Listen to ASMRĭo you ever get those ‘brain tingles’ when you hear certain sounds? This is ASMR and it can bring about a pleasant sense of calm and relaxation. Experiment with different exercises and see what feels good to you, we’re big advocates for dancing around your living room to your favourite songs for the ultimate mood boost. The trick here is to find a movement you enjoy so that it feels fun, and not a chore. Most of us know that exercise prompts our body to release ‘feel good’ hormones, but it turns out it also stimulates the vagus nerve. You might want to start with short exposures and build up, if you find it helpful. Try putting your face in some cold water or, if you’re feeling brave, having a cold shower. Cold water immersionĮxposing yourself to the cold may not sound relaxing, but as well as triggering our relaxation response, it’s thought to reduce inflammation in the body. You can also gently massage your neck, shoulders and behind your ears for more direct contact with the vagus nerve. Try self-massage, ask a partner or treat yourself to a reflexology session and see how you feel. Massaging any part of the body is great for rest and relaxation, but it’s thought that massaging the feet in particular can help stimulate the vagus nerve. Not a singer? Try humming or gargling water instead. Singing can do this and improve our overall wellbeing, so why not make a playlist of your favourite sing-along songs? The vagus nerve runs up our necks, so when we engage our vocal cords we can give it a gentle nudge. Try this guided meditation by our very own Hannah: 2. Loving kindness meditations especially are thought to stimulate the vagus nerve, help you feel more relaxed and connected. If you want to take things a step further, meditate. Try breathing out for longer than you breathe in as this helps to activate our parasympathetic nervous system (our relaxation response). When we breathe deep and slow from our abdomen, we stimulate the vagus nerve. Here’s how.īreathing exercises are often recommended when it comes to stress and anxiety, and here’s another great reason to give it a try. In 2010 researchers at the Cleveland clinic found a positive correlation between a high vagal tone and positive emotions and overall good health.” Counsellor Fiona Austin explains in her article, The vagus nerve - our biological antidote to anxiety and stress.Īnd the best part? We can stimulate our vagus nerve and help ourselves move out of a stressed and anxious state. “Since the vagus nerve is part of our parasympathetic nervous system, when it gets stimulated it increases what is known as vagal tone slowing our heart rate and our breathing and calming our nervous system down. The vagus nerve does many things, but the one we’re interested in here is the way it triggers a relaxation response in the body and increases something called vagal tone. This cranial nerve is the longest nerve in our body, connecting our brain with many organs (vagus means ‘wanderer’ in Latin, which fits as the nerve wanders around our body). Moving out of this state isn’t always easy, but the body has a secret weapon we can take advantage of - the vagus nerve. Hard-wired to look out for danger and sound the alarm when it perceives danger (whether it’s a hungry tiger walking your way or an ambiguous email from your boss), our brain triggers chronic stress and anxiety when we stay in a fight or flight state. When we’re feeling stressed and anxious, it’s usually because of our oversensitive brains. Harness the power of your own body to reduce stress and anxiety
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