Everyone is “hacking” everything these days. It kinda makes me laugh how we get on an idea and all jump on the word and idea bandwagon. There are days that I think if I hear about one more person “hacking” something I just might hack. Thinking about hacking made me think about the vagus nerve because that is how this mind works. The vagus nerve is involved in the puking process, so that is where the connection happened.
The vagus nerve is pretty important in terms of our stress profile. What is a stress profile you ask? Simply put it is the individual characteristics and behaviors that protect against or contribute to stress. Being relaxed allows our entire body to function at optimal levels. It is my belief that if our body is given what it needs it can actually heal itself. I have read many statistics about the percentage of stress that is the foundation of all dis-ease. My gut tells me it is most likely about 98%, but statistically speaking, and the research that is out there to date, it is about 80-90% of all dis-ease is due to a root of chronic stress. What can we do on our own to help relieve this stress burden? So very many things. That is why I have started “The Education Corner”. If you take one thing and practice it 21x you have formed a new habit. If you take one idea today and implement it in your life you enrich your life and reduce your stress. Feeling good can be addictive. If you are going to have an addiction, reducing stress is a good one to have.
So let’s get down to business and address this idea of our vagus nerve and how it exactly plays a key role in how our body and mind manage stress. It begins its journey in the brainstem and extends all the way down to the tongue, vocal chords, heart, lungs, and other internal organs. See diagram:
The vagus nerve properly balanced and flowing can reduce the heart rate and blood pressure of a person. It impacts certain parts of the brain, the digestive process by releasing several anti-stress enzymes and hormones. A stimulated vagus nerve can improve memory, immune function, sleep, reduce ear ringing, higher levels of growth hormone, calm inflammation and hyper reactions, and combat tension headaches. Additionally, depression, anger, and anxiety can diminish and there is a good chance you could feel like a brand new person. If you look back up at that diagram it isn’t hard to imagine just how important this largest nerve in your body is. The list of benefits is actually longer than what I mentioned and quite impressive.
As a Biofeedback Technician this is a nerve I am always sure to visit and support in order to release stress. Usually my clients fall into a relaxed state and often fall asleep. Many of them report feeling more balanced after a few sessions of a vagus nerve emphasis for stress reduction. However, it is good to know how you can stimulate your own vagus nerve if you don’t have access to Biofeedback, or as a way to hold these good patterns in between your sessions. I have read all the “hacks” and they are good, so I thought I would give honorable mention here for you to explore. I want to really dig deep in this area and give the vagus nerve the time is deserves. If I just write a big long list that could be overwhelming and you may not apply any of it, so for this week I am going to give you one thing to try. Besides deep breathing (which will be discussed at great length another time), it is one of the most precious and effective ways to reduce stress. I am a believer in the mind, body, and spirit connection. I do not think they can be separated. Meditation or prayer unifies the 3 to work in such glorious rhythms.
Let’s get into Meditation and Prayer!
Taking the time to just be and choose to focus your attention on something other than your to do list is a huge relief to the mind and the body. It pulls us out of Sympathetic Nervous System “on” (chronic stress) and puts us into Parasympathetic “ahhhh” (relaxation). It is a practice that should be engaged in at least 1x a day for at least 10 minutes. If you don’t have time to do this please take a moment to evaluate that thought. You don’t have time to relax and nurture your mind, body, and spirit?! Why? We all make time for what we value. We can only give to others out of what we already possess. The idea I like to share is if you were a cup how much satisfying water would be left to give a thirsty person? Are you spilling over as if the faucet was left running, or is your cup as dry as a desert? Please make time to fill your cup up so that it is overflows. We are to love others as we love ourselves. Think about that. Your whole life will radically change and you will have more to give to others than you can possibly imagine right now. You will have peace, grace, and distribute with joy and contentment.
Ok, switching lecture mode-off!
Now, find a quiet place. Maybe for now it’s in your car before you go to work. My favorite place is my Sauna. Just find a place where you won’t be interrupted. Hide in your tub with headphones on if you have to, but find a place where you can unwind and be still. If you are into guided meditations, listen to that to help you out. If you enjoy praying that works too, but I encourage you to focus on praising and thanking God, not making requests, not right now. If you are open to chanting it isn’t as weird as it sounds to some. Sound is power. It creates. Certain tones are highly beneficial for the mind, body, and spirit. The “Om” vibration is very stimulating to the vagus nerve. Give it a try for a few minutes and see if you can feel how the vibrations give you a deep sense of calm and relaxation. God created everything with HIS voice. His voice. He spoke and it was made. There are great truths found in other cultures if we will only be open enough to realize it.
I really like to listen to Solfeggio tones while I pray. Here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91mFleY7oq8
I think that over time you experience a better body harmonic. They work at a very deep level. Some tones may be slightly irritating to you initially, but try to stay with it.
This is also a phenomenal guided meditation done by my favorite Biofeedback instructor, Gage Tarrant. If you purchase one, please let Gage know I referred you. http://www.quantumworldvision.com/mind-nrg-app/
Go to Pandora or look up on You Tube “relaxing music” or “meditation music” or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW7TH2U4hps These vibrations from the singing bowls can be quite profound. If you prefer worship music, I suggest worship in the Hebrew language. The language is quite vibrational and restorative, especially the Lord’s prayer.
No to do lists allowed. No negative energy or remembering a conflict or conversation or situation that upset you. This is a time for you to be filled with quiet, peace, love, hope, joy, faith, and contentment. This is time when perspective can change and stress is reduced greatly. Cherish this time and drink of it more deeply with each passing day.
I also believe that the chakras and auric field are crucial to our ability to cope with stress and maintain optimal wellness. Each chakra has a certain energy pattern. I will talk more about this another time. I do encourage you to be aware enough that if you see a color in your mind’s eye to take note of it and it explore it out further.
Quieting the mind takes practice and time. It is a process. Stick with it. Discipline your mind to not wander. Entrain it to stay focused on the word, theme, thought, idea, prayer, song, or stillness that you decide upon. When I first began this process I said the word “Echad”. It is Hebrew for unity in diversity. I now can quiet my mind to just enjoy the frequencies of the music I listen to, or the vibration of a sound I make. I usually leave calm, grounded, and centered and full of life. Sometimes solutions to problems will just come to me even though I didn’t ask for them. I just remain in a state of gratitude and stillness. I imagine my brain rising with my inhale and relaxing on the exhale. This activity has actually calmed me down and taught me to control my own brain waves. YES! You can control your own brain waves. Practice and time, practice and time!
The subconscious mind will live out your truth, so tell yourself, even aloud that you are going to train yourself to relax deeply and to release tensions daily with grace and ease. Write this out in cursive 21x before going to bed and then meditate the next morning. You will be amazed at how compliant your subconscious will become.
Throughout the day, think about what you are thinking about, listen to what you are saying. Are you thinking and speaking life. Our thoughts begin to create something into existence our words begin the process of fulfillment. Choose your thoughts and words carefully.
This some good love for the vagus nerve.
