Hi,
I'm Monica.
And today,
I wanna walk you through something that can completely change how you understand stress,
Anxiety,
And your body.
Your vagus nerve.
This is going to be simple,
Practical,
And something you can actually use in real time.
So let's start here.
Your vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body.
It runs from your brainstem down through your face.
Your throat,
Your heart,
And into your digestive system.
But what matters most is this.
It's a key part of your nervous system that helps your body shift out of survival mode.
So when your body feels safe.
When you feel calm.
When you can think clearly.
Connect with others.
And feel grounded.
That's your vagus nerve doing its job.
But when your nervous system perceives threat or stress,
Whether it's a real danger or just a demanding email.
A conflict or overwhelm.
Your body shifts into survival states.
Freeze,
Or fawn.
And in those moments,
It's not that you're doing something wrong.
It's that your nervous system is trying to protect you.
So instead of asking,
What's wrong with me,
We start asking,
What state is my nervous system in?
And more importantly,
How can I gently guide it back to safety?
That's where vagus nerve stimulation comes in.
These are simple body-based tools that help signal to your nervous system,
You're okay and you're safe.
Let's walk through a few you can try right now.
Exercise one.
Extended exhale breathing.
Start by taking a slow inhale through your nose.
Count to four.
And then a longer,
Slower exhale through your mouth.
For about six seconds.
Let's try that again together.
Inhale.
Two three four And exhale.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Five.
Six Inhale.
Two three four and exhale.
The exhale is key.
Because your vagus nerve responds strongly when your body slows down the breath.
Especially the out-breath.
This tells your system we can relax.
We're not in danger.
Exercise two.
This one might feel a little different,
But it's incredibly effective.
Take a breath in.
And as you exhale,
Gently hum.
Mmm.
Feel the vibration in your throat.
Your chest.
Maybe even your face.
Let's try that again.
Inhale.
And exhale.
That vibration directly stimulates the vagus nerve.
Even a minute of this can begin to shift your state.
Exercise three.
Orienting to safety.
Now gently look around your space.
Let your eyes land on something neutral and pleasant.
Maybe it's a color.
A texture.
A light in the room.
Let your head slowly turn.
As you take in your surroundings.
This is called orienting.
It tells your brain.
I'm here.
I'm safe.
There's no immediate threat.
And it helps bring your nervous system out of that tunnel vision that often comes with stress.
Here's what I want you to remember.
You don't regulate your nervous system by thinking harder.
You regulate it by working with your body.
Through your breath.
Through sound.
Through awareness.
So the next time you feel overwhelmed,
Anxious,
Or shut down.
Pause.
And ask yourself,
What does my nervous system need right now?
And start small.
One breath.
One hum.
One moment of noticing.
Because your nervous system isn't the problem.
It's the pathway back to feeling like yourself again.
Take one more slow breath here.
And when you're ready.
Gently come back.
Namaste.
