Vagus Vacation??? Part 1: What is Your Vagus Nerve.

Well, it could kind of be like a vacation, I guess... While many may venture to Las Vegas for fun, relaxation, and to de-stress themselves, your vagus nerve is actually your own secret weapon in fighting stress and the effects of stress without the expense and time off required to go to Las Vegas or any vacation for that matter. We are going to take time to delve into what exactly your vagus nerve is and how it impacts your body, and most importantly, how you can tap into this 'weapon' and combat stress more naturally. 

The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves. It transmits information to or from the surface of the brain to tissues and organs elsewhere in the body. The name “vagus” comes from the Latin term for “wandering.” This is because the vagus nerve wanders from the brain into organs in the neck, chest, and abdomen. It is also known as the 10th cranial nerve or cranial nerve X.

The vagus nerve has two bunches of sensory nerve cell bodies, and it connects the brainstem to the body. It allows the brain to monitor and receive information about several of the body’s different functions.

There are multiple nervous system functions provided by the vagus nerve and its related parts. The vagus nerve functions contribute to the autonomic nervous system, which consists of the parasympathetic and sympathetic parts.

The nerve is responsible for certain sensory activities and motor information for movement within the body.

Essentially, it is part of a circuit that links the neck, heart, lungs, and the abdomen to the brain.

Why is it important?

1. Dysregulation and dysfunction can lead to physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral problems.
2. The way we live has a large and direct impact on the Vagus Nerve function.
3. Knowing certain techniques can greatly improve the outcomes of our healing.
4. The Vagus Nerve is the primary component of your parasympathetic nervous system, and as a result, plays a key role in your heart rate, breathing rate, digestion, and detoxification.
5. It runs our relaxation system and brings more information from our body to our brain than from our brain to our body.

The vagus nerve has a number of different functions. The four key functions of the vagus nerve are:

• Sensory: From the throat, heart, lungs, and abdomen.
• Special sensory: Provides taste sensation behind the tongue.
• Motor: Provides movement functions for the muscles in the neck responsible for swallowing and speech.
• Parasympathetic: Responsible for the digestive tract, respiration, and heart rate functioning.

The nervous system can be divided into two areas: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic side increases alertness, energy, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate. The parasympathetic side, which the vagus nerve is heavily involved in, decreases alertness, blood pressure, and heart rate, and helps with calmness, relaxation, and digestion. 

Other vagus nerve effects include:

• Communication between the brain and the gut
• Relaxation with deep breathing
• Decreasing inflammation
• Lowering the heart rate and blood pressure
• Fear management

Curious about what effect this could have on you and your body?  Please continue to follow our blog series and learn more.  Schedule an appointment to invest in yourself with Rita, and make sure your body is the best it can be.

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