In the world of wellness and mental health, for some time now bloggers, experts and coaches have been talking about the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and is responsible for a variety of functions, including digestion, relaxation, making social connections and our fight or flight mode; the response to our body feeling scared, stressed or traumatised. What does this have to do with movement you ask?
If you have been feeling permanently caught in fight or flight mode, stressed and unable to focus, then you need to know more about the vagus nerve and I will go further into the connection that movement has with this nerve after we get a foundational understanding of what it is.
The ANS is split into two main parts that travel down the left and right side of the body; one being the ventral branch which is fully activated when relaxed and the dorsal branch, which is primarily the primitive response to extreme stress. These two branches are connected to the upper and lower abdomen and the organs in these respective areas.
This brings me to the Polyvagal theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, which explains the role of the nervous system in our behaviour, emotions and overall mental health. The Polyvagal theory explains that three adaptive, innate responses enable our survival: one for safety, one for danger and one for extreme threats. These are as follows:
- Mobilisation – the activation of the sympathetic fight or flight response.
- Immobilisation – the activation of the dorsal vagal system where you find the freeze, collapse or shut down response.
- Social engagement – ventral vagal system or parasympathetic nervous system that is activated when you feel relaxed and safe.
Ideally, there should be a balance between your autonomic nervous system’s sympathetic and parasympathetic portions. We want the ventral vagus nerve to be running the show most of the time, fostering a strong sense of well-being, calmness and security in your life and the dorsal vagus nerve should seldom be triggered, only responding in extreme cases of danger or trauma. Unfortunately for us, the reality of modern life is that most people stay in a permanent state of fight or flight, which has a detrimental effect on our entire well-being, health and quality of life.
Movement and the healthy functioning of the human body and mind are intrinsically connected, it is synchronistic, the desired outcome being a healthy overall balance which can only be achieved when incorporating movement into your life. When we cease movement, the body and mind go into atrophy, which is the breakdown of cells, nerves, muscle, tissue and bones. The ripple effect leads to poor health, both physically and mentally and we lose our vigour for life.
The vagus nerve also goes into atrophy. If overstimulated with stress the body and mind are stuck in fight or flight which will lead to the dumping of stress hormones and throwing the overall balance out in your entire body. Contrasting to this, if we never trigger the dorsal branch for extreme stress response, it loses its effectiveness and we are less likely to handle the effects when it does occur.
What is often discussed is the benefits of meditation, breathwork, ice baths and other calming practices that can rebalance the vagus nerve, but what I want to touch base on is the effects of movement and raising the heart rate as a tool to do this as well.
We need variation in the heart rate for a healthy functioning vagus nerve and exercise raises our heart rate for short periods which will increase blood flow, and cell regeneration and trigger the fight or flight mode. This allows the body to trigger the response in a healthy manner for a time period of our choosing, before the ventral branch of the vagus nerve then takes the lead and relaxes us, releasing endorphins and pleasure hormones that will lift our mental health too.
Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga can act as a stress regulator and reliever because it helps your body and its systems practice working together through these effects. Exercise also helps with cardiovascular function, and digestion and boosts your immune system by helping protect your body from the harmful effects of stress. Think of movement as a type of meditation. Meditation in motion as you focus on the one task at hand, focusing on your breathwork which is essential for stamina and let’s not forget the release of endorphins that help you feel good, optimistic and more focused.
How Much?
A combination of exercises that raise your heart rate such as jogging, swimming, biking or walking to name a few, for 30 minutes – 5 times a week and moderate weightlifting or an exercise like Pilates or Yoga for toning your muscles and building endurance twice a week is optimal. However, we all need to start somewhere and it’s important you speak to your healthcare provider before taking on any new activities. Especially, if you have injuries or ailments that might be aggravated by not understanding your limits. Perhaps start with walking, before working your way up to running. Or, in many cases, swimming can be a gentler form of exercise, especially for those in recovery from injury.
I hope this inspires you, on your journey to a wholesome healthy life!
Leila Verban, Our Expert
Leila Verban is a creative writer and a qualified Yoga teacher who is the sole owner of Earth Side Yoga. Situated at the base of the Eungella Range, she continues to evolve her practice and refine her skills to incorporate counselling, meditation, energy healing and positive manifestation.
- Leila Verban, Our Expert
- Leila Verban, Our Expert
- Leila Verban, Our Expert
- Leila Verban, Our Expert
