Vagus nerve massage

What is the vagus nerve and what is its function in our body?

It is one of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves that send electrical impulses between the brain and the rest of the body. It’s the longest nerve pair – running along the opposite side of the body from the brain, through the neck, heart, lungs and abdomen to the gut.

The activity of this nerve lowers the heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure and helps to deliver energy to the parts of our body that need to be active when we are recovering, especially when coping with stress and sleeping.

It sends signals and information to and from the brain, for example to indicate pain, pressure and temperature and helps regulate many of the body’s functions.

According to the theory of vagus nerve manipulation, the autonomic nervous system regulates not only major organs such as the gut and lungs, but also our emotional wellbeing. It means that it not only has a physical effect, but also affects our emotional and mental state of well-being. There are several ways to stimulate this nerve to improve our wellbeing, one of the most effective is by massaging the pressure points.

Massage is an effective way to improve vagus tone and promote mental health and well-being.