We live in a world full of noise. Dings and notifications rule our modern lives. Inevitably, our focus is at the mercy of our phones—texts, emails, and messages beckon perpetual attention. This rings particularly true in my life: I’m juggling the mental load of motherhood, work, and everything in between. Everyone seems to need my attention, and they need it stat. Maybe you, like me, find yourself in a similar place—trapped in a low-grade state of stress, unaware of how deeply it affects your well-being. Fortunately, one powerful wellness practice can make all the difference. By learning how to stimulate our vagus nerve (the nerve that runs from your brain to your abdomen), we can all begin to reclaim our peace.
Exploring the Vagus Nerve: A Key to Wellness
Given our fast-paced lives, finding ways to manage stress and promote overall wellness is paramount. This is where the vagus nerve comes in. This nerve plays a crucial role in regulating our body’s response to stress, influencing everything from heart rate to digestion. Understanding its impact can empower us to make better choices—for our mental and physical health. With this in mind, I tapped an expert in the field to delve deeper into the connection between the vagus nerve and holistic well-being.
Meet Brooke Taylor. She founded The Road—an Austin-based haven for all things cosmetic acupuncture and natural alternatives for skincare (and beyond). Taylor is our go-to resource for harnessing the power of holistic modes of healing. With Taylor’s guidance, I got the 411 on all things vagus nerve. We dug into its impact on stress, digestion, and mental clarity. With Taylor’s guidance, I learned how to activate this nerve to usher calm into our daily lives. Scroll for her deep-rooted wisdom.
Brooke Taylor LAc, MAcOM
Brooke created The Road in Austin, Texas to share her experience in holistic skincare, acupuncture and Chinese medicine to nurture our own innate healing responses. Previously an esthetician and global skincare educator and brand manager, she pursued her masters in Chinese medicine to help heal others on a deeper level.
What is the vagus nerve?
The vagus nerve is the superhighway of your body. It transports vital information between your brain and the rest of your internal organs. The vagus (or vagal nerve) originates in the brainstem and extends through the face, neck, lungs, heart, diaphragm, and abdomen. It reaches a slew of organs: the stomach, spleen, intestines, colon, liver, reproductive organs, and kidneys—its impact is profound!
Taylor mentioned that although communication flows both ways, most signals travel from the gut to the brain—rather than the reverse. This is why we often refer to the “gut-brain connection” or the idea of “listening to your gut reaction.”
“Vagus” is Latin for wanderer, a fitting name for the body’s longest cranial nerve.
How does the vagus nerve influence our parasympathetic nervous system?
Vagal nerves are the main nerves of our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This system controls our involuntary functions (e.g., digestion, heart rate, mood, and sexual arousal). Taylor likened the PNS to a symphony conductor—it orchestrates the pace and intensity of your nervous system. It helps slow things down after stress, lowering your heart rate, aiding digestion, and promoting a calm, balanced state. It’s commonly associated with the rest-and-digest function. Naturally, it’s the counterbalance to our fight-or-flight response—aka the sympathetic nervous system.
How can you track your vagal tone?
You can track your vagal tone by measuring your heart rate variability (HRV). This shows how much your heart rate speeds up and slows down when you breathe. Higher HRV usually indicates a healthier vagal tone, meaning your body handles stress and relaxation well. Taylor explained that a higher vagal tone indicates a quicker recovery post-stressful or traumatic event. If you have an Oura Ring, Whoop, Garmin, or Polar watch/sensor, you can use it to track your vagal tone.
Signs of a Strong Vagal Tone
According to Taylor, when our vagal tone is strong, we experience a sense of overall well-being. We respond to stressors with resilience and maintain a well-functioning immune system. It also helps us regulate blood glucose levels more effectively!
Signs of a Weak Vagal Tone
On the flip side, a weak vagal tone inhibits our ability to manage and recover from stressors. It’s been linked to higher levels of inflammation, digestive issues (including food sensitivities), fatigue, and mood disorders. There are also links between a weak vagal tone and certain diseases like cardiovascular conditions and autoimmune conditions.
By the Numbers
For adults, a higher HRV often ranges from 60-100 milliseconds or more, while a lower HRV (below 50 milliseconds) may suggest stress or lower vagal tone. However, HRV is highly personal! It’s best to track your baseline over time.
What everyday habits weaken or strengthen the vagus nerve?
From mindful eating to humming, you can significantly improve your vagal tone with simple habits.
Proper Nutrition
Taylor emphasized a diet rich in essential fatty acids, B vitamins, and zinc. Adaptogens can help, too! However—even more important—is chewing your food. Slow down, eat mindfully, and try not to multitask. Fun fact: chewing thoroughly engages the vagus nerve. This assists the ‘digest’ in rest and digest. Taylor said, “Have your tongue meet the soft palate on the roof of your mouth as you swallow. If you practice with saliva, you might find you feel like yawning—an indicator that it’s working!”
Releasing Neck Tension
Reducing neck tension is helpful, as tightness in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle can restrict the vagus nerve along the side of the neck. If you tend to hold tension in this area, learning to stretch and massage your neck can help release it. In turn, you’ll support optimal vagus nerve tone.
Get Vibration Going
Other ways to tone the vagus nerve include red light therapy, massage, and craniosacral therapy. According to Taylor, cold therapy is great as well. Her favorite trick? Humming, chanting, and singing. All of these get vibration going! She also encouraged movement (tai chi, qi gong, yoga, and dancing) and 4-7-8 breathwork. Lastly, she mentioned the power of meditation, journaling, and listening to binaural beats.
How does acupuncture work to stimulate the vagus nerve?
According to Taylor, acupuncture excels at safely and effectively treating the vagus nerve. “The shift is often noticeable in the first session, even within minutes—a new sense of zen, feeling ‘back in your body,’ and less emotionally reactive.” Studies show that acupuncture can reduce inflammation, improve heart rate variability (HRV), and regulate autonomic function. Taylor relayed that combined with herbal medicine, acupuncture can treat other conditions related to vagus nerve dysfunction. She also highlighted auricular acupuncture for vagal tone health (this is why ear seeding has become so popular!).
Anything else about the vagus nerve that you wish more people understood?
“The vagus nerve is often overlooked, yet it connects our mind and body in ways that profoundly impact our overall quality of life,” Taylor noted. “While we work with this system regularly in all modalities of Chinese medicine, I hope more people become aware of all the tools they have at their disposal to regulate this system. From breathwork to massaging acupressure points, to humming, and more, you can self-regulate and take back control in minutes.”
Camille’s Recommendations: What’s Helping Me Support My Nervous System
To bring this full circle, Camille recently wrote about how she’s focusing more on nervous system regulation. She’s been consistently integrating practices to stimulate the vagus nerve—a reminder that small steps and consistency make a big impact on well-being. Below are her go-to tools:
- Omnibiotic Probiotic
- This probiotic is effective for stress relief and healing gut dysfunction. In the lab studies, 83% of their probiotics reach the gut alive and active (versus an average of 7% in leading U.S. brands!). She’s been taking this first thing every morning.
- Breathwork
- Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing and the 4-7-8 breathing activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation. Camille loves to do the sessions from Mindful in Minutes. (Kelly’s podcast is amazing, too.)
- Yoga Block
- Camille likes to sit cross-legged on this simple yoga block so she can have a comfortable posture while she does her breathwork and journaling in the morning.
- Vagus Nerve Stimulator
- She bought this device that strengthens her vagal tone over time, promoting rest-and-digest and overall well-being.
- Juna Nightcap Sleep Gummy
- Good sleep is mandatory for a well-functioning nervous system! According to Camille, this gummy is such a good combo of botanicals, magnesium, and microdosed phytomelatonin.
- Calm music
- Auditory stimulation has a massive effect on our nervous system—and calm music reduces stress and anxiety almost instantly. She loves the Spiritune app, which combines music therapy with neuroscience to help you relax. She’ll do 5-10 more minutes with the Vagus Nerve Stimulator at night while she listens to music and reads.
- Essential oil
- Essential oils—like lavender and chamomile—calm the nervous system. She keeps this gorgeous oil on her bedside table and rubs it on her and her husband’s wrists when they get in bed.
- Weighted blanket
- Camille loves how a weighted blanket feels, but since she’s a hot sleeper, she’ll usually curl up with one while she reads at night—and then ditch it when it’s time for sleep. The gentle pressure stimulates deep touch pressure receptors which sends a message of security and comfort to the body.
Finding Your Supportive Rituals
Ultimately, the foundation of this work comes from within—providing space in our daily schedules for prayer and mindfulness, and prioritizing good sleep. No products or quick fixes can replace those essentials. That said, the right toolkit can support your nervous system as a boost to your other foundational efforts. Cheers to supporting a healthy vagus nerve, one deep breath at a time.
