STRESS-buster 🤩 How to activate your Vagus nerve!
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right?
But when it comes to your Vagus Nerve (pronounced like the city of Las Vegas), it affects your mood, stress, immune and digestive systems, plus your heart rate…
What is the Vagus Nerve and how does it relate to stress, and reduce stress in my life?
Well, to put things in perspective, I start each and every weekday morning focusing on my Vagus Nerve to reduce stress, increase my immune system, uplift my mood, and you can too!
The National Library of Medicine published a detailed scientific article on the Vagus Nerve (link here), but I will summarize it in layman’s terms for you today. You’ll learn why so much attention has been on the Vagus Nerve lately, and ways you can improve how well it functions.
Stick with me for the low down in a quick 3 minute read, that I think you’ll find quite interesting, and surprising!
Before we get started, if you missed last week’s blog on“Love where you are at, AND Simple Tips for Weight Loss”, you can use this link, Here.
What’s the BIG deal about the Vagus Nerve?
🤩 👤 ❓ 😎 ❓ 👤 🤩
The vagus nerve, also known as the vagal nerves, are the main nerves of your parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body's ability to relax. It's sometimes called the "rest and digest" state.
The Vagus Nerve controls the body's ability to relax and specific body functions such as your digestion, heart rate and immune system. These functions are involuntary, meaning you can't consciously control them.
During periods of chronic high stress, the body stays in high gear, with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol coursing through the body. This creates wear and tear on the body and mind, and over time can create a multitude of health problems such as chronic pain, anxiety, mood swings, gut inflammation and many more.
Helloooo upcoming holidays 🎃🎄🥳 pay attention to this topic today 😤
How do you stimulate the Vagus Nerve to reduce Stress?
One of the main ways that you can stimulate the healthy function of the vagus nerve is through deep, slow belly breathing.
The moment we anticipate stress in any form, most of us tend to stop breathing and hold our breath. Breath holding increases the sensation of pain, stiffness, anxiety, and fear. To practice deep breathing inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth remember to:
Breathe more slowly (aim for six breaths per minute).
Breathe more deeply, from the belly. Think about expanding your abdomen and widening your rib cage as you inhale.
Exhale longer than you inhale. It’s the exhale that triggers the relaxation response.
Additional techniques for stimulating the vagus nerve include:
Loud singing activates our vocal cords which in turn stimulates the vagus nerve
Foot massage: gentle or firm touch can assist in stimulation the vagus nerve
Chiropractic adjustments can correct the misalignment that is directly or indirectly impinging the Vagus nerve. Adjustments can alleviate whole body symptoms when it is corrected with a specific chiropractic adjustment
Eating fiber stimulates vagus impulses to the brain slowing the gut movements and making us feel fuller after meals
Laughter: having a good laugh lifts your mood, boosts your immune system and stimulates the vagus nerve
We don’t always have to let stressful situations negatively affect our minds and bodies. We can stimulate our vagus nerve to send a message to our bodies that it’s time to relax and de-stress, which leads to long-term improvements in mood, pain management, wellbeing and resilience.
What is my morning routine to stimulate my Vagus Nerve?
My routine is what works for me….… I do change it up regularly, but currently, this is an example of what works for me.
I get up around 6am and grab my daily devotional book. I do some deep breathing for about (10) mins, and then move into my stretching exercises. Last but not least, I open my daily devotional book where I open in prayer by asking God to speak to me and then pour out any worries, concerns, and happenings that I’ve been thinking about.
I then write down my past days gratitudes, and finish by reading my daily devotional. Once I get into the office I then get adjusted every day or two, keeping my spinal alignment and Vagus Nerve in perfect health.
This practice sets my daily mood and helps me feel the divine power through the day.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest taken between two deep breaths.”
"As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than wrong with you, no matter what is wrong.…"
"Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment."
The vagus nerve comprises one of the most important nerves in the body. The vagus nerve helps control and regulate important automatic functions such as heart rate, breathing, respiration, digestion, hormone control, and Stress.
The vagus nerve is especially important to Functional Doctors because of the link between essential nerves and the spine and upper neck.If the spine becomes altered in its positioning or ability to move freely, the information to and from the vagus becomes interrupted.
Chiropractors play close attention to the alignment and movement of the spine to assure better vagus nerve activity.
I hope today’s newsletter has helped you see how important it is to stimulate your Vagus Nerve and the benefits it provides. I shared my personal morning routine; but remember, you march to your own drummer and certain things will appeal to you and work within your personal and family life.
The important thing is to honor your LIFEStyle and Health.
As always, if you’d like to talk more about your fitness or your family’s health, make an appointment with me using the link: HERE.
Or, you can give me a call at (973) 210-3838
I want to hear from you! What does your daily routine look like, and how you work to stimulate your Vagus Nerve? Did you find this newsletter helpful?
Share your thoughts in the comments on our
We bring tools such as these to you, our patients, by using proven cutting-edge therapies to extend the health-span, life-span and years of health for everyone (no matter their age)!
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