STRESS AND YOUR VAGUS NERVE

​Stress.  Anxiety.  We all feel it.  Some days more than others.  Do you have lingering feelings of worry and overwhelm?  Wouldn’t it be great if we could recover more quickly from stress?   If you’d like to know how, it’s time to get to know your vagus nerve.
​
Your vagus nerve starts at your brain stem and travels through seven major organs.  It sends information from those organs to your brain about how your body is feeling.  The vagus nerve is a critical part of your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming your body.  If you have high vagal tone, your body can relax faster after a stressful experience.  If you struggle to recover from stressful situations, it’s possible you have low vagal tone.
 
WHY IS VAGAL TONE IMPORTANT?
Strengthening the tone of your vagus nerve can support your body in dealing with traumatic and stressful experiences by regulating your nervous system responses to challenges.  A healthy vagus nerve can help in decreasing symptoms of anxiety.  In order for your body to function optimally and for your to feel your best, it’s important that your vagus nerve is properly stimulated and nourished.
 
IMPROVING VAGAL TONE
There are many ways to strengthen your vagal tone on your own.  For example, you can…
1.Take a facial ice bath
2.Gargle
3.Sing, hum, and chant
4.Practice
5.Practice
6.Exercise
7.Meditate
 
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) can also significantly impact your vagal tone, help regulate your nervous system, and bring your whole being into a place of deep relaxation.  Like tuning a piano that has been out of tune for a while, regular BCST sessions can help your body reset and strengthen vagal tone so that the next time your experience stress, you can recover more quickly and continue with your day.