What if your body had a built-in switch to help you feel calm, safe, and grounded? It does—it’s called the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve is one of the most powerful components of your nervous system, playing a key role in emotional regulation, digestion, heart rate, and your body’s response to stress.
At MIMO, we believe that understanding your biology is a foundational step in healing. Let’s explore how the vagus nerve works—and how you can support it to restore calm and connection from the inside out.
What Is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve (Latin for “wandering”) is the longest cranial nerve in the body. It starts in the brainstem and travels through the face, throat, lungs, heart, and digestive organs—connecting your brain to your body like a superhighway.
It’s a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system—also known as the “rest and digest” system. When your vagus nerve is active, your body slows down, your breath deepens, and your mind feels safer and clearer.
Why the Vagus Nerve Matters for Mental Health
Your vagus nerve helps regulate:
- Heart rate and blood pressure
- Digestion and gut-brain communication
- Inflammation and immune responses
- Facial expression and vocal tone (key in connection)
- Stress recovery and emotional resilience
If your vagus nerve isn’t functioning well (also known as low vagal tone), you may feel stuck in survival modes—anxious, tense, shut down, or disconnected. But when you improve vagal tone, you increase your body’s capacity to return to a calm, regulated state after stress.
Signs Your Vagus Nerve May Need Support
While only a healthcare professional can diagnose vagal dysfunction, you might benefit from vagal support if you experience:
- Chronic anxiety or digestive issues
- Difficulty relaxing or sleeping
- Frequent overwhelm or emotional flooding
- Feeling disconnected from your body
- Low heart rate variability (HRV)
How to Activate Your Vagus Nerve
You can’t directly “turn on” the vagus nerve like a light switch, but you can gently stimulate it through consistent, nervous-system-friendly practices.
1. Deep, Rhythmic Breathing
Slow exhales signal your body that you’re safe. Try a 4-6 breathing pattern: inhale for 4, exhale for 6, repeat. Breathe through your nose and place a hand on your belly to engage diaphragmatic breathing.
2. Humming, Singing, or Chanting
Because the vagus nerve passes through the vocal cords, vocal toning can stimulate relaxation. Try humming or singing gently, especially at the end of the day to wind down.
3. Cold Exposure
Brief exposure to cold—such as splashing your face with cold water or ending a shower with a cool rinse—can activate the vagus nerve and improve vagal tone over time.
4. Gentle Movement and Stretching
Slow, mindful movement like yoga, tai chi, or stretching helps soothe your nervous system and support vagal function.
5. Safe Social Connection
Eye contact, smiling, soft tone of voice, and shared laughter all activate the social engagement system, which is regulated by the vagus nerve. In other words: co-regulation is vagal activation.
Polyvagal Theory: A Deeper Look
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, expands our understanding of the vagus nerve by highlighting its role in detecting safety and connection. It explains how trauma can disrupt vagal pathways—leaving us stuck in fight/flight or freeze—and how we can gently re-train the system over time.
This framework reminds us: feeling safe isn’t just a thought—it’s a body state.
Final Thoughts: Healing Begins with Safety
Your nervous system is not the enemy. It’s trying to protect you. And the more you support your vagus nerve, the more your body will learn that it’s safe to soften, rest, and connect.
At MIMO, we believe your inner calm isn’t something you earn—it’s something you remember. And the vagus nerve is one beautiful way back home to it.