Simple Ways to Activate Your Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve can always benefit from TLC. The good news is there are many ways to activate your vagus nerve on your own!

Cold water exposure: research has found that applying (or splashing!) a cold stimulus to your face can slow down your heart rate and increase your parasympathetic activity, reducing your acute stress response. You can also apply a cold pack to your neck or chest to achieve similar results.

Deep belly breaths: the vagus nerve runs through the diaphragm so when we breathe deeply in our belly, our diaphragm contracts and relaxes. This activates the vagus nerve and therefore our relaxation response. Exhalation is the key to this so the longer you exhale, the more vagus activation you'll have.

Sing, hum, chant, laugh: because the vagus nerve is connected to the larynx and pharynx in our throat, these activities create a vibration that stimulates your new favorite nerve. If you want to promote better digestion, hum before your meal to let your body know it’s okay to relax before digging in. When our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is activated, we are more equipped to properly break down food to ensure better nutrient absorption.

Gargle: for this to really be effective, try gargling to the point that your eyes tear up (this indicates you’re activating the nuclei inside the vagus nerve). Adding Himalayan salt to your water can enhance its antibacterial properties, aiding in the removal of plaque for additional benefits.

Yoga: chanting OMMM activates vocal cords and thus stimulates your vagus nerve. Additionally, yoga helps regulate your PNS by reducing stress, focusing on breathing patterns, and reducing heart rate.

Gently pull on your ears or massage the area behind ears and along jaw line: this activates the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Acupuncture in this area can also help.

Sleep: we all know how important sleep is, but what you may not know is that the vagus nerve is more active at night because we're naturally in a calmer state when asleep. A good night's sleep gives the body time to repair and recover from daily stress.

Interested in hands-on learning for lymphatic drainage and vagus nerve stimulation? Come visit me at Feel Good Lymph in Jupiter, FL. All sessions include working on vagal tone because we can’t stress enough how important this is. I like to start sessions off on a vibration plate, as low-level vibrations have been found to activate the vagus nerve as well as promote circulation which helps to jump start our lymphatic work. Deep belly breathing and manipulation of the cervical region – a central part of MLD as 1/3 of our lymph nodes reside in the head and neck – also helps target the vagus nerve.  I also like to incorporate an occipital condyle release when appropriate. I learned this method from John Barnes’ myofascial course. By gently allowing the atlas (C1) to disengage from the occiput, we can release the tissues around the jugular foramen, providing more room for the vagus nerve to send and receive important messages.