How I Reset My Vagus Nerve: 9 Proven Ways

Before I was a full-time writer, I used to teach scuba diving in the Caribbean.

I spent hundreds of hours in shallow water and racked up over 1,000 dives. It was magical. The stuff of dreams.

There is something truly unforgettable about swimming among gorgeous coral heads and schools of fish and it left a lasting impression on me that’s hard to put into words.

As magical as that time was, I only found out later that there were other factors at play that were also contributing to its vastness and beauty. I discovered, for example, that being submerged underwater activates the vagus nerve through something called the diving reflex.

I’ll share more on that later but for now, it’s important to know that this led me down a path of trying to understand what the vagus nerve is, how it functions, and what I can do to enhance it.

Here is what I found after seven years of research and self-exploration.

The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system and it’s the longest nerve in the body.

It travels from the brainstem to the gut via the lungs, heart, diaphragm, spleen, liver, kidneys, and stomach influencing (among other things), the rhythm of the heart, the ease of digestion, the smoothness of breath, how quickly we recover and heal, the amount of inflammation that’s present, and the kind of endorphins and hormones that are released.

Here are 9 scientifically proven ways I work with it in daily life.

1. Stretch

I’m not a yogi. I can barely touch my toes. So you don’t have to have a strong yoga practice to stretch either.

Things shifted for me when I started taking the time to be with my body in a calm environment for 10–15 minutes at different times during the day. This allowed me to strike a balance between work and relaxation which the vagus nerve loves.

“Yoga stimulates different nerves in your body, especially the vagus nerve that carries information from the brain to most of the body’s major organs, slows everything down and allows self-regulation. It’s the nerve that is associated with the parasympathetic system and emotions like love, joy, and compassion.” — Deepak Chopra

2. Breathe

Although I’ve been alive for 34 years, I’ve only been breathing properly for the last six. However, taking control of my breath changed my life.

I feel less anxious, my digestion has improved, and I sleep better. These are all qualities the vagus nerve promotes.

“The simplest vagal stimulation that you can recruit is being able to exhale slowly” — Dr. Stephen Porges

Here’s one of my breathing favourite exercises in daily life:

1. Breathe in through your nose (smoothly and without force) for 4 seconds
2. Breathe out through your nose or mouth (smoothly and without force) for 4 seconds
3. Leave no pause at the top of the inhale or at the bottom of the exhale
4. Continue for as long as comfortable
5. If you find that four seconds is too long, try breathing in for two seconds and out for two seconds instead, or in for three seconds, out for three seconds until your breath naturally relaxes. Then extend your breath once you feel more at ease.

3. Humming/Chanting

As I mentioned at the top, the vagus nerve travels from the brainstem to the gut via the throat. So, the muscles in the back of the throat activate the vagus nerve when we sing, chant, or hum our favourite song or mantra.

It’s also one of my favourite things to do.

Every morning, I chant for five minutes before doing my 20-minute breathwork routine.

If you’re not into humming or chanting, gargling liquids works in a similar way. As does, weirdly, gagging yourself.

4. Laugh

I used to take life a little too seriously. In my quest for peace, I forgot to play and laugh. But then I found out laughing is another way to get the muscles in the back of the throat working. It also releases feel-good endorphins such as dopamine.

I like to swithc things up. Sometimes I grab a book, listen to a podcast, watch a movie, socialise with friends, watch funny cat videos on YouTube, or go to a live show.

5. Put my bare feet on the earth

I live on a farm on the tip of Africa. So, spending quality time in nature is easy for me. Sometimes I like to work in my veggie garden barefoot, other times I like to walk on the beach. (preferably in silence) relaxes the body and mind and tones the vagus nerve. If you can walk around barefoot then even better.

Scientific studies have called this “earthing” and research shows that it can improve glucose regulation, reduce stress, support immune function, improve sleep, and regulate the nervous system.

These are too subtle for me to pay attention to while I’m walking so I just enjoy the feeling of having the Earth between my toes.

6. Spend time in cold water

When I first moved to South Africa, I envisioned a big hot sun and incredible wildlife. But what I didn’t account for was how cold the oceans were. They’re freezing!

Coming from the warm Caribbean waters, I didn’t know what to do with myself. The ocean has always been where I’ve gone for adventure and to quiet my mind.

After a while I just had to get over myself. I started spending more and more time in cold water and although I still didn’t enjoy it, I felt amazing.

Later I learned that being submerged in cold water activates something called the diving reflex.

Research now shows that within a few minutes, our parasympathetic nervous system activity significantly increases, anxiety reduces, endorphins are released, and our mood improves.

So, after my morning chanting and breathwork routine, I walk to the ocean and get my fix.

If you don’t have access to the ocean, the easiest way to do this in daily life without cold ocean water is to jump in a cold shower. It’s one of the reasons why Wim Hof said:

“A day shower a day keeps the doctor away”

7. Exercise

For many years while I was on a spiritual path, all my attention went on purifying my mind, to the point where I forgot to take care of my body.

Then, a couple of years ago, I started running again. I started dancing, going to the gym, and taking icy dips. I felt fantastic so I kept going.

Now, I still work on purifying my mind through breathwork, meditation, and self-reflective practices but I bring my body along for the ride.

8. Massage/Acupuncture

The benefits of massage are pretty intuitive. It feels good, especially when it’s done with massage oils and candlelight.

Some of the best places to massage the body when it comes to the vagus nerve are the ears, the neck, and the feet. Lightly tapping the body up and down also works well.

Recently, I started going for acupuncture sessions too because it targets pressure points and energy lines (meridians) more directly. Studies show that massage and acupuncture can lower stress and inflammation, reduce anxiety, and enhance mood.

That’s why I try and go for one once a month.

9. Create “soft” eyes

As I said at the top, I’m now a full-time writer so that means many hours working behind a screen. My eyes are narrow-focused, they look at artificial like, and they dilated.

Even though I’m feeling relaxed and creative, narrow-focused, dilated eyes make the nervous system more alert.

Similarly, soft, open eyes, make the nervous system relaxed.

We share this physiological phenomenon with wild animals. It’s how gazelles can be hunted by a lion one minute and then graze upon the grass as if nothing happened the next, for example.

For gazelles, it can save their lives. For me living in the modern world, it can just take the edge off stressful situations or long work stints.

Here’s how I practice it:

• Sit comfortably and allow your body to relax
• Look straight ahead and land your gaze on an object in the distance
• Begin to connect to your peripheral vision while continuing to look ahead
• Now, expand your awareness to the spaces up and down without moving your eyes
• Allow your focus to be on ‘all things’ while your eyes begin to ‘soften’
• Stay connected to your breath
• Try and remain here between 5–10 breaths

A Quick Recap

The vagus nerve plays a big role in our lives, from how smooth our digestion is to the secretions of feel-good hormones.

So, for one last time, here are nine ways I reset my vagus nerve in daily life:

1. Stretch
2. Breathe
3. Hum/Chant
4. Laugh
5. Put your bare feet on the earth
6. Spend time in cold water
7. Exercise
8. Massage/Acupuncture
9. Create “soft” eyes

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