What is the vagus nerve and how does trauma affect it?

The vagus nerve is the longest of all cranial nerves, extending from the brainstem all the way down to the abdomen. It carries signals to your brain, heart, and digestive system. It affects mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. Every time you take a breath, move your vocal cords during speech, or swallow food, you use your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a powerful ally in supporting health and healing

When you experience trauma, it can cause damage to the vagus nerve and affect how your body functions. Some of the physical symptoms include difficulty swallowing, heartburn, nausea, irritable bowels, acid reflux, and vomiting. If the vagus nerve isn’t stimulated it can lead to chronic stress responses that cause depression, anxiety, PTSD, and many more mental health issues.

However, keeping your vagus nerve stimulated, will significantly reduce the damage trauma caused to it. If you identify with any of the symptoms of a damaged vagus nerve and you want to know what can be done about it, read on.

Stimulating the vagus nerve regularly can improve your overall mental and physical health. I highly recommend seeking treatment from a physician or mental health professional as your primary option. But there are ways you can help yourself heal your vagus nerve.

 Here are 7 ways you can begin to stimulate your vagus nerve.

1. Mindful Meditation - Meditating increases vagal tone and positive emotions. It reduces the sympathetic fight or flight activity and increases vagus modulation.

2. Music - When listening to the vibrational sounds of music, it triggers a parasympathetic response that soothes the mind and body.

3. Yoga - Practicing yoga stretches for your spine, belly, chest, and throat can help balance the vagus nerve.

4. Deep Breathing - Taking slow deep breaths inhaling from your diaphragm and exhaling through your mouth activates a rest and digest response; resulting in calming the nervous system.

5. Exercise - Endurance and Internal training lowers your sympathetic nervous activity and controls your parasympathetic response leading to balancing your cardiovascular and respiratory function.

6. Massage - A reflexology massage can reduce increased activity in the vagus nerve, and decrease blood pressure.

7. Cold-water Immersion - Taking a cold shower or splashing cold water on your face can lower fight or flight response. This slows down the sympathetic nervous system and increases parasympathetic activity.

Keeping your vagus nerve stimulated will help keep you emotionally regulated and will improve your health. You’ll be able to handle your traumas and life challenges with more resilience.