I've been fascinated with vagus nerve function and stimulation for a long time. For example, here's a post from a few years ago where I provide some of the basic details about the vagus nerve, my interview with Dr. Barbara L. Fredrickson and her research, and why certain techniques continue to be essential to our wellbeing.
As part of ongoing training, I'm exploring somatic therapy exercises that help regulate the vagus nerve. Now, somatic therapy is a completely different approach, and since I'm not a trained therapist or a certified instructor in this discipline, I won't claim to know a lot about how it works or all the factors it addresses.
That said, there's a strong connection between yoga, focused breathing, vagus nerve function, and somatic awareness. So, I feel it's helpful to introduce different techniques that help people open up to their capabilities to understand what's happening in their minds and bodies and how they have more proverbial tools in their toolbox to open up possibilities of health.
Some aspects of vagus nerve stimulation are innovative and complex, using medical devices and other in-depth therapies. It can also be rather simple if you're trying to calm down or shift your energy a bit. In a conversation with my massage therapist this week, we shared seemingly easy ways—yet researched techniques—we both use to prompt a vagus nerve reset, including:
Slow, deep breaths
Singing, humming, chanting, or listening to a favorite song
Laughing
Splashing cold water on your face
Massage, including gentle rubbing behind the ears and along your neck
Different forms of exercise, even for a few minutes, such as walking or yoga
Meditation
There's a lot more to discover about the vagus nerve and why it matters to our overall health. In these posts, I only provide a brief thumbnail, but will continue to share more information here and in classes.
(Photo by Sean Sinclair on Unsplash)
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