The Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve originates in the brain stem and travels down to internal organs such as the vocal cords, heart, lungs, pancreas, and appendix.

The vagus nerve is a central nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system that regulates the sympathetic system and its stress hormones.

Researchers and doctors have found that stimulating the vagus nerve is an easy and quick way to relieve anxiety, migraines, depression, digestive problems, fertility problems, and many others.

When the vagus nerve is balanced, the blood pressure stabilizes, the immune system functions optimally, the breathing rate corrects itself, the defense system improves significantly, the sleep pattern and mood stabilize, the digestive system works better, and the natural killer cells in our body function at their peak.

The vagus nerve controls all our involuntary actions: and affects breathing, heart rate, swallowing, blood pressure, digestion, and intestinal health. It also controls the activity of the bladder.

A healthy and balanced vagus nerve allows cognitive access to areas of the brain responsible for creativity and decision-making. It is actually a cranial (cranial) nerve and its role is to innervate internal organs in the body as part of the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for calming and preserving actions when the body is at rest and is also responsible for speeding up physical actions during survival and stress situations in order to allow the body to react properly.

The nerve travels from top to bottom in the spaces of the body:

First stop- responsible for the movement of nodding the head, focusing the gaze forward, pronunciation, and the expression of the voice.

The second stop - continues down and descends towards the heart and lungs. It is responsible for our breathing, and coordinates between breathing and heart rate.

Third stop - the liver, pancreas, large and small intestine.

Last stop - shaping the genitals.

Stimulating the vagus nerve releases an array of enzymes and anti-stress hormones such as acetylcholine, prolactin, and oxytocin.

The stimulation of this nerve is associated with improved memory, improved immune system function, deep sleep, and secretion of a greater amount of growth hormone. It also regulates inflammation in the body, allergic reactions, headaches, and stress.

Cognitively, vagus stimulation helps with anxiety and depression problems. Researchers from the University of Virginia were able to prove that nerve stimulation of the vagus nerve releases norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter) to a part of the brain that regulates arousal, memory, and feelings related to emotional stimuli and activates them. After activation, the brain puts the emotional experiences into long-term memory. Understanding emotional memory pathways can help in the clinical treatment of intrusive memories and conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's.

Effect of vagus nerve stimulation in the intestines: increase in stomach acidity, the normal release of digestive juices and peristalsis of the intestines, abdominal flow. In the stomach: increases the release of histamine which helps in the release of acid in the stomach and thus helps in the absorption of vitamin b12.

In the heart: reducing the risk of heart disease.

The liver and pancreas contribute to balancing blood sugar levels and support detoxification from the liver. It releases the hormone melatonin in the blood which protects against type 2 diabetes by regulating glucose metabolism through control of insulin secretion and leptin production.

This nerve supports kidney function and helps regulate blood pressure.

In terms of fertility, it connects the cervix to the uterus and the vagina and supports the normal functioning of the hormonal system.

It helps release tears and saliva and prevents dryness in the cells.

Also, the vagus nerve affects the release of oxytocin, a hormone that is important in tying socializing processes between people, a sense of closeness and intimacy, and altruistic behavior.

Ways to stimulate the vagus nerve:

1 - Deep diaphragmatic breathing, while controlling inhalation and exhalation. This action activates the parasympathetic system and stimulates the turtle itself. The goal is 5 inhalation-exhalation cycles per minute.

2 - Immersion of the face in cold water. (I will devote a special blog to the qualities of cold treatment). For our purposes, studies show that immersing the face in cold water, especially after exercise, can quickly stimulate the vagus nerve and help balance the heart rate while stimulating the immune system. The area of ​​the face that is most accessible to stimulation of the vagus bone is the area behind the eyeballs, so the best way is to sit and immerse your face in a bowl of very cold water, from the forehead to at least two-thirds of the cheeks.

3 - the hum, hum, singing. Since the vagus nerve is connected to the vocal cords, activating them with a hum stimulates it mechanically. The easiest way is to inhale through the nostrils and exhale in a hum.

4 - the balance of intestinal bacteria. Probiotics and proper nutrition. The presence of healthy bacteria in the gut creates a positive feedback loop and thus good and normal activity of the vagus nerve.

5 - Aromatherapy. Customized oils will stimulate and stimulate the nerve to function properly.

An interesting fact about the vagus nerve is that it transmits messages between the stomach and the brain.

About 80-85% of the nerve fibers in the vagus nerve innervate the intestines. What we call "gut feelings" is actually a feedback transmission between the "brain" of the gut and the brain.

In 2014, Swiss researchers were able to identify how emotional intuitions - the instincts of the stomach that go to the brain via the vagus nerve - are related to different reactions to fear.

Additional studies show that the optimal vagal tone of the vagus nerve helps to recover easily from stressful situations.

In fact, stimulation of the vagus nerve has now become accepted in alternative medicine and is used in the treatment of epilepsy, severe depression, (the purpose of electrical therapy for mental exhaustion is actually stimulating the vagus), post-traumatic stress disorders, and other anxiety disorders.

I am inviting you to a half-hour of free diagnosis, which includes all the parameters for a perfect fit of treatments and preparations for the face and body.

Good health wishes, Inbal

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* The information and content on the site and in this post do not constitute a medical opinion or medical substitute for consulting a doctor, any medical material appearing on this site is for informational purposes only and should not be considered in any way medical advice and/or recommendation for medical treatment and/or substitute for medical treatment.