What is the Vagus Nerve? The vagus nerve is a crucial part of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), often called the ‘rest and digest’ system. Extending from the brainstem through the neck and into the chest and abdomen, the vagus nerve plays a central role in regulating various bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and mood. It is also intricately connected to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which governs your body’s stress response.
In times of stress, the HPA axis is activated, triggering the release of stress hormones like cortisol to prepare your body for a ‘fight, flight, freeze or fawn’ response. The vagus nerve, however, acts as a counterbalance within this system, helping to bring the body back to a state of equilibrium once the stressor has passed. It essentially helps switch off the heightened alert response, initiating a relaxation response and supporting recovery.
When stress becomes chronic, it can impair the vagus nerve's ability to effectively activate the parasympathetic response, leaving the body stuck in a persistent state of stress. Over time, this dysregulation can disrupt the normal functioning of the HPA axis, leading to a weakened immune system, sleep disturbances, emotional distress, and other health issues. This creates a vicious cycle of stress that can be difficult to break.
How the Vagus Nerve Supports Stress Recovery By promoting a balance between the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is responsible for the stress response, and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) which creates calm, the vagus nerve helps regulate the HPA axis, thereby controlling the body’s reaction to stress.
When the vagus nerve is functioning optimally, it helps lower heart rate, deepen respiration, and promote relaxation—acts that aid in reducing the long-term effects of stress.
Therefore, strengthening your vagus nerve through self-care stress management techniques, is an important step in managing and reducing stress as it helps you activate the parasympathetic response more effectively, allowing you to recover from stress more quickly and restore your nervous system to a state of balance.
How to Strengthen Your Vagus Nerve and Reduce Stress The good news is that you can take proactive steps to stimulate and strengthen your vagus nerve, support your HPA axis, and enhance your body’s ability to manage stress through self-care stress management techniques.
Start the journey toward a stress-free future today, and empower your vagus nerve to help you find balance and healing. Research: Vagal Tone: A Physiologic Marker of Stress Vulnerability
Rosanna Commisso - Founder, StressCare Solutions Living with extreme long-term stress has shaped my passion for helping others find their path to stress resilience through self-care. If you need support, I’m here to help you understand the impact of stress and provide guidance on how to improve your health and quality of life.
E: rosanna@stresscare.com.au + M: 0402 917 064