Education & Career Trends: January 16
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
- Article by Andy Murphy, published on medium.com.
The vagus nerve represents three-quarters of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The PNS is better known for helping the body rest and digest which it does by slowing down the heart, stabilising the breath, promoting digestion, producing saliva, releasing endorphins and hormones such as dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, and boosting the immune, digestive, and cardiovascular systems.
The name “vagus” comes from the Latin word for “wandering.”
That’s because it travels from the brainstem to the gut via the throat, heart, lungs, diaphragm, spleen, liver, kidneys, and stomach. So, it has an adventurous spirit.
When the vagus nerve is put under consistent stress an array of health complications can unfortunately occur. These range from an upset stomach to a bad mood up to heart problems and autoimmune diseases.
Luckily, several exercises can be done daily to support it — namely for ease, accessibility, inclusivity, and consistency — breathing.
That’s because the vagus nerve connects to the diaphragm which plays a key role in the health of our lungs and is the lever that governs most of our mechanical needs.
Not only that but billions and billions of nerves run from the brain to the diaphragm via the lungs and heart. So, as the diaphragm moves up and down like a pump, the heart, brain, nervous system, and digestive system move by rhythm because they follow the same movement.
If it’s fast and erratic each organ and its corresponding functions will speed up. If it’s calm and relaxed, they will all slow down. It’s pretty intuitive stuff but the cascade of electrical and chemical impulses that move up and down the vagus nerve impacts the majority of our lives.
Posture is also important.
It might be weird to think about posture affecting the vagus nerve but because slouching restricts the diaphragm’s full range of movement its effectiveness changes from breath to breath depending on how easily it flows in and out.
To support the diaphragm, we can practice diaphragmatically breathing. To know if you’re doing it correctly, notice if your belly expands out in front of you when you breathe in. If it fills up like a balloon, you’re diaphragmatically breathing. If it doesn’t, you’re more likely breathing into the upper chest/throat area.
Understanding where you’re breathing in the body — belly, chest, or throat — is important because there’s a strong correlation between our mental and emotional state and how easily the breath flows in and out.
High levels of anxiety, for example, tend to live in the final 10% of the breath, right there in the throat area. They’re also typically breathed in and out of the mouth. A more balanced mind, on the other hand, invites slower, deeper breaths down into the belly and in through the nose.
So, even though it’s difficult to change an anxious thought or feeling, especially when emotions are running high, we can change the quality of our breath to change our emotional state. And that’s a very empowering thing.
“The vagus nerve is the conductor of the human body symphony orchestra” — Navaz Habib
Three Breathing Exercises That Stimulate Our Vagus Nerve
1. Box Breathing (Sama Vritti)
Box or square breathing is great for building emotional resilience, relieving stress, and creating a calm inner state.
It has gained tremendous popularity in recent years ever since the Navy SEALs revealed it’s what they use to reduce stress in intense situations.
I like to use this one before speaking in public as it calms my nervous system right down.
Putting it into practice:
- Breathe in deeply and smoothly through your nose for 4 seconds
- Hold your breath at the top for 4 seconds
- Breathe out softly and calmly through your nose for 4 seconds
- Hold your breath at the bottom for 4 seconds
- This is one complete cycle
- Continue for 25–50 breaths or 5–10 minutes
- To deepen the experience, increase the number of seconds you breathe in and out and hold for (5 or 6 seconds, for example) if it feels right to do so
2. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana Pranayama)
This exercise is great for working both nostrils, balancing both hemispheres of the brain, and enhancing spatial awareness. It’s my go-to whenever things are moving too fast and I need a moment to ground.
- Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight.
- Close your right nostril with the thumb on your right hand.
- Inhale deeply through your left nostril and then close your left nostril with your right index finger.
- Open your right nostril and exhale fully
- Inhale deeply through your right nostril and then close your right nostril with your thumb.
- Open your left nostril and exhale.
- This is one complete cycle.
- As your breath begins to deepen, try pausing your breath at the top of each inhale and at the bottom of each exhale for a couple of seconds at a time. Continue for up to 5 minutes
3. The Silent Pump
This gets the diaphragm pumping like no other and it’s great for activating the digestive system, strengthening the lungs, increasing blood circulation, and boosting cerebrospinal fluid.
I enjoy doing this one in the morning before eating breakfast but it can be practiced anytime during the day as long as it’s done on an empty-ish stomach.
As with all breathing exercises, notice how you feel before and after practising it.
Putting into practice:
- Sit comfortably with your back straight
- Breathe in deeply through your nose
- Exhale deeply through your nose or mouth and then hold your breath out
- Begin to quickly but smoothly pump your diaphragm 15x while holding your breath
- When you’re done, relax your diaphragm and inhale deeply through the nose
- Exhale and repeat
- Continue up to 10x
- Once established and comfortable, try pumping your diaphragm 20 or 30x instead.
…
Have you checked out yesterday’s blog yet
10 Powerful Visuals to Propel You Towards Your Best Year in 2024
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
Like this post? For more such helpful articles, click on the button below and subscribe FREE to our blog.
Download our mobile app, ICS Career GPS, a one-stop career guidance platform.
One Reply to “Boost Your Health and Happiness: A Great Way to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve”