Regulate to Thrive: Understanding Your Nervous System and Hacking the Vagus Nerve
- Isabelle Hartmann
- May 30
- 3 min read
We often talk about “feeling stressed” or “needing to calm down,” but have you ever stopped to consider what’s actually happening in your body during those moments? The key lies in your autonomic nervous system—and learning how to support it can completely change the way you handle stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.
Parasympathetic vs. Sympathetic Nervous System: What’s the Difference?
Your autonomic nervous system has two main branches:
• Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): This is your body’s “fight or flight” mode. It kicks in when you’re under stress—heart rate increases, muscles tense, digestion slows, and your brain becomes hyper-alert to potential threats.
• Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Often referred to as “rest and digest,” this system promotes calm, digestion, healing, and restoration. When it’s activated, your heart rate slows, breathing deepens, and your body shifts into repair mode.
Both systems are essential, but many of us live in a state of chronic sympathetic activation due to modern stressors—think notifications, deadlines, parenting demands, or even unresolved trauma.
Enter the Vagus Nerve: Your Built-In Reset Button
The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, connecting your brain to your heart, lungs, digestive tract, and more. It plays a central role in activating your parasympathetic nervous system and regulating things like:
• Heart rate
• Digestion
• Mood and anxiety
• Immune response
• Inflammation
Stimulating the vagus nerve can help you shift out of fight-or-flight mode and into rest-and-digest mode.
How to “Hack” Your Body When You’re Dysregulated
If you’ve ever felt hijacked by anxiety, panic, sensory overload, or just general overwhelm, here are evidence-based ways to activate your vagus nerve and regulate your nervous system:
1. Deep, Slow Breathing
• Try box breathing: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.
• Focused breath work increases vagal tone and calms the mind.
2. Cold Exposure
• Splash cold water on your face or place a cold pack on your chest.
• This triggers the dive reflex and slows your heart rate.
3. Humming, Chanting, or Singing
• The vagus nerve runs through your throat—vocal vibrations stimulate it.
• Try humming or even singing loudly in the car!
4. Gargling
• A surprisingly effective method that stimulates the vagus nerve endings in your throat.
5. Laughter
• Genuine laughter—especially belly laughs—activates your parasympathetic system.
6. Connection and Eye Contact
• Safe social interaction helps regulate your nervous system via the vagus nerve’s role in social engagement.
7. Gentle Movement
• Activities like yoga, stretching, or walking outdoors support regulation.
Why It Matters
Understanding your nervous system is a game changer for mental health, trauma recovery, parenting, and even supporting neurodivergent individuals. When you learn how to regulate your body, you’re better equipped to:
• Handle stressful situations calmly
• Recover from emotional dysregulation faster
• Support children and others in co-regulation
• Create space for healing and growth
Final Thoughts
You can’t think your way out of a dysregulated state. But by working with your body, you can restore balance and resilience. Learning to hack your nervous system isn’t about becoming perfectly calm all the time—it’s about recognizing what your body needs and giving it the tools to return to safety.
\
Further Learning: Resources on the Vagus Nerve and Nervous System Regulation
Want to dive deeper into the vagus nerve, parasympathetic regulation, and how to support your nervous system? Check out these trusted resources!
Comments