This Little-Known Body Part Might Hold The Secret To Our Mental Health
by Marissa Pomerance
There’s a body part that no one knows about. But it might be the Answer To Everything.
The answer to health and well-being and the mystery of the gut-brain axis.
It’s called the Vagus nerve (pronounced “Vegas,”) and I know what you’re thinking—no, it’s confusingly not located in the vagina. If you were hoping to read that article, click here instead.
The Vagus nerve is the longest and most complex cranial nerve. It runs from the brain through the face to the abdomen, with branches to the heart, lungs, and digestive tract, and plays a role in everything from nervous system disorders and inflammation to mental health. Which is why we think the Vagus nerve could be the secret key to optimal mental health and happiness.
Here’s why this little-known nerve is so important:
1. It’s responsible for your “gut feelings.”
The vagus nerve is one of the main pathways of communication between the gut and the brain.
It can actually sense changes to the gut microbiome, and then send signals to the brain, so changes to the microbiome can change neurochemistry through the vagus nerve.
Which is why changes to the gut can affect your mental health—the way the vagus nerve conveys signals from the gut can influence decision-making, mood, and behavior.
2. It plays a huge role in your mental health.
There’s actually a measurement of your vagus nerve, called “vagal tone,” which is associated with attention, emotional regulation, reactivity, and inhibitions.
Lower vagal tone correlates to emotional reactivity; so the less active your Vagus nerve, the more reactionary you are. Lower vagal tone is also a marker of stress sensitivity, whereas higher vagal tone high “is associated with improved physiological recovery following stress.”
3. It soothes anxiety.
The Vagus nerve controls our “rest and digest” response, known as the parasympathetic nervous system, which is why it might hold the key to calming our nervous system and soothing our anxiety.
When your body goes into stress mode, the vagus nerve is what tells it to calm down.
In fact, the vagus nerve influences our breathing. Our heart rates. Our digestive system. So stimulating the vagus nerve releases a neurotransmitter that literally slows down our heart rates and encourages our “rest and digest” response, counteracting this stress response.
And by tapping into the vagus nerve, you can actually reduce your stress and anxiety.
4. The vagus nerve fights inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is at the root of debilitating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
But the vagus nerve could be the secret weapon in the fight against inflammation.
Because when the vagus nerve senses an overabundance of inflammatory markers, like cytokines, it releases neurotransmitters that suppress this inflammatory response. Which is why…
5. Implantable devices that stimulate the Vagus nerve can treat everything from epilepsy to arthritis.
Here’s where things get really interesting-- stimulating the vagus nerve can seriously reduce inflammation, so scientists and doctors are studying implantable devices that deliver electric pulses to the vagus nerve.
These devices have, so far, shown amazing results in reducing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and even epileptic seizures, particularly for patients who didn’t respond to other medication.
Some devices have already been FDA approved to treat epilepsy and depression.
And if devices implanted inside your body aren’t your thing, just know that non-invasive devices have already been approved in Europe to treat epilepsy, depression, and pain, and some have been approved in the US for cluster headaches.
6. Stress is one of the worst culprits of a malfunctioning vagus nerve.
Stress stimulates the fight-or-flight response, which inhibits the functions of the Vagus nerve, disrupting its anti-inflammatory properties, and hindering its ability to regulate the gut. And a malfunctioning Vagus nerve can lead to anxiety, inflammation, depression, and emotional reactivity.
7. You can tap into the magic of the vagus nerve through simple actions like singing and breathing.
Improving your vagal tone can improve your physical health, mental health, and response to stress. And there’s a bunch of things you can do to actually improve your vagal tone over time. Most of them aren’t even all that hard:
Deep, diaphragmatic, paced breathing: We know. “Take a deep breath” is something you’ve heard a thousand times. BUT. Deep, slow, diaphragmatic breaths with a prolonged exhale can actually stimulate the Vagus nerve to slow the heart rate and blood pressure, lessening the physiological symptoms of anxiety.
Sing: Yepp. Belting out your favorite tune can stimulate the Vagus nerve, slowing your respiration and heart rate.
Drink cold water: Sips of cold water can also stimulate the Vagal Nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, slowing down the heart rate and creating a calming feeling.
Face Time: Social connectedness, especially face-to-face (or over Facetime!) helps mitigate our stress response, tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system and the Vagus nerve. Increases in connectedness can actually lead to increases in Vagal tone.
Positive Self-Talk: Third-person, positive self-talk has also been shown to improve vagal tone.
Moderate Exercise: Vagal tone isn’t a muscle. But mild to moderate exercise has been shown to increase vagal tone. Don’t worry—you don’t need to go crazy. In fact, science suggests you shouldn’t overdo it on the exercise.
Now excuse me while I go sing at the top of my lungs— it’s for my mental health.
Marissa Pomerance is the Managing Editor of The Candidly. She’s a Los Angeles native and lover of all things food, style, beauty, and wellness. You can find more of her articles here.
