Photo by Maxim Potkin ❄ on Unsplash

Why Learning About the Vagus Nerve is a Game Changer?

One of the most powerful healing tools you have is already inside you. It’s called the vagus nerve, and it plays a huge role in how calm, connected and safe you feel, especially during stressful times.

Learning about the vagus nerve has changed my life. I lived with anxiety for years, without even realising. Chronic stress, emotional strain and an autoimmune condition left me feeling constantly on edge - tired, in pain, overwhelmed and disconnected. I didn’t understand why my body felt “stuck,” or that I was operating in fight-or-flight survival mode.

Everything shifted for me when I learned how to soothe my vagus nerve and move out of this stress response state. Through various practices like meditation, breathwork and slow mindful yoga and Pilates, I started to feel calmer, more present, less reactive and reconnect to a sense of safety within myself. Now, more than a decade later, my default state is no longer fear and I feel lighter, more playful and happier than I ever thought possible.

So what is the Vagus Nerve?

Think of the vagus nerve as a communication highway between your brain and your body.
It starts at your brainstem and runs down through your neck, heart, lungs and gut - connecting to all the places that help regulate your breathing, digestion, heart rate, mood, and sense of calm.

It’s a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” part that helps you relax and recover, as opposed to the “fight or flight” stress response that was my default state in my early adult years.

When your vagus nerve is well-toned (we call that high vagal tone), you feel:

• calmer and more grounded

• less reactive or anxious

• more emotionally steady

• improvement in your sleep, digestion and energy

When it's not functioning well, you may feel:

• stuck in anxiety or survival mode

• tired, foggy or overwhelmed

• digestive issues or poor sleep

• disconnected, overly sensitive or emotionally reactive

That used to be me! I had no idea this was all connected to my nervous system! It made sense why practising yoga (postures, breathwork, meditation) and mindful pilates made me feel so good.

How do we support the Vagus Nerve?

Simple, gentle daily practices can help tone and regulate your vagus nerve, supporting calm, connection and resilience. Some of the most effective ways include:

• Deep breathing & sighing

• Slow, intentional movement, yoga & meditation

• Humming, chanting, singing

• Cold water on your face or short cold showers

• Touch and massage

• Aromatherapy like lavender or frankincense

• Rest, boundaries, nature time and screen breaks

• Connection, laughter and feeling safe with others

Practising yoga, Pilates, meditation, breathwork, humming, chanting, fascia rolling, aromatherapy, time in nature, rest, laughter and connection, cold showers are some of the tools that helped me shift out of years of stress. I no longer feel like everything is so hard. Now I am much more in tune with my body and my needs and am much more present and calm. I have learned how to work with my nervous system, not against it.

Photo by Vicki Hansen from StoryCast

Where do you start?

You can start by practising any one or a combination of the abovementioned tools, either alone or guided by a practioner.

At EmpowerMe Now, our classes will help you activate the parasympathetic system and reset your vagus nerve, deepening body awareness to support regulation and healing through yoga, Pilates, meditation, breathwork, humming, chanting, fascia rolling, aromatherapy, rest, laughter and connection.

Our classes are are not just physical workouts. They are nervous system nourishment that help you feel safe in your body, clear in your mind and centered in your soul. We've got you no matter whether you’re moving through pain, exhaustion, stress or simply want to get stronger, more flexible and feel more at ease, not just in your body, but in your whole self.

Try us here.

Movement is medicine, and when it's mindful, it becomes a path to healing and empowerment.