The Vagus Nerve discovery

Temps dropped this week. Cinnamon and I traded our longer walk for a quick neighborhood loop. But I’m still making an effort to really breathe in that crisp outside air.

Two weeks into my intentional breathing journey. Still trying different techniques through the Haven Breathwork 2-week challenge.

Scrolling through Val’s library of practices, I noticed something about the vagus nerve.

Enter: The vagus nerve

I’d never heard of it two weeks ago. Now I’m seeing it mentioned all over.

Maybe it’s because we’re heading into the holidays and more people are thinking about stress management. Or maybe it’s just the algorithm doing what algorithms do.

What made me double click in was talking to my friend Rachel, who runs Integrated Healing Vibes. She just led a workshop on managing stress with a physical therapist where they shared practical techniques for calming your nervous system, including 2 for the vagus nerve.

So what is this mystery nerve?

According to Calm, the vagus nerve is one of your body’s quiet heroes. It plays a huge role in your physical and emotional wellbeing. Think of it as your nervous system’s reset button.

• It’s the longest cranial nerve in your body
• It runs your “rest and digest” system

When people talk about “resetting” their vagus nerve at home, they mean creating conditions where your nervous system can shift out of fight-or-flight mode and move to rest and digest. To be clear, the phrase “vagus nerve reset” isn’t a medical term.

There are a lot of ways to go about this. One we can all try is slow, deep breathing. Especially when you make your exhale longer than your inhale.

• Inhale through your nose for four counts
• Exhale through your mouth for six counts
• Repeat for a few rounds

What I’m learning

Two weeks in and I’m starting to notice patterns. How I hold my breath when I’m concentrating. How much better I feel after even five minutes of intentional breathing.

The vagus nerve thing seems like a missing piece of the puzzle. This idea that we can influence our nervous system through something as simple as how we breathe. So I’ll keep exploring.

Have you heard of the vagus nerve before? I’d love to know what you’ve discovered.

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and not medical advice.