Natural Techniques
Your nervous system is constantly evolving and highly receptive to support. Simple actions such as placing a hand over your heart or taking a few deep breaths can quickly shift how you feel. Here are some effective techniques you can try yourself:
Awareness and Orienting
The first step in regulating the nervous system is becoming aware of how you’re feeling. Pay attention to physical signs such as muscle tension, shallow breathing, or a racing heart, and emotional cues such as anxiety or irritability. For example, if you notice your shoulders tensing and your breath getting quicker, it could mean you’re stressed. In that case, you could try deep breathing or another calming technique to bring yourself back into balance.
Breathing
The heart, lungs, and autonomic nervous system are entwined, making breath regulation essential for maintaining nervous system balance. Of note, the autonomic nervous system controls involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate and digestion.
- Long, slow exhalations stimulate the vagus nerve, initiating a parasympathetic relaxation response that calms the body. Try inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of six. Repeat at least 15 times.
- Sighs can be thought of as a reset for the nervous system. Take a big inhale or even a double inhale, and then exhale, releasing the breath with a sighing sound. Repeat several times.
- Alternate nostril breathing has also been shown to significantly affect the parasympathetic nervous system and can create a felt sense of balance, ease, and peace.
Humming
The humming bee breath creates vibration in the throat, chest, and inner ear, stimulating the vagus nerve. Try placing your hands over your eyes and gently closing your ears with your thumbs. Then, inhale and exhale in a humming tone that feels natural to you. Do this for several rounds. Experiment with higher or lower tones and notice how each resonates in different areas of your body.
Posture and Spinal Movements
Common spinal misalignments can strain the nervous system and negatively affect the vital organs. One effective way to enhance the functioning of the autonomic nervous system is by engaging in a variety of movements that promote spinal flexibility and correct common imbalances. This helps reduce tension along the nerve pathways, including areas near the vagus nerve. This can activate the vagus nerve more effectively.
Eye Movements
Eye movements stimulate the vagus nerve through the oculocardiac reflex that initiates a parasympathetic—relaxing and restorative slowing down—of your heart rate and lowering of your blood pressure.
EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic intervention using cross-lateral movement. Eye movement is also an extra potent way to stimulate the vagus nerve. EMDR mimics rapid eye movement sleep (REM). This is important because REM sleep plays a key role in processing emotions, regulating the nervous system, and activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Touching and Targeted Acupuncture
The vagus nerve runs through the face, ears, and neck. Massaging and touching these areas and cultivating sensory awareness throughout the body can naturally stimulate it.
Rhythmic Movements
Gentle, repetitive actions such as rocking, swaying, or bouncing activate vagal pathways, encouraging relaxation and calming the body. Activities such as dancing or even swaying in a rocking chair can mimic these natural rhythms, tapping into the body’s innate ability to self-soothe, just as you might imagine soothing a young child.
Cold Water Exposure
Vagal tone can be increased by enhancing the activity of your parasympathetic nervous system through cold exposure, such as a cold shower or taking an ice bath. However, people with heart problems, including arrhythmias or heart disease, should avoid extreme cold exposure, as it can increase the risk of heart-related issues. Those with asthma or respiratory conditions might find cold exposure triggers symptoms such as shortness of breath or wheezing, and pregnant women should consult a health care provider before engaging in cold exposure to ensure it’s safe for them.
Laughter
The rhythmic breathing and muscular activity involved in laughter activate the vagus nerve’s parasympathetic pathways. Watch a funny movie or clip and make sure to spend time with people who make you laugh.
Devices to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
There are two types of devices that stimulate the vagus nerve.
Invasive Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a medical procedure involving the implantation of a small device, similar to a pacemaker, under the skin of the chest. This device is connected to the cervical (neck) portion of the vagus nerve via thin wires. It sends electrical pulses to the nerve, which then carries signals to the brain and other parts of the body.
Noninvasive Transcutaneous VNS
Transcutaneous VNS (tVNS) is a noninvasive alternative that is more affordable and easy to use. A wearable device stimulates the vagus nerve through the skin near the ear, triggering reflexes without the need for surgery or implantation.
Don’t Get Stuck
In today’s fast-paced world, many people spend a lot of time stuck in the fight, flight, or freeze states. Stress responses are a normal part of life—they can’t be avoided—but the key is to not get stuck. The most important thing is to be aware of the state of your nervous system and find your way back to a ventral vagal state (a space of safety and regulation) as needed.
