The vagus nerve is an important part of your body's nervous system and plays a key role in regulating mood, digestion, and heart rate. It is the longest cranial nerve in your body, extending from your brain stem to your abdomen. Fortunately, there are several easy ways to activate your vagus nerve for improved overall well-being.
Breathing Exercises 
One of the easiest ways to activate the vagus nerve is through breathing exercises. These exercises can be done anywhere—at work, at home, or even on-the-go—and they don't require any special equipment or training. To begin activating the vagus nerve through breathing exercises, take a deep breath in and out through your nose. Then exhale slowly through your mouth while counting to eight. Doing this exercise multiple times throughout the day can help stimulate the vagus nerve and reduce stress levels.
Cold Water Therapy 
Learning to activate the vagus nerve has become increasingly popular in recent years, with cold water therapy as one of the most accessible and low-cost techniques. This type of therapy involves immersing yourself in cold water or applying cold water directly to the skin such as with a cold shower or bath. Cold water therapy has been linked with increased blood flow and reduced inflammation due to its ability to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system—which includes activating the vagus nerve. For best results, start with lukewarm water before gradually introducing colder temperatures into your routine (unless you're comfortable jumping straight into the cold).
Yoga & Meditation 
Yoga and meditation are also great ways to activate your vagus nerve since both practices involve focusing on mindfulness and calming one's mind and body. During yoga practice, focus on connecting with each breath by inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling slowly through pursed lips—this helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which controls restful states like sleep and relaxation. Additionally, yoga postures that involve twisting can help stimulate circulation throughout the spine which will further aid in stimulating both parts of our autonomic nervous system – sympathetic (our fight or flight response) as well as our parasympathetic (our rest & digest response). When it comes to meditation practice, try incorporating visualization techniques that help you relax while visualizing different parts of your body - this can also help promote a better connection between mind and body which will ultimately lead to improved activation of our autonomic nervous system including our Vagus Nerve.
We hope this information has been helpful in beginning to understand the connection between your vagus nerve and physical+emotional well-being. For more tips, tricks, and explanations, be sure to check out our blog. As always, thanks for reading! :)
