The vagus nerve is the central link between the brain and internal organs. Like no other nerve, it has the ability to balance stress and maintain balance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. THE VAGUS NERVE
EASILY EXPLAINED
The vagus nerve, or "Nervus vagus," is your body's so-called "calming nerve." The syllable "vagus" is derived from the Latin word "vagari," meaning "to wander." The tenth cranial nerve earned this name not least because of its involvement in almost all processes of the internal organs .
The length and location of the vagus nerve are also impressive: As a link between the enteric nervous system in the gastrointestinal tract and the brain , it runs from the abdomen across the chest to the lower part of the head.
The so-called "gut-brain axis" plays a central role, particularly in recent research on topics such as mental health and digestive disorders . Thus, the vagus nerve has also increasingly come into focus as an intermediary [1].
In addition to the cerebrospinal fluid, the vagus nerve also connects other organs to the brain via parallel strands . With its impressive dimensions, it is the longest nerve in the human body!
2. THE VAGUS NERVE AND THE
AUTONOMOUS NERVOUS SYSTEM
At the same time, the vagus nerve is one of the most important components of the parasympathetic nervous system . The parasympathetic nervous system forms the relaxing part of your autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for many bodily functions [2].
It consists of the enteric system of the gastrointestinal tract, the parasympathetic nervous system, and the sympathetic nervous system . The latter is essentially the counterpart to the parasympathetic nervous system and takes over, especially when you're under stress , anxious, or need to perform well .
Important: As part of the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve is primarily active when you are relaxed. Only then does it exert its calming and digestive-stimulating effects .
Also important: The enteric system is not subordinate to either nerve. It is completely independent, but maintains a lively exchange with the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems via vagus nerves and hormonal messengers .
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3. SYMPTOMS OF A WEAK
VAGUS NERVE
Sometimes, a weakening or malfunction of the autonomic nervous system can occur. This is referred to as "vegetative dystonia."
This can cause many different symptoms:
- Headache
- Cardiovascular problems
- Shaking hands
- or digestive problems.
Often, the triggers for such a disorder are not clearly identifiable . In many cases, they affect not only the physical body, but also mental and emotional processes and the psyche . At the same time, a malfunction of the nervous system can also be psychologically caused or be the result of trauma [3].
Vagus nerve complaints are almost always attributed to this type of vegetative dystonia, as the vagus nerve is so closely linked to the parasympathetic nervous system. In cases of vagus nerve dysfunction, both understimulation and overstimulation of the nerve strands can be equally problematic.
The nerve behaves similarly to a muscle : If your vagus nerve is understimulated, its strength decreases significantly. Due to the resulting lack of relaxation, the stimulating sympathetic nervous system takes over.
Your body is then constantly on alert . This is not only incredibly stressful, but can also lead to disruption of vital bodily functions such as digestion or immune function.
In contrast, a permanent tension in the nerve actually sounds quite good, doesn't it? You're always relaxed and calm... But in reality, that's also fatal: This can quickly lead to you losing all motivation and becoming truly sluggish.
In acute cases, an overactive vagus nerve can even lead to fainting or cardiovascular problems . Neither extreme is desirable. Instead, you should learn to consciously strengthen your vagus nerve and use it to your advantage. You'll learn how to do this in the next section!
4. WITH THESE EXERCISES YOU WILL STRENGTHEN
YOUR VAGUS NERVE
You might be thinking, "But if the autonomic nervous system is autonomous, how can I influence it?" And you're right. Strictly speaking, that's not possible, or only in an indirect way—namely, through your breathing .
If you consciously slow down your breathing and breathe deeply into your abdomen for a few minutes, you can activate your vagus and thus also your parasympathetic nervous system .
If you're very accustomed to shallow chest breathing , you'll find this "new way" of breathing works best while lying down. It's actually not that new: Your body is already familiar with abdominal breathing from sleeping !
Because of this so-called "diaphragmatic breathing," even calm and relaxing yoga styles can be a great way to strengthen your vagus nerve. Neck yoga and gentle yin yoga are particularly well-suited for this.
You can also try the following vagus hacks :
- Laugh
- Singing or humming
- Neck and throat massage (you can even do this yourself!)
- Meditation with 4-square breathing
- and of course sleep!
What's less well known, however, is the fact that cold can also have a positive effect on the vagus nerve. To test this hypothesis, you can take a cold shower or try an ice bath according to Wim Hof [4]. The advantage of the latter: It also includes breathing exercises that can also have an effect on the vagus nerve!
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CONCLUSION
The vagus nerve is not only the longest nerve in the human body, but also one of the most important. As a link between the brain stem and the ventral brain, as well as to numerous other organs, it acts as a vital intermediary between the brain and the rest of the body.
As part of the parasympathetic nervous system , the vagus nerve is primarily active when you are relaxed and content. Stress and strenuous activity, on the other hand, activate the sympathetic nervous system , which in turn deactivates your relaxation nerve.
Understimulation of the vagus nerve due to chronic stress, trauma, or anxiety can lead to hypofunction of the vagus nerve. The consequences are diverse and often feel like a never-ending fight-or-flight response in the body.
Fortunately, due to the location of the vagus nerve and its proximity to the abdomen, chest, and larynx, you can easily stimulate it yourself by engaging in the associated bodily functions. Activities like singing, laughing, or self-massage of the neck area can be particularly effective.
The safest and fastest way to activate the vagus nerve , however, is diaphragmatic breathing , which you're probably familiar with from yoga. This involves breathing deeply into your abdomen for a few minutes until your abdominal wall expands.
Since many strands of the vagus nerve are indirectly stimulated in this way, you can easily switch from stress and performance to relaxation and recovery. Breathing exercises, yoga, or meditation with deep breathing should definitely be on the agenda, especially for high performers.
6. SOURCES
[1] Carabotti, M.; Scirocco, A.; [...]; Severi, C. (2015),The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems, Volume 28, Issue 2, p. 203-209, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/ .
[2] Kenny, B.J.; Bordoni, B. (2021), Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve), StatPearls (Internet), available online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/ .
[3] McLaughlin, K.A.; Rith-Najarian, L.; [...]; Sheridan, MA (2015), Low Vagal Tone Magnifies the Association Between Psychosocial Stress Exposure and Internalizing Psychopathology in Adolescents, Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Volume 44, Issue 2, p. 314-328, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4076387/ .
[4] Jungmann, M.; Vencatachellum, S.; [...]; Voegele, C. (2018), Effects of Cold Stimulation on Cardiac-Vagal Activation in Healthy Participants: Randomized Controlled Trial, JMIR Formative Research, Volume 2, Issue 2, e10257, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6334714/ .
