve is responsible for our “gut feelings”.

So how can we use the vagus nerve to our benefit? Well, once we understand what it is, we can control it to breathe more easily, and control our heart rate when we’re in tense conversations or high-pressured situations at the office.

What is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is part of our central nervous system, which is made up of our brain and spinal cord. The central nervous system communicates with the body and processes information. The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve, starts in the brainstem and travels into the neck, trunk and abdomen. Having extensive reach and influence, the vagus nerve is responsible for the functioning of our internal organs and processes such as:

• digestion, 
• elimination, 
• heart rate, 
• respiration,
• immune health,
• inflammation,
• physical tension,
• our response and adaptability to stress,
• and social and emotional engagement.   

In short, our vagus nerve has a central role in every aspect of our lives. Our well-being is dependent upon our ability to adapt and on our nervous system’s capacity to function properly.  Vagus nerve exercises help us get out of the stress related fight, flight and freeze response and move us into a calmer state of rest, restore, relax and digest. So, whether you have pain, a bowel, bladder or sexual condition, an issue with digestion, anxiety, trauma, or any combination these, your vagus nerve could use a boost.  ​

Sample exercise
There are numerous ways to support optimal function of your vagus nerve.  Here is a simple, 2-step exercise you can perform. This technique comes from Stanley Rosenberg’s "Accessing the Power of the Vagus Nerve, Self-Help for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Autism."

Step 1 - Place both hands behind your head, right at the bump behind your head.

Step 2

• Turn your eyes to the right and hold them there for 30 to 60 seconds OR until you take a deep breath, swallow, sigh, or yawn.
• Then, turn your eyes to center.
• And finally, turn your eyes to the left and do the same thing, holding them for 30 to 60 seconds OR until you take a deep breath, swallow, sigh, or yawn.

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Modifications

1. If you can't get both hands behind your head, just use one hand behind your head.
2. You can also do the same exercise with your arms at your side.
3. A third modification is taking your middle fingers and placing them gently behind your ear.

Here are some practical application suggestions to use the simple vagus nerve exercise. 

• If you are feeling neck pain, back pain, or pain of any kind, use this exercise. 
• Use it before doing an exercise routine. 
• Use it whenever you want to calm and relax your body and mind. 
• Use it to calm your body when you are experiencing urinary issues such as incontinence, urgency or frequency, or to relax your muscles when you are feeling constipated. 
• Use it before or after eating a meal to boost your digestion.
• Use it before you go to sleep to get to sleep easier.
• If you are prone to lightheadedness when you change positions, use this prior to changing positions.
• Use it frequently if you experience ringing in the ear (tinnitus).
• Use it to calm your nerves before meeting a new person, or engaging in a new activity or if you are feeling anxious. 
• Use it when you feel frustrated, irritated, angry, stressed, upset or sad. 
• Use it if you feel a headache beginning.
• Use it to shift out of an anxiety state. 
• Vagus nerve exercises can be used for a rapid heart rate and for high blood pressure
• If you get short of breath easily, use it before any activity such as walking up a flight of stairs.

Practice it daily and as often as needed throughout the day.

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References:

• Rosenberg, Stanley, Accessing the Power of the Vagus Nerve, Self-Help for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Autism (Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 2017).
• Front. Psychiatry, 13 March 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
• Tap Into Your Vagus Nerve’s Healing Power to Rewire Your Nervous System for Optimal Health, Energy Medicine to Restore Your Physical, Mental and Emotional Wellbeing, with Dr. Melanie Smith/Theshiftnetwork.com ​