If you have one eye on the wellness world, it’s likely you might have heard of ‘vagal tone’ or Vagus Nerve reset techniques have crossed your path recently. But what does this really mean, and what might modern science being catching up with that the yogi’s new many moons ago?
I know, "vagus nerve" sounds all science-y and complicated, but stick with me. It's actually pretty amazing to understand its healing powers. And seeing as self-study - or svadhayaha, as Patanjali outlined in the 8 limbs of the Yoga Sutra (an early classical yoga text) - is a deep part of our yoga practice, let’s work with this as a tool to get more familiar with our natural body wisdom and practice slow Self-care.
There are accessible practices to explore on and off the yoga mat that can connect us to this calming wisdom. Practices and tools that can support us to feel a little more grounded and, over time, perhaps able to ride the ebbs and flows of life with a good pinch of ease and sense of resilience.
What is the Vagus Nerve Anyway?
The vagus nerve is like the body's secret superhero. It’s the longest cranial nerve (or pair of nerves really), running from your brain, through your chest, all the way down through your diaphragm (breathing muscle), down through your pelvis, touching your heart, lungs, and digestive tract along the way.
This nerve makes up 80% of the parasympathetic nervous system—the part that calms and makes us feel safe and relaxed.
It acts as a vital communication highway between the brain and the body too. Composed of 80% afferent nerves - meaning it mostly sends information FROM the body to the brain. The other 20% are efferent fibers - signaling from brain to body.
Which is super useful to understand because now we know we can give our body intentional sensory input - think self massage, shake out, tapping, humming - and send signals TO our brain that we're feeling calmer. Cool eh?!
Why Vagus Nerve Toning is a Game-Changer
As women and mothers, our lives can feel full. We’re juggling a million things / emotions/ sleep deprivations/ work (paid and unpaid), riding hormonal cycles and shifts, (and much more), so it’s understandable that our nervous systems can feel stuck like a foot always on the stress accelerator.
Toning the vagus nerve can offer us a kind and strong act of self-compassion. It’s a way to give ourselves a break when feeling overwhelm. To ground ourselves, and to remind our bodies that it’s okay to pause, make space for ourselves and take a breath.
When our vagus nerve is ‘toned’, we're better at handling stress, and we generally feel more grounded. Plus, it’s thought to potentially aid digestion, reduce anxiety, and even improve sleep.
Basically, it helps us naturally and more adaptably tap into our inner zen, which, let's be honest, is pretty useful.
5 Ways to Tone the Vagus Nerve
Here are five simple yet effective yoga-inspired practices that can help tone the Vagus Nerve. Think of these as little tools in your self-care toolbox for a home practice to explore. The more we explore connecting to the soothing tonic of these on the mat, the more naturally we can connect to these tools any time we need them too.
1. Brahmari Breath (Humming Bee Breath)
This one is fun, can be explored with kids too, (giggles likely!) and super soothing. It’s all about using sound vibrations to calm the nervous system.
Sit comfortably, close your eyes, or keep the gaze soft and low, and take a few take gentle inhales focussing low in the belly
When the exhale comes, make a humming sound like a bee. Feel the vibrations in your throat and chest. Any pitch is welcome. No tune is needed
Repeat for 5-10 rounds. Stop any time if this doesn’t feel right for you
Pause and notice how you feel
2. Lengthen the Neck
A lot of tension can build up in the muscles and connective tissue in our neck, especially if feeding babies, picking up young kids, looking down at phone, or through emotional tensions.
Sit, stand or lay - wriggle and lengthen the tailbone and top of your head in opposite directions
Gently tuck your chin a little towards your chest
Notice a sense of length through the back of your neck
You might like to imagine tiny lungs in the back of your neck, as if each breath was expanding and softening here
Pause for a few minutes, allowing breath to eb and flow, and notice how you feel
3. Cold Water Exposure
With the increase in the popularity of cold water swimming over the last couple of years, it seems like many folk have felt the Vagus Nerve benefits of this first hand. A sunrise swim in a mirror lake sounds lovely for sure, but isn’t accessible in daily life for most of us. So perhaps explore one of these to practice a regulating reset:
Splash your face with cold water
Try ending your shower with a burst of cold water - start slow and work up to 30 seconds.
Or, if you’re feeling brave, take a cold bath!
Cold water wild swimming - with a group or knowledgeable friend if this is new to you
Find a community sauna as hot / cold stimulation offers useful regulating benefits too
4. Eye Reset Movements
Our eyes are often fixed on screens, or toddles, or roads etc which can strain them and impact our overall stress levels. Good news is our eyes are connected to the brain and, by giving the nervous system new input with intentional movement of the eyes we can directly stimulate our calmer state being.
Sit or lay comfortably, perhaps supported on comfy chair or laid on your back
Explore letting the skull feel supported, a few intentional breaths to pause with intention might feel useful
When you’re ready roll your gaze to the right, with your head staying still
Pause here for about 10 seconds or so
Turning only the eyes, slowing turn the gaze to your left, pause here for 10 seconds or so
Repeat once more either side
After a few repetitions, you might feel a yawn or sigh bubble up, let this calming reset come
5. Restorative Yoga
Restorative Yoga uses soft supports and props such as bolsters, blankets and cushions. The postures are slow and grounding, low to the ground, stimulating the restful state of the nervous system, and so the Vagus Nerve.
Find a quiet space and time, perhaps before bed once babes/ kids are asleep or you have space to yourself. Or if that's impossible, adapt and try the living room floor whilst baby is happy put down, or kids are having some down time with tv.
*Spend a few minutes in Child’s Pose/ legs up the wall laying on back/ or laying with lower legs propped up and calves on the sofa seat or laying on your back, legs bent and maybe inner thighs resting together in constructive rest
As you pause or sway a little in each shape for 5- 10 minutes, depending on what energy calls for in that moment, invite a few intentional slowing breaths and / or notice your connection to the ground or the surfaces that are supporting you
End when you are ready / when someone else in your house hold needs you ;) taking one more intentional breath to you and your strength for giving your inner self a little love today
*Never one shape fits all. Explore your way.
Bringing It All Together
Incorporating these slow Self-care practices to tune the Vagus Nerve into our busy lives can remind us to slow down and nurture our wellbeing gently by reconnecting to the amazing mind-body wisdom we already hold.
Whether you have five or 20 minutes, these simple techniques can help you feel more grounded, calm, and centered by connecting to wisdom you already hold.
Remember, it’s not about doing everything perfectly or every day. It’s about making moments to nurture yourself kindly from the inside out.
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