I Love The Vagus Nerve

Emotions are felt in the gut and communicated via the vagus nerve (VN), pronounced VAY-gis, like Vegas. The vagus nerve reminds me of my Aunt Patsy, who earned the nickname “Vegas Patsy” for her love of Las Vegas and the soulful music that flowed throughout lounges on the Las Vegas Strip. 

My Aunt Patsy, who I had the honor of calling “Mama Patsy”. She earned the title of Vegas Patsy for her love of Vegas slots, lounges, and energy.

Mama Patsy was hot stuff.

Both the vagus nerve and Vegas Patsy can be remembered for their love of melodic music, powerful gut instincts, and their ability to soothe even the most anxious of souls. This highly important gut-brain pathway is made up of nerve fibers connecting the gut to the brain. The VN is involved in numerous nervous system functions, including the motion and power of our vocal cords, as well as our breath. 

The VN is responsible for kicking off the relaxation response after we experience the stress response. A healthy VN sends signals to the brain telling it to relax if it becomes hypervigilant, helping the body reach a state of calm sooner. If the VN is damaged, signals will misfire. This miscommunication leads to the inflammatory responses we often see with autoimmune diseases. 

Toning the VN through activities such as meditation and guided meditation, breath work, and spending time in nature all help to strengthen the VN and in turn, help regulate the nervous system and help you better manage stress levels. 

I discovered the VN during my most recent flare — which was a severe flare, and I now regularly implement VN fine-tuning activities to help me maintain remission and remain healthy. 

NOÈL’S NOTES: Stimulate Your VN

Hum, Sing, Chant, Gargle: The VN is connected to the vocal cords so humming, singing, chanting, and gargling engage the larynx and workout the vn

Laugh: A good laugh will cause you to contract your stomach muscles, which stimulate the vn

Other VN Stimulators:

• Sunlight
• Prayer
• Meditation