The Vagus Nerve: Your Body’s Secret to Relaxation and Stress Relief

If you’ve ever felt your heart race before a big presentation or experienced that deep sigh of relief after a long day, you’ve already witnessed the power of the vagus nerve in action. This incredible nerve plays a crucial role in regulating your nervous system, helping you shift from stress mode to a state of calm.

Understanding how to stimulate your vagus nerve can be a game-changer for managing anxiety, reducing stress, and promoting overall well-being. 

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, running from your brainstem down through your heart, lungs, and digestive system. It’s a key player in the parasympathetic nervous system, often called the “rest and digest” system. When activated, the vagus nerve slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and promotes relaxation.

In contrast, when we’re stressed or anxious, the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” response) takes over, leaving us feeling tense, overwhelmed, or even physically unwell. Strengthening your vagus nerve function helps you switch back into a calm state more easily, making stress and anxiety more manageable.

Signs of a Weak Vagus Nerve

If your vagus nerve isn’t functioning optimally, you might experience:

• Chronic stress or anxiety

• Digestive issues (bloating, IBS, slow digestion)

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Difficulty calming down after stressful situations

How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve for Relaxation

1. Deep Breathing

Slow, deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to activate the vagus nerve. Try diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing) by inhaling deeply through your nose for four seconds, holding for four seconds, and exhaling slowly for six to eight seconds. This signals to your nervous system that it’s safe to relax.

2. Cold Exposure

Splashing cold water on your face, taking a cold shower, or even ending your warm shower with a brief cold rinse can stimulate the vagus nerve. Cold exposure has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you feel calmer and more grounded.

3. Humming, Chanting, or Singing

Since the vagus nerve connects to your vocal cords, using your voice—whether through singing, humming, or chanting—can help activate it. This is why activities like singing in the car or even saying “Om” in meditation can be so soothing.

4. Gargling Water

Gargling stimulates the muscles in the back of your throat, activating the vagus nerve. Try gargling with water for 30 seconds a couple of times a day—it may feel strange at first, but it’s a simple way to boost vagal tone.

5. Meditation and Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness and meditation encourages vagus nerve activity by promoting a state of relaxation. Focusing on your breath, doing a body scan, or even using guided meditations can help shift you out of stress mode.

6. Gentle Movement: Yoga & Tai Chi

Slow, mindful movement practices like yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong encourage deep breathing and relaxation, which in turn stimulate the vagus nerve. Certain yoga poses, like child’s pose and legs-up-the-wall, are particularly calming.

7. Laughter & Social Connection

Ever notice how you feel lighter after a good laugh with friends? Social engagement, especially laughing and positive social interactions, stimulates the vagus nerve. Surrounding yourself with supportive people can help regulate your nervous system and reduce stress.

8. Massage & Acupressure

Massaging areas where the vagus nerve runs—such as the neck, feet, or ears—can help stimulate relaxation. A simple ear massage, gently rubbing the area behind your earlobe in circular motions, can be especially effective.

9. Probiotics & Gut Health

The vagus nerve connects to the gut, meaning a healthy gut can support a well-functioning nervous system. Eating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut can promote better gut-brain communication and help reduce anxiety.

10. Engaging in Gratitude & Positive Thinking

Focusing on what you’re grateful for or practicing positive affirmations can help regulate your nervous system. This shift in mindset encourages a state of relaxation and helps balance stress hormones.

11. Inversion & Gravity-Based Techniques

Inversion poses (like hanging upside down or using an inversion table) activate the baroreceptors in the neck, which signal the vagus nerve to lower stress responses. Simply lying on the floor with legs elevated against a wall can have a similar effect.

12. Slow, Rhythmic Rocking or Swaying

Rocking in a hammock, swing, or rocking chair can activate the vagus nerve, mimicking the calming effects of being rocked as an infant.

13. Chewing & Slow Eating

Chewing gum or eating crunchy foods (like raw carrots or apples) activates the vagus nerve by stimulating the trigeminal nerve, which has connections to vagal activity

14. Intermittent Fasting & Meal Timing

Short periods of fasting (e.g., 12-16 hours overnight) can improve vagal tone by enhancing gut-brain communication and regulating inflammation.

15. Alternate Nostril Breathing

This yogic breathwork technique balances the nervous system and has been shown to influence vagal tone and heart rate variability.

Your vagus nerve is like a built-in reset button for your nervous system. By incorporating these simple techniques into your daily routine, you can train your body to shift out of stress mode more easily and experience greater relaxation, emotional balance, and overall well-being.

If anxiety or stress feels overwhelming, therapy can be a powerful tool to help regulate your nervous system and develop coping strategies. At RIT Psychology, we offer evidence-based therapy to support teens and young adults in managing anxiety and building resilience.

Ready to feel calmer and more in control? Book a consultation with us today!