Vagus Nerve: Key to Stress Resilience

Do you notice gut issues after stressful moments? Do you sometimes feel fearful or anxious even when everything seems fine? How long does it usually take you to return to a calm state after stress? And do your feelings of fear, anger, or anxiety always seem to match what is actually happening? These questions can offer important clues about how flexible and resilient your nervous system is. Let’s explore …

Nervous system’s adaptability

In today’s world of constant stress, busyness, and burnout, calmness is often idealized as the ultimate goal. Being calm, grounded, and peaceful seems to be the natural counterbalance to life’s inner and outer pressures. However, the nervous system is not meant to remain calm all the time; it is designed to be responsive and adaptable. Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) reacts to challenges or threats by activating the body’s stress response. This activation involves physiological changes such as a quickened heart rate, elevated blood pressure, faster breathing, muscle tension, and the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, heightened alertness, and a temporary slowdown of digestion and immune function. Ideally, once the challenge passes, the system returns to a baseline state: heart rate slows, breathing deepens, stress hormones decrease, and digestion, immunity, and emotional balance are restored.

Vagal tone and nervous system regulation

The vagus nerve plays a central role in the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, helping us regulate stress, connect with others, and recover from activation. A strong vagus nerve response, known as ‘healthy vagal tone’, supports the nervous system’s ability to return to balance after stress, regulate emotions, and facilitate social engagement. It also influences bodily functions like heart rate variability, digestion, and inflammation control, helping to maintain both physical and emotional well-being.

Signs of a flexible nervous system

The autonomic nervous system consists of two primary branches: the sympathetic nervous system, often called the fight-flight-freeze system, which activates in response to challenge or danger, and the parasympathetic nervous system, known as the rest-and-digest system, which slows the heart rate, regulates breathing, facilitates social engagement, and supports recovery. Throughout the day, we naturally move fluidly between these two states. A well-regulated nervous system activates to meet challenges and then settles back into rest, digestion, and connection. This flexibility is essential for effectively adapting to stress and developing resilience over time.

Trauma and chronic stress impact nervous system flexibility

For people who have experienced chronic stress or trauma, this flexibility often becomes impaired. Feeling anxious, agitated, or constantly ‘being on edge’ as well as numbness, fatigue, or disconnection are all signs of a dysregulated nervous system. Trauma, particularly when experienced during childhood, can leave the body chronically stuck in survival mode. As a result, everyday events may easily trigger high stress levels and a sense of unsafety. The vagus nerve’s function becomes less responsive, particularly when we live under constant pressure, rush through our days, and don’t give ourselves enough time for recuperation. Over time, this can reduce vagal tone, making it increasingly difficult for the body to regulate stress and restore equilibrium.

Facts about the fascinating vagus nerve

The vagus nerve is the main branch of our rest-and-digest nervous system playing a crucial role in our ability to calm and relax. It is the longest of the 12 cranial nerves, connecting the gut and brain, and forming the gut-brain axis. It is also called the ‘wandering nerve’ due to its tree-like shape, with branches extending to the heart, lungs, liver, diaphragm, and intestines. These branches regulate essential bodily functions including heart rate, breathing, digestion, and immune response. Interestingly, about 90% of the vagus nerve fibers are afferent, meaning they carry information from the body up to the brain, not the other way around, making it a two-way communication highway between the brain and organs.

The vagus nerve connection: body, brain, emotions and posture

As the key communication pathway between the gut, heart, and brain, the vagus nerve helps explain why our physical sensations and emotional experiences are so deeply interconnected. 'Having butterflies in your stomach' or 'having a heart-ache' are just examples of this close interaction. The gut-brain and heart-brain connections are fundamental to our emotions, intuition, and overall mental well-being. Additionally, the nerve is sensitive to posture and habitual patterns: actions like clenching the jaw, holding the breath, or slouching shoulders can inhibit vagal activity. In contrast, maintaining a lengthened spine and moving with ease can enhance vagal tone.

The role of the vagus nerve in regaining balance

The vagus nerve is essential for helping the body recover from stress. It slows the heart rate, supports digestion, calms inflammation, and sends signals of safety throughout the brain and body. These functions help the body return to balance after moments of activation caused by physical exertion, emotional stress, or mental strain. With strong vagal tone, the body is better equipped to handle daily challenges, recover quickly from stressful situations, stay grounded under pressure, and maintain emotional connection and social engagement. Strong vagal tone also supports healthy sleep, efficient digestion, and smooth transitions between states of energy and rest.

7 simple ways to strengthen your vagus nerve and boost resilience

We often support our vagal tone without even realizing it. We hum to soothe ourselves, take deep breaths in tense moments, or gently bounce a baby when it is upset to calm them down. These instinctive actions help regulate our nervous system. Here are some additional practices you can explore to support your vagus nerve and restore nervous system flexibility:

1. Walking in nature: Gentle, rhythmic movement like walking, especially in natural environments, can calm the nervous system, regulate breathing, and activate the parasympathetic branch via the vagus nerve. The combination of movement, fresh air, and sensory engagement supports regulation and emotional well-being.

   
   

2. Slow, deep breathing: Becoming aware of your breath often naturally deepens it. Focus on a longer exhale which stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. You might try this pattern with counting: inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6 counts, pause for 2 counts, then allow the next inhale to happen naturally.

   
   

3. Humming, singing, or chanting: Vocal vibration stimulates vagal pathways that connect to the throat and vocal cords. This gentle stimulation helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and calming the body.

   
   

4. Cold water exposure: You don’t need to jump into the cold ocean to benefit from cold water exposure. Splashing cold water on your face or taking brief cold showers stimulate the vagus nerve, helping to improve its responsiveness and activate the body’s relaxation response.

   
   

5. Bouncing or rhythmic movement: Gentle bouncing or rocking stimulates the vestibular system, sending calming signals through the vagus nerve and helping to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Try standing in place and moving your body up and down; adding music can make it even more enjoyable. In Reflexology, we use the so-called resonance technique which involves rocking the body rhythmically from the feet to promote relaxation and nervous system balance.

   
   

6. Social connection: Spending time with people who feel safe and supportive activates the social engagement system, which is closely tied to vagal function. Positive social interactions help regulate stress responses and foster feelings of safety and belonging, further strengthening nervous system resilience.

   
   

7. Body-mind approaches: Practices like yoga or the Alexander Technique (AT) help you get better connected to your body and release unnecessary tension. AT specifically focuses on improving alignment and posture, which reduces physical strain and tension, helping to relieve pressure on the vagus nerve and better support its role in regulating the nervous system. In Reflexology, we use a variety of techniques to balance the autonomic nervous system and enhance vagal tone.

   
   

Tuning in: body awareness builds resilience

Long-term health and resilience are built on the ability to move flexibly between activation and recovery, and to return to balance after periods of stress. This adaptability allows the nervous system to meet life’s demands, reset after challenges, and stay resilient over time.

In cultivating this flexibility, a helpful practice is learning to listen to your body. Subtle signals like changes in breath, muscle tension, fatigue, or mood can indicate when your system is under strain or in need of rest. Responding to these cues by slowing down, breathing more deeply, spending time in nature, or connecting with loved ones can help prevent chronic stress and support nervous system regulation. Because the nervous system primarily works from the bottom up which means it sends signals from the body to the brain, tuning into physical sensations is an effective way to influence emotional and mental states. That said, when faced with deeper emotional wounds or trauma, professional support may be necessary to rebuild safety, connection, and inner stability.

So, in nurturing emotional resilience, let your body serve as your guide. Practices like the Alexander Technique and Reflexology can support this process by enhancing body awareness and promoting more balanced nervous system responses. Deepening your connection with your body helps build lasting resilience and supports overall well-being.

Questions and Comments? Don't hesitate to contact me heike@balanceartsstudio.com or 778.245.1750