The vagus nerve: Your pathway to calm.
When you think about stress, you might picture racing thoughts, a pounding heart, or tense shoulders. But the real key to how your body handles stress lies deeper -- in your nervous system. And one of the most powerful players in this system is the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, running from your brainstem all the way down through your chest and abdomen. It acts as a communication superhighway between your brain and your vital organs, including your heart, lungs, and digestive tract.
Why is this important?
The vagus nerve is central to the parasympathetic nervous system -- your body's "rest and digest" mode. When it's active, your heart rate slows, digestion improves, and your body shifts out of fight-or-flight stress and into a state of restoration.
A well-functioning vagus nerve helps you:
Calm down more quickly after stress
Sleep more deeply
Support digestion and gut health
Build emotional resilience
In fact, research shows that people with higher vagal tone (a measure of how well the vagus nerve is working) experience greater emotional balance, improved physical health, and stronger stress recovery.
The good news? You can train and strengthen your vagus nerve. Simple practices like breathwork, gentle movement, and mindfulness have been shown to activate it -- helping you reset your nervous system and build resilience over time.
Ready to reset? That's exactly what we will be practicing at our Vagus Nerve Reset Group at Evolve Wellness. Led by Tyler Mauler and Megan Miller, LGPC, this group meets bi-weekly on Mondays at 6 PM and teaches accessible techniques for calming and resilience. This group is eligible for CareFirst coverage, and current Evolve Wellness members receive additional discounts. Learn more and sign up on our website, or call our office at (410)989-2034.
Your body already has the tools to heal and regulate -- come learn how to activate them.