relieve neck tension & stimulate the vagus nerve in 10 minutes
In my two decades as a yoga therapist and yoga teacher, sharing practices that help my students relieve chronic stress and tap into the relaxation response has been at the crux of my work. And I’m finding that exploring the innerworkings of our nervous system has never been more important than it is today.
It’s exciting that, thanks to TikTok and IG, these days more people are aware of how our nervous system plays a role in our own well-being, as well as the health of our relationships with each other.
But I wanted to share a few things that our “feed” tends to leave out when talking about the vagus nerve, in particular, since it is central part of the story.
vagus nerve 101
Meaning “wandering” in Latin, vagus is the longest of 12 cranial nerves, and it’s a collection of thousands of fibers organized into two bundles, running from the brain stem down into the pelvis.
Since it winds its way from our head, down our neck, through the chest around the heart and lungs, and through the abdomen and intestines, the vagus nerve innervates almost every organ.
Research is continually discovering the vast impact of the vagus nerve—on our mood, on treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, on conditions like epilepsy and diabetes, as well as inflammatory autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis.
There is even some preliminary research suggesting that Long Covid symptoms could originate, in part, from the virus’ effect on the vagus nerve.
Stimulating the vagus nerve stimulates our parasympathetic (relaxation) response, and luckily for us there are a variety of ways we can enhance and activate the vagus nerve — through belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, releasing tension in the psoas (my free workshop explored this).
In addition, since the vagus nerve runs down either side of our neck, focusing on this area can also help support us in shifting into a state of rest and digest.
free practice:
relieve neck tension & stimulate the vagus nerve
In my latest blog post, I’d like to share a 10-minute practice to help us relieve neck tension, while at the same time incorporating “humming” through the Voo Breath, developed by renowned somatic therapist Peter Levine, which is shown to directly stimulate the vagus.
You may pause and practice this short sequence at any time—after waking, in between meetings, before bed—to feel more at ease, more open, and more connected.
Bonus: If you experience “tech neck,” this is going to feel a m a z i n g.
Interested in further exploring the nervous system and accessing practices that help you or your students tap into the relaxation response? Here are a few quick links:
My Anatomy of Rest & Digest practice series (now available on demand) supports us in working through the brain-gut axis to improve GI function and initiate a state of neurological relaxation—rest and digest. This workshop-style series dives into the sceince of rest and digest and working with stress and relaxation through practices that focus on the psoas, diaphragm, and vagus nerve.
My upcoming new series, Presencing: Heart Practices for Hard Times, will continue this work with practices that support our nervous system, i service of allowing us to show up in our lives and connect with the world around us, particularly during these overwhelming times. Learn more here.
Finally, if you’re interested in a deep dive of the science and application of these practices, so you can share them with your students or clients, my Restorative Yoga Teacher Training starts on January 24. Learn more here.