Lockdown 2020: The start of the pandemic when the world closed up and everyone stayed home. Anxiety inducing are two words that sum up my state of mind four years ago. I would listen to the news, and my heart would race. I stopped watching the news, but my heart would still race in the evening.
I grew desperate to curb the anxiety. I did some research and found that meditation helps. I looked for meditation apps and found The Tapping Solution. My heart stopped racing the first time I tapped. Tapping is a form of self-acupressure combined with modern psychology, works. Why does it work? I think it has something to do with the Polyvagal Theory by Dr. Stephen Porges.
The Basics of the Polyvagal Theory
Dr. Stephen Porges first proposed the Polyvagal Theory in 1994. According to the polyvagal theory, there are three parts of the autonomic nervous system (ANS): the sympathetic (SNS), parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), and the ventral vagus system (VVS). With traditional theory, only the SNS and PNS make up the ANS. Twelve nerves originate in the brain, and the vagus nerve is one of them. Vagus nerve stimulation can override other parts of the ANS.
The Polyvagal Theory says we can stimulate the VVS to overcome the other circuits and put us into a state of mind that is better for our well-being. The vagus nerve is the largest nerve system in the body. It is responsible for relaxing sensory information plus controlling muscle movement. It controls movement around the back of the mouth, which helps swallow food. It also controls heart rate and is responsible for contractions in the intestines and other parts of the digestive tract, allowing food to pass through it.
The SNS is responsible for the freeze, flight, or fight response. When the SNS activates constantly, your brain thinks it is always under stress. Depression and anxiety result. Getting the PNS to kick in is the key to stopping this from happening. Your body relaxes when the PNS activates, and vagus nerve stimulation helps the PNS to kick in.
“When the sympathetic nervous system is constantly activated, it causes health issues since your body will not be able to nourish itself properly,” according to Richard Francis in his book, The Power of the Vagus Nerve: Your Body’s Secret Super Highway. “Your digestive system will be out of order, and this will only make things worse, further reinforcing the activation of the sympathetic nervous system.”
Stimulating the Vagus Nerve
There are many ways to stimulate the vagus nerve beyond tapping, including deep breathing, conscious breathing (observe your breath), meditation, prayer, probiotics, and nutrition.
Deep breathing
Deep breathing is a great place to start stimulating the vagus nerve. Researchers looked at the effects of deep breathing on 22 post-menopausal women with pre-hypertension. They found that deep breathing lowered blood pressure and “could enhance vagal activity.” Combining deep breathing with tapping increases the benefits. Once a day, I practice tapping while deep breathing.
Meditation
A daily meditation practice stimulates the vagus nerve. After a year of practicing tapping every day, I began a meditation practice. I would do a few tapping meditations, and then spend 15 minutes practicing a combination of meditation and contemplative prayer. I would start by silently saying the Jesus Prayer (Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me) three times. Then I count my breath 15 times. I think a number on the in-breath and the word “out” on the out-breath. I would then take each section of the Jesus prayer and repeat the process. I also experimented with breath prayer. On the in-breath I silently say, “Jesus,” and on the out-breath, I say, “Help” (or heal, deliver, and mercy.
Nutrition
Studies show there are links between our gut microbiota (the bacteria, good and bad, that reside in the gut) and mental health. The vagus nerve plays a part, so probiotics and fiber, which both build up good gut bacteria, are key ways to stimulate the vagus nerve. I take a probiotic supplement every morning that contains prebiotic fiber and digestive enzymes.
Since proper nutrition, plays a role in vagus nerve stimulation, I eat plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and fruit. Here is an example to show you the types of foods I typically eat:
Breakfast: Steel-cut oats with a tablespoon of chia seeds and a tablespoon of flaxseed meal, strawberries, and a teaspoon or two of Pyure Organic Stevia Blend, which is a combination of stevia and erythritol.
Lunch: Generally leftovers from the night before. For example, this afternoon I ate a stir fry with broccoli, red onions, carrots, petite-cut tomatoes, collard greens, and tempeh cut into small cubes for protein.
Dinner: I like to eat vegetables combined with protein. For example, I love to eat collard greens and black-eyed peas. I eat a big bowl of it.
Splashing cold water on the face
Splashing cold water on the face or taking a cold shower stimulates the vagus nerve. One study concluded that cold stimulation reduces heart rate. What I do is when I wash my face at night, I splash cold water on my face, even if I wash with warm water. I like to do what I can to calm my brain before bed to sleep better.
Building a Daily Routine
The key to a mental health or spiritual practice is using your tools daily. It takes time to see big results, but if you keep practicing what stimulates the vagus nerve, you will lessen the effects of trauma. I am living proof that these practices work.
Consider supporting me with a paid subscription so I can provide more content for you on trauma recovery. You can also support me with a donation on my Ko-Fi page.
Resources
The Power of the Vagus Nerve: Your Body’s Secret Super Highway by Richard Francis The book is free with Kindle Unlimited or $3.99 for a Kindle version.
4-In-1 Probiotics by Nature Target
Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome by Will Bulsiewicz MD
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Your journey through discovering and implementing vagus nerve stimulation to manage anxiety is not only inspiring but profoundly educational. It's fascinating to see how combining ancient practices like meditation with modern science like the Polyvagal Theory can lead to real healing. What other practices or tools have you found beneficial in your journey that you might explore further or recommend to others facing similar challenges? Your insights are incredibly valuable to those looking for natural ways to enhance their well-being.