Nourishing Your Nerves
The Vagus nerve, your body’s superhighway, seems to be getting a lot of attention lately. Or maybe it’s like being pregnant; you don’t notice other pregnant women until you are one, and then you see them everywhere.
I’m guessing you aren’t pregnant, but on the chance you haven’t paid attention to your Vagus nerve to see how important it is, let me introduce you.
The Vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It begins in the brain, goes through the neck and traverses the digestive system, liver, spleen, pancreas, heart and lungs. It is a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the relaxation part of the system (as opposed to the sympathetic nervous system which is ‘fight of flight’).
By keeping it toned and in good condition, we impact many of our physical and emotional systems and build up our resilience to bounce back from challenge, stress & fear. It can also respond to the gut microbiome to modulate inflammation. Low vagal tone is associated with chronic fatigue, depression, cardiovascular issues and high rates of inflammatory conditions including all autoimmune issues.
Energetically, the Vagus nerve helps to balance the heart and brain for greater harmony and increased states of awareness. It helps us to develop greater compassion, telepathy, intuition and connection with ourselves, others and the natural world.
The tone is measured by looking at your heart rate and breathing rate. Your heart rate increases during inhalation and decreases during exhalation; the bigger the difference between those 2 rates, the higher your vagal tone and a high tone means that your body can relax faster after it’s been stressed.
Toning your vagal nerve is easy to do and I wanted to bring it to your attention since it is so important. A lot of the energy is coming in through our nervous system, so keep it in good health!
Here are a few ways to help to tone it, which, naturally, I hope you already include in your life.
Slow rhythmic, deep breathing
Humming, singing, chanting, laughing
Meditation, Inner Smiling
Yoga, exercise, stretching
Balancing the gut microbiome, eating well
Are you beginning to see just how important good quality self-care is? No, not important, mandatory, IF you want to maintain your whole-being health and wellness long term. I know I do!
So, for today, take 10 minutes (or as long as you choose to) and tend to yourself. What would be most delicious and nourishing to you right now?
You matter. A lot.
Big Heartfelt Hugs,
Suzanne