The Vagus Nerve and the Mind-Body Connection
UNDERSTANDING THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION.
When we hold onto stress, our brains get stuck in a sympathetic cycle - which is where our fight or flight reaction comes from. No matter if this is the stress from a traumatic event or compounding little stressors that add up overtime, our bodies see it all the same. When this happens, our fear mechanism drives elevated stress hormones throughout our bodies, which then affects our entire internal environment. Our bodies shut down parasympathetic activities, such as digestion, which leads to a host of issues.
We can break this cycle by stimulating our vagus nerve, aka the modulator of the gut-brain axis. This nerve runs from the brain, all the way down the spine, touching almost all of the major bodily organs along the way. It’s responsible for a variety of bodily functions such as digestion, mood, immunity, and heart rate.
The vagus nerve has four main functions, one of which is activating parasympathetic activity in the body which is responsible for our rest and digest response. But, when the body is in a state of stress, rest and digest turns off and fight or flight turns on. Through the vagus nerve, the brain signals to the rest of the body that it’s in danger, and those systems shut down to conserve energy for the perceived threat. This is why you can eat all of the anti-inflammatory foods in the world, but if you’re living in a state of chronic stress your symptoms will never disappear.
This is where mindfulness tools and techniques come into play, which typically means intentionally carving out time throughout the day to activate the body’s rest and digest response. So as we improve the body’s internal environment, we activate the vagus nerve, which sends signals to the brain that we are safe. This then allows the body to resume parasympathetic activities, and ultimately heal.
Here’s a quote I love that sums it all up:
“When we experience stress in our lives, whether it’s in chronic low levels or in intense traumatic events, a cascade of events are triggered in our minds and bodies that can lead to disease. As we become aware of this process, we’re able to work to realign the communication between our mind and body to experience greater wellbeing. You have the choice to change the way you look at things. Your thoughts send a message to your subconscious, so make them positive thoughts. Use your thoughts to help you heal.”
Physical health IS mental health, which is why both must be taken care of equally. And luckily it’s 2022, so nervous system regulation is now seen as trendy. Try it out sometime.