Vagus, baby!
We are living in stressful times. 2020 has been a wild ride so far and it’s no wonder our nervous systems feel permanently locked in “fight or flight” mode. Short of wishful thinking and a return to our pre-pandemic lives, how can we transition our tendency to live in a sympathetic nervous state, to a more calm “rest and digest”/ “tend and befriend” parasympathetic sense of being?
Surprise! We have all the tools we need in order to tap into the power of our vagus nerve, effectively lowering our anxiety and inflammatory response, all by ourselves:
The vagus nerve, also known as cranial nerve (CN) X, connects our organs to our brain. Upon stimulation, it has the ability to lower our heart rate and release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is the primary neurotransmitter for the parasympathetic nervous system. For those of us who are experiencing life in a constant “red light” phase (sympathetic response), the idea is that movement (the “yellow light” phase), can act as a bridge. This helps us to arrive at the “green light” phase (parasympathetic response).
The ultimate goal is to find a good balance between the two states so that we are not constantly living at either end of the spectrum.
Here’s an easy breathing exercise to get you heading in the right direction:
Standing tall, feet hip-distance apart, inhale deeply into your back and side ribs.
As you exhale, add an audible hum with your lips gently pressed together (watch for tension in the face!).
With soft knees, start to gently bounce as you hum.
Keep humming until you run out of every last bit of air - it will take longer than you think!
At the very end of your hum, inhale deeply, expanding your rib cage three-dimensionally (front/back/side ribs as opposed to inhaling purely via the chest or belly).
Complete three repetitions.
Notice how you feel - you should feel relaxed and grounded and as my friend likes to call it: body-stoned.
Now go out and enjoy the day!
(Reference: Psychology Today)
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