Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCan Stress and Anxiety Affect the Vagus Nerve?How Do You Destress the Vagus Nerve?What Happens If the Vagus Nerve Is Damaged?Why Is the Vagus Nerve Important in Stress Management?How Does Breathing Affect the Vagus Nerve?How to Heal the Vagus Nerve
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Can Stress and Anxiety Affect the Vagus Nerve?
How Do You Destress the Vagus Nerve?
What Happens If the Vagus Nerve Is Damaged?
Why Is the Vagus Nerve Important in Stress Management?
How Does Breathing Affect the Vagus Nerve?
How to Heal the Vagus Nerve
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The vagus nerve is a long nerve that runs from your brainstem all the way down to your abdomen. It is responsible for many different functions, including heart rate, digestion, and immunity. It is also one of the most important nerves in the body for maintaining mental health.
However, chronic stress can impact the vagus nerve in a negative way.This can lead to problems such asanxiety and depression. It can also make the body more susceptible to infections and diseases.Therefore, it is important to manage stress in order tomaintain a healthy vagus nerve.
Stress and anxietycan both trigger the vagus nerve. In fact, they are often linked because stress can lead to anxiety, and anxiety can worsen the effects of stress. When the vagus nerve is overstimulated, it can cause a number of symptoms.
Health issues may include pain in the abdomen, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, or fainting.
There are a number of ways to destress the vagus nerve:
If the vagus nerve is damaged, it can lead to a number of problems such as:
If you are stressed it can lead to vagal nerve dysfunction. Dysfunction of the vagal nerve can also be a result of aging. If your vagus nerve has been negatively affected for an extended amount of time, you could develop health issues such as type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety.
So, to avoid negative mental of physical health issues, it’s important to keep your stress under control.
Breathing deeply can help to calm the vagus nerve. This is because deep breathing helps to slow down the heart rate. When the heart rate is slowed, the body is able to relax and reduce stress levels.
Therefore,deep breathingcan be a helpful tool in managing stress and maintaining a healthy vagus nerve.
The good news is that there are things you can do to heal the vagus nerve and improve your overall health:
18 Effective Stress Relief Strategies
A Word From Verywell
The vagus nerve is an important part of maintaining good mental health. If you are experiencing symptoms of a dysfunctional vagus nerve, there are things you can do to heal it. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional about which treatment options are right for you.
I Tried It: Vagus Nerve Exercises
13 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044. PMID: 29593576; PMCID: PMC5859128.Yin J, Levanon D, Chen JD.Inhibitory effects of stress on postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and vagal tone in healthy subjects.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2004;16(6):737-744. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2004.00544.xHall S, Kumaria A, Belli A.The role of vagus nerve overactivity in the increased incidence of pneumonia following traumatic brain injury.Br J Neurosurg. 2014;28(2):181-186. doi:10.3109/02688697.2013.835373Kenny BJ, Bordoni B.Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve) [Updated 2021 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/Cleveland Clinic.Vagus Nerve.Shimojo G, Joseph B, Shah R, Consolim-Colombo FM, De Angelis K, Ulloa L.Exercise activates vagal induction of dopamine and attenuates systemic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2019 Jan;75:181-191. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Oct 27. PMID: 30394312; PMCID: PMC6334665.Cahn BR, Goodman MS, Peterson CT, Maturi R, Mills PJ.Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Jun 26;11:315. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315. Erratum in: Front Hum Neurosci. 2022 Apr 08;16:868021. PMID: 28694775; PMCID: PMC5483482.Hoshikawa Y, Fitzke H, Sweis R, et al.Rumination syndrome: Assessment of vagal tone during and after meals and during diaphragmatic breathing.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2020;32(11):e13873. doi:10.1111/nmo.13873Jacobs V, May HT, Crandall BG, et al.Vagus nerve injury symptoms after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018;41(4):389-395. doi:10.1111/pace.13304Cleveland Clinic.5 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve.Das UN.Can vagus nerve stimulation halt or ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis and lupus?.Lipids Health Dis. 2011;10:19. Published 2011 Jan 24. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-10-19Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, et al.Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: A systematic review of the clinical research.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018;31:31-37. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008Freire RC, Cabrera-Abreu C, Milev R.Neurostimulation in Anxiety Disorders, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1191:331-346. doi:10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_18
13 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044. PMID: 29593576; PMCID: PMC5859128.Yin J, Levanon D, Chen JD.Inhibitory effects of stress on postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and vagal tone in healthy subjects.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2004;16(6):737-744. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2004.00544.xHall S, Kumaria A, Belli A.The role of vagus nerve overactivity in the increased incidence of pneumonia following traumatic brain injury.Br J Neurosurg. 2014;28(2):181-186. doi:10.3109/02688697.2013.835373Kenny BJ, Bordoni B.Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve) [Updated 2021 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/Cleveland Clinic.Vagus Nerve.Shimojo G, Joseph B, Shah R, Consolim-Colombo FM, De Angelis K, Ulloa L.Exercise activates vagal induction of dopamine and attenuates systemic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2019 Jan;75:181-191. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Oct 27. PMID: 30394312; PMCID: PMC6334665.Cahn BR, Goodman MS, Peterson CT, Maturi R, Mills PJ.Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Jun 26;11:315. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315. Erratum in: Front Hum Neurosci. 2022 Apr 08;16:868021. PMID: 28694775; PMCID: PMC5483482.Hoshikawa Y, Fitzke H, Sweis R, et al.Rumination syndrome: Assessment of vagal tone during and after meals and during diaphragmatic breathing.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2020;32(11):e13873. doi:10.1111/nmo.13873Jacobs V, May HT, Crandall BG, et al.Vagus nerve injury symptoms after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018;41(4):389-395. doi:10.1111/pace.13304Cleveland Clinic.5 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve.Das UN.Can vagus nerve stimulation halt or ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis and lupus?.Lipids Health Dis. 2011;10:19. Published 2011 Jan 24. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-10-19Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, et al.Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: A systematic review of the clinical research.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018;31:31-37. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008Freire RC, Cabrera-Abreu C, Milev R.Neurostimulation in Anxiety Disorders, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1191:331-346. doi:10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_18
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044. PMID: 29593576; PMCID: PMC5859128.Yin J, Levanon D, Chen JD.Inhibitory effects of stress on postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and vagal tone in healthy subjects.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2004;16(6):737-744. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2004.00544.xHall S, Kumaria A, Belli A.The role of vagus nerve overactivity in the increased incidence of pneumonia following traumatic brain injury.Br J Neurosurg. 2014;28(2):181-186. doi:10.3109/02688697.2013.835373Kenny BJ, Bordoni B.Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve) [Updated 2021 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/Cleveland Clinic.Vagus Nerve.Shimojo G, Joseph B, Shah R, Consolim-Colombo FM, De Angelis K, Ulloa L.Exercise activates vagal induction of dopamine and attenuates systemic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2019 Jan;75:181-191. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Oct 27. PMID: 30394312; PMCID: PMC6334665.Cahn BR, Goodman MS, Peterson CT, Maturi R, Mills PJ.Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Jun 26;11:315. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315. Erratum in: Front Hum Neurosci. 2022 Apr 08;16:868021. PMID: 28694775; PMCID: PMC5483482.Hoshikawa Y, Fitzke H, Sweis R, et al.Rumination syndrome: Assessment of vagal tone during and after meals and during diaphragmatic breathing.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2020;32(11):e13873. doi:10.1111/nmo.13873Jacobs V, May HT, Crandall BG, et al.Vagus nerve injury symptoms after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018;41(4):389-395. doi:10.1111/pace.13304Cleveland Clinic.5 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve.Das UN.Can vagus nerve stimulation halt or ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis and lupus?.Lipids Health Dis. 2011;10:19. Published 2011 Jan 24. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-10-19Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, et al.Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: A systematic review of the clinical research.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018;31:31-37. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008Freire RC, Cabrera-Abreu C, Milev R.Neurostimulation in Anxiety Disorders, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1191:331-346. doi:10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_18
Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G.Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044. PMID: 29593576; PMCID: PMC5859128.
Yin J, Levanon D, Chen JD.Inhibitory effects of stress on postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and vagal tone in healthy subjects.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2004;16(6):737-744. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2004.00544.x
Hall S, Kumaria A, Belli A.The role of vagus nerve overactivity in the increased incidence of pneumonia following traumatic brain injury.Br J Neurosurg. 2014;28(2):181-186. doi:10.3109/02688697.2013.835373
Kenny BJ, Bordoni B.Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve) [Updated 2021 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/
Cleveland Clinic.Vagus Nerve.
Shimojo G, Joseph B, Shah R, Consolim-Colombo FM, De Angelis K, Ulloa L.Exercise activates vagal induction of dopamine and attenuates systemic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2019 Jan;75:181-191. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Oct 27. PMID: 30394312; PMCID: PMC6334665.
Cahn BR, Goodman MS, Peterson CT, Maturi R, Mills PJ.Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Jun 26;11:315. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315. Erratum in: Front Hum Neurosci. 2022 Apr 08;16:868021. PMID: 28694775; PMCID: PMC5483482.
Hoshikawa Y, Fitzke H, Sweis R, et al.Rumination syndrome: Assessment of vagal tone during and after meals and during diaphragmatic breathing.Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2020;32(11):e13873. doi:10.1111/nmo.13873
Jacobs V, May HT, Crandall BG, et al.Vagus nerve injury symptoms after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018;41(4):389-395. doi:10.1111/pace.13304
Cleveland Clinic.5 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve.
Das UN.Can vagus nerve stimulation halt or ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis and lupus?.Lipids Health Dis. 2011;10:19. Published 2011 Jan 24. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-10-19
Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, et al.Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: A systematic review of the clinical research.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018;31:31-37. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008
Freire RC, Cabrera-Abreu C, Milev R.Neurostimulation in Anxiety Disorders, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1191:331-346. doi:10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_18
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