What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right?
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right?
But when it comes to your Vagus Nerve (pronounced like the city of Las Vegas), it’s function affects your mood, stress, immune and digestive systems, plus your heart rate…
Wow, many of you had great questions about last week’s newsletter (if you missed it you can read it here). The most asked question from last week on InflammAging was:
What is the Vagus Nerve and how does it relate to stress, and reducing 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 can summarize in layman’s terms for you today as to why so much attention has been on the Vagus Nerve and ways to improve how well it functions.
Here’s the low down in a quick 5 minute read, that I think you’ll find quite interesting, and surprising!
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 is part of the body's autonomic nervous system. Its partner is the sympathetic nervous system, which control's the body's fight or flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body's ability to relax. It's sometimes called the "rest and digest" state.
The Vagus Nerve controls 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.
The vagus nerve system acts to counterbalance the fight or flight system and can trigger a relaxation response in our body. It is one of the cranial nerves that connect the brain to the body. The vagus nerve is a major part of how our bodies and brains function; without it, our bodies wouldn’t be able to do basic tasks, and by stimulating it we can receive powerful health benefits.
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. You can learn to use breathing exercises to shift your focus away from stress or pain. The human mind processes one thing at a time. If you focus on the rhythm of your breathing, you're not focused on the stressor.
The moment we anticipate stress in any form, most of us tend to stop breathing and hold our breath. Breath holding activates the fight/flight/freeze response; it tends to increase the sensation of pain, stiffness, anxiety, or 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 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…. and my family. … I do change it up regularly, but currently, this is an example of what works for me.
I get up around 6am, grab my daily devotional book, and head to the infrared sauna. 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 (here’s a link if you are interested). 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 devine power through the day.
I’d be interested in hearing what your daily routine looks like, and how you work at stimulating your Vagus Nerve.
The Bottom Line
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 starts in the brainstem and branches down through the spine to vital organs such as the heart, lungs, esophagus, digestive tract, reproductive organs, and a host of others. Normal body function relies on the health of the vagus nerve and its ability to send, receive, and perceive nerve messages.
The vagus nerve proves especially important to Functional Doctors because of the link between essential nerves and the spine and upper neck. Spinal health plays a significant role in directing the health of the vagus nerve. 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.
Don’t forget the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers…
Mindset
Nerve Supply
Nutrition
Exercise
Minimizing Toxins
There are NO LIMITS of what you can create, you are POWERFUL and there is nothing that you can not have or achieve! Believe in your power, believe in yourself and let go of what no longer serves you! ♡ Design your life, Create your reality…
This is life changing!
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