What happens in vagus...

...might be the key to your wellbeing

Photo by Hanna Postova on Unsplash

‘The vagus nerve? I’m vaguely aware of it!’

That was the response from one health-conscious friend when I asked how much she knows about the body’s longest cranial nerve. It’s one of those things that’s often mentioned in health and wellness articles and Instagram posts, but many of us are not really clear on what it actually is.

Anna Campbell is the author of The Vagus Nerve Reset: Train your body to heal stress, trauma and anxiety. It’s the book for you if you saw that title and thought:
stress ✔️
trauma ✔️
anxiety ✔️
Sign me up!

‘The vagus nerve is a key part of the autonomic nervous system,’ she says. ‘Picture it as a superhighway, carrying information between the brain and internal organs (including the heart, lungs and digestive tract) and vice versa, to control bodily functions during states of rest and digestion.’

When people talk about the gut-brain axis (meaning the way that your thoughts and emotions affect your gut, as well as how gut health has an impact on memory, mood and concentration), the vagus nerve is a big part of that.

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‘The vagus nerve plays a vital role in the body’s stress response and helping to promote a state of relaxation,’ says Anna. She compares it to ‘a two-way walkie-talkie’, sharing information between your brain and body. But surprisingly, it’s not your brain doing most of the talking; it’s your body.

‘Your body is sending four times as much information to your brain as your brain is to your body,’ she explains. ‘Of all the traffic on that superhighway, 80% of it is heading one way, and only 20% is coming from your brain to your body! This gives you an accessible resource to influence your mental health and wellbeing in a meaningful and effective way.’

There is not a person on this earth that won’t benefit from this. All of us deal with stress and anxiety at some point in our lives, and harnessing the power of the vagus nerve can help you navigate life’s challenges.

Before we get on to specific tools and practices, the first thing is to understand that everything we do has an impact on our nervous system, from exercise and nutrition to sleep and breathing patterns.