The vagus nerve is a key component of the parasympathetic nervous system. It helps keep your body in balance and regulate different functions, such as heart rate, digestion, and many other processes. A range of vagus nerve exercises can help improve vagal tone, which may lead to improved mental health and physical well-being. Here are some examples of vagus nerve exercises that you can try:
Deep Breathing
This exercise helps improve vagal tone by encouraging deep, slow breaths. Start by taking a few deep breaths and focus on the feeling of your belly rising and falling with each breath. As you get more comfortable, take longer, deeper breaths and hold them for several seconds. Do this for a few minutes each day.
This is something that can help in general because it is good to breathe in plenty of oxygen. Many of us get a limited supply by just breathing in the minimum to keep our systems functioning, which is not necessarily the best thing. It is good to sometimes take a few extra deep breaths. Not where there is pollution, of course, but where the air is pure.
Singing or Humming
Vocal exercises like singing or humming can also help to improve vagal tone. Find a song or hum a tune that you enjoy, then try to match the notes of the melody with your breathing pattern to create an even, steady rhythm.
This is almost a form of meditation, except it is simpler for everyone to achieve on their own. Don’t worry about what others think while you are doing it if it is helping. Or simply choose your own quiet space or a time when the neighbor or neighbors are out to do this.
Many enjoy singing in a hospitality venue or the bath or shower so this should not be too difficult a thing to consider. If you feel self-conscious then you will soon get over it or could perhaps have your partner or family member sing or hum with you. The advantage of being able to hum instead is that you do not need to know all the words to a song or be a good singer that can sing in tune.
It is true, singing can be good for health. So think about exercising the vocal cords more often.
Cold Exposure
Cold exposure helps to stimulate vagal nerve activity and can improve vagal tone over time. Try taking a cold shower or plunge into a cold body of water for a few seconds each day. This will help boost your vagal tone and your overall health.
You have probably heard of the benefits that brave people receive from taking ice baths. Just do not take it to the extreme.
It may seem the wrong thing to do to make yourself cold but there are proven health advantages. Check out some of the online experiences to get some stories first-hand on the difference this can make.
Yoga
Certain yoga poses, such as a child’s pose, help to stimulate vagal nerve activity. Try incorporating a few yoga poses into your daily routine and focus on breathing deeply and evenly while in the pose.
Yoga is a very calming, relaxing, and therapeutic pursuit. It is easy to learn and many different poses help people in different ways. It is worth looking online and finding a guide to all these different poses and the difference that they can make to well-being.
Conclusion
By incorporating vagus nerve exercises into your daily routine, you can help to improve vagal tone and promote better overall health. However, if you are experiencing any vagus nerve-related symptoms, you should consult a healthcare provider for advice and consider a home VNS device. These can be found online and are known to help with conditions such as depression, myalgia, and epilepsy, to name just three.