7 Vagus Nerve Exercises to Support Healing and Nervous System Regulation
- Katie Potratz
- Nov 10
- 4 min read
Have you ever wished your body had a reset button? Something you could press when stress takes over, when your mind won’t stop racing, or when your symptoms flare?
The truth is — you do have one. It’s called your vagus nerve, and learning how to stimulate the vagus nerve may be one of the most powerful things you can do for your health.
This incredible nerve connects your brain to your body and plays a huge role in how safe, calm, and balanced you feel. When your vagus nerve is strong and active, your nervous system knows how to move out of stress and back into healing. When it’s sluggish, though, you can feel stuck in “fight or flight,” battling anxiety, inflammation, and exhaustion.
And because I know it can be overwhelming to figure out how to fit this into your busy life, I’ve created a free guide for you: The Daily Vagus Nerve Reset Routine. It shows you exactly when and how to use these practices from morning to evening so nervous system regulation becomes part of your rhythm (instead of another thing on your to-do list).
What Is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, running from the brainstem all the way down to the gut. It carries vital messages between your brain, heart, lungs, and digestive system.
Think of it as your body’s switchboard operator. When the vagus nerve is active, it sends the message: “You’re safe. You can rest. You can heal.”
When vagal tone is low, your body stays in stress mode — which research has linked to anxiety, poor digestion, and chronic illness symptoms. Strengthening the vagus nerve is the key to better nervous system regulation.
Why Stimulating the Vagus Nerve Matters
Life today is full of stressors — deadlines, illness, family demands, even just scrolling the news. Over time, these keep us stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
Stimulating the vagus nerve can shift your body back into balance. Benefits include:
Calming anxiety and overwhelm
Lowering blood pressure and heart rate
Reducing inflammation (a key factor in autoimmune conditions and chronic illness)
Supporting healthy digestion and gut-brain communication
Building resilience to future stress
It’s not about perfection. It’s about small, consistent practices that remind your body it is safe.
7 Simple Vagus Nerve Exercises
These vagus nerve exercises are short, accessible, and surprisingly effective. Try one today and notice how your body responds:
1. Deep, Slow Breathing
Place a hand on your belly and breathe deeply. Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6. That longer exhale is what tells your vagus nerve it’s safe to relax.
2. Hum, Chant, or Sing
Your vagus nerve runs near your vocal cords. Humming, chanting, or singing stimulates it and can instantly calm the nervous system.
3. Splash of Cold
A quick burst of cold water on your face or ending your shower with cool water stimulates the vagus nerve and helps reset your system.
4. Gargling with Water
Gargling engages muscles connected to the vagus nerve, giving it a mini workout. Aim for 30–60 seconds.
5. Gentle Yoga or Stretching
Slow, mindful movement — especially twists and deep-breathing poses — supports vagal tone and nervous system regulation.
6. Meditation or Guided Visualization
Quieting the mind reduces sympathetic (stress) activity and gives your vagus nerve space to activate. Visualization can be especially soothing.
7. Self-Massage
Massaging the sides of your neck, your belly, or simply resting a warm hand over your heart stimulates vagal pathways and brings a sense of safety.
Making Vagus Nerve Healing Part of Daily Life
One practice can feel great — but the real shift happens when you build them into your day consistently. Over time, these small resets strengthen vagal tone and retrain your nervous system to come back to calm more easily.
That’s why I created The Daily Vagus Nerve Reset Routine. It gives you a simple morning, midday, and evening plan for when to practice these resets. No overthinking. No overwhelm. Just gentle guidance you can follow every day.
FAQ: Vagus Nerve Exercises & Healing
1. How long does it take for vagus nerve exercises to work?
Some people notice calm almost instantly (with deep breathing or humming). Long-term nervous system regulation comes from practicing daily.
2. Can vagus nerve stimulation reduce inflammation?
Yes. Research shows vagus nerve activation lowers inflammatory markers, which supports chronic illness healing.
3. How often should I do vagus nerve exercises?
Think “little and often.” Just a few minutes, several times per day, is more effective than one long session.
Take Action
Your vagus nerve is your body’s natural reset button. By learning how to stimulate the vagus nerve with these daily practices, you can calm stress, reduce inflammation, and support long-term healing.
Start small: hum in the car, take a few deep belly breaths, or splash cool water on your face. Even these tiny signals teach your body how to feel safe again.
If you’d like a step-by-step plan, grab your free copy of The Daily Vagus Nerve Reset Routine.
And if you’re ready to go deeper, explore The Recovery Code — my step-by-step program designed to retrain your brain and nervous system, reduce chronic symptoms, and build lasting resilience.
Your body already knows how to heal. Sometimes it just needs the right tools and reminders.
