How to Overcome Vagus Nerve Anxiety in One Month

So, how do you overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month? The vagus nerve, also known as the vagal nerves, are the main nerves of your parasympathetic nervous system. This system controls specific body functions such as your digestion, heart rate and immune system. All in all, these functions are involuntary, meaning you can’t consciously control them.

Altogether, your vagal nerves are part of your body’s nervous system. They play important roles in involuntary sensory and motor (movement) functions, including:

Firstly, digestion.
Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration (breathing).
Immune system responses.
Fourthly, mood.
Mucus and saliva production.
Skin and muscle sensations.
Speech.
Taste.
Lastly, urine output.

Vagus Nerve Cause Anxiety

So, what are the causes to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month? Trauma specialist Valarie Harris, LPC-MHSP, works primarily with veterans dealing with PTSD or military sexual trauma (MST). Correspondingly, she notes that individuals who’ve lived through trauma often experience an overactive vagus nerve. Therefore, this can manifest as anxiety and irregular moods, as well as symptoms like nausea, bowel issues, and random pains.

Consequently, many specialists refer to polyvagal theory, which suggests that the vagus nerve plays a critical part in our response mechanisms to stress, such as the fight or flight response.

Vagus Nerve Anxiety Symptoms

What are the symptoms so you can overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month? Subsequently, vagus nerve conditions cause different symptoms depending on the specific cause and affected part of your nerve.

You may experience:

Firstly, abdominal pain and bloating.
Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD).
Changes to heart rate, blood pressure or blood sugar.
Additionally, difficulty swallowing or loss of gag reflex.
Dizziness or fainting.
Hoarseness, wheezing or loss of voice.
Loss of appetite, feeling full quickly or unexplained weight loss.
Lastly, nausea and vomiting.

Vagus Nerve Anxiety Treatment

What are some treatments to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month?

 Vagus Nerve Exercises to Rewire Your Brain From Anxiety

Furthermore, here are some techniques someone can try at home to stimulate the vagus nerve.

Practice mindfulness meditation with deep breathing exercises. Mindfulness meditation involves you focusing on the present moment without judgment or attachment. By the same token, you don’t judge yourself as “good” or “bad.” Just observe the thoughts and feelings that arise. Even more, pairing this practice with a vagus nerve breathing anxiety exercise, such as the 5-5-5 method, will increase the amount of oxygen flowing through your body and into your brain. Given that, breathe slowly through your nostrils for five seconds, exhale through the nose or mouth for another five seconds, then wait five seconds. Repeat these steps four more times.

Practice self-care and include listening to music. Also, music has been shown to activate the vagus nerve, which explains why people who listen to relaxing music report feeling calmer. Try listening to soothing music while taking a bath or going for a casual walk. In brief, anxiety often stems from being unable to control your environment; therefore, a purposeful attitude in securing days, times, and locations for self-care is essential.

Practice muscle relaxation. When you tense up, you activate the sympathetic nervous system. Therefore, by relaxing your muscles, you activate the parasympathetic system. Begin by systematically tensing a particular muscle group, such as your jaw, shoulders, neck, back, stomach, arms, legs, etc. In particular, hold the tension for 10 seconds, then release. As you release the tension, notice how your muscle feels. In like fashion, continue to focus on releasing tension with different muscle groups until you feel more relaxed than when you first started.

Take time out for yourself. If you’re constantly working, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters most: yourself. In other words, take some time each day to relax and unwind. This could be reading a book, watching TV, playing video games, or doing something else entirely. Hence, the key is finding a way to ensure you take care of yourself.

Physical exercise. Exercise has been proven to have many benefits, including reducing anxiety. In short, exercise boosts dopamine levels, which improves attention and concentration. Exercise also decreases cortisol levels, which lowers stress.

Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation causes stress hormones to rise, which makes you more anxious. In particular, make sure you get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. If you struggle to fall asleep, try using a white noise machine to mask outside noises.

Eat healthy foods. Eating well-balanced meals full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes will help keep your energy and mood stable. In general, avoid sugary treats, processed foods, and fast food. The vagus nerve runs right next to the digestive tract, so eating well-balanced meals can help reduce anxiety because they are easier to digest.

Get adequate sunlight exposure. In detail, exposure to bright light during the morning can boost serotonin production and decrease cortisol levels. Sunlight also helps regulate circadian rhythms, which regulate our sleep cycles.

Maintain a positive outlook. A positive mindset is important for maintaining good mental health. Simultaneously, it’s helpful to think about things that make you happy, like spending time with friends and family, exercising, eating right, getting enough sleep, and having fun.

 Vagus Nerve Tapping

Vagus nerve tapping is a good way to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month. That is, tapping is a form of psychological acupressure that is said to help reduce stress, anxiety, and physical pain. It’s based on the same meridian points used in acupuncture. When done correctly, it can be an effective option for stimulating your vagus nerve.

Vagus nerve tapping usually entails gently tapping behind the earlobe near the mastoid process (where the skull meets the neck) or over different areas of your face. Therefore, this helps activate the pressure points associated with calming down the nervous system, which stimulates your vagus nerve!

 Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Why Icing It Helps with Anxiety

So, if you experience anxiety symptoms, research shows that icing your vagus nerve can slow down your heart rate and signal your body to relax.

One current trend that you may have heard about is icing your vagus nerve. This is when you lay a cold compress on your chest or the back of your neck to help stimulate your vagus nerve in hopes it will signal your body to relax.

Since your vagus nerve is the main nerve that is in charge of relaxing your body after it’s under stress, icing it may help with anxiety.

According to research from 2008, cold exposure causes a shift in your parasympathetic nervous system, which is controlled by your vagus nerve. On the whole, by restricting your blood vessels you’re activating this nerve.

More recent scientific studies back up this connection. On the positive side, research from 2018 found that when cold stimulation was applied to participants’ neck area it slowed down their heart rates.

Another 2010 study found similar results, where participants’ heart rates slowed down. Except, in this study, participants ingested ice cold water instead of applying cold compresses.

That is to say, by icing your nerve you’re tricking your mind and body, and distracting yourself from the experience of anxiety.

 Nutrients/Supplements to Support Vagus Nerve Health

Supplements are a good source to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month. That is, several nutrients support vagus nerve health and function, including the following:

Using Choline to produce acetylcholine, it is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the body. To begin with, good sources of choline are eggs, red meat, liver, chicken, fish, and sunflower seeds.

Vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin is best for absorption. To emphasize, I recommend taking a high-quality methylated B-complex vitamin for improved absorption.

Magnesium, which plays a role in over 300 bodily functions, naturally relaxes the body and can help alleviate constipation. I recommend magnesium threonate (specifically because it crosses the blood-brain barrier).

Sodium (a component of salt) has been linked to positive heart rate variability (HRV), which is a common measure of vagal tone.

To conclude, Omega-3 fats have also been linked to positive HRV, better recovery after exercise, and reduced risks of cardiovascular disease.

 Vagus Nerve Reset for Anxiety

Shaking, Trembling, and Tremoring

Shaking or “vagal maneuvers” can stimulate the vagus nerve and enhance vagal tone. When it comes to shaking, certain movements like deep, slow belly breathing or rapid lateral eye movements are thought to engage the vagus nerve. Therefore, this results in a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and a feeling of calm.

Shaking or tremoring, as a form of stress release, is a phenomenon observed across many species in the animal kingdom. To point out, this is typically seen after an animal has experienced a stressful or life-threatening event. Also it appears to assists in returning the body to a state of homeostasis.

 Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Vagus nerve stimulation is one way to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month. At length, vagus nerve stimulation involves using a device to stimulate the vagus nerve with electrical impulses. It can be done in many ways with many devices. At any rate, an implantable vagus nerve stimulator has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat epilepsy and depression. All things considered, the device works by sending stimulation to areas of the brain that lead to seizures and affect mood.

These devices are surgically implanted under the skin of the chest. A wire is threaded under the skin connecting the device to the left vagus nerve. When activated, the device causes electrical signals to be sent along the left vagus nerve to the brainstem, which then affects the brain. Although, the right vagus nerve isn’t typically used because stimulation is more likely to affect the function of the heart.

 Quickly shift your breathing: 4-7-8 Technique

Also, breathing techniques are a good way to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month. Functional medicine practitioner Dr. Andrew Weil created the 4-7-8 breathing technique based on breath control methods used in the ancient pranayama tradition. Therefore, by helping you quickly slow down the rate of your exhale, the technique is one of the most straightforward and fast-acting types of breathwork.

How to do it:

Firstly, Sit comfortably with your back supported. Put your tongue where your gums meet your upper front teeth, and keep it there throughout the exercise.
Start by exhaling completely, making a “woosh” sound.
Additionally, for four seconds, inhale quietly through your nose, focusing on breathing from the diaphragm rather than the chest.
Hold your breath for seven seconds.
Lastly, exhale audibly through rounded lips, holding for eight seconds..

 Probiotics and Gut Health

Above all, probiotics are another good source to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month. Probiotics, the live bacteria and yeast that are beneficial for your body, play an essential role in maintaining gut health and influencing vagus nerve activity. Hence, a healthy gut can help alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms, making probiotics an important component of overall mental health.

To incorporate probiotics into your diet, consider consuming foods rich in these beneficial bacteria, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, or taking probiotic supplements. As a result, managing gut health. Also, including probiotics into your routine can support healthy vagus nerve activity, reduce anxiety, and increase a sense of serenity.

Vagus Nerve Anxiety Attacks

Our brains function best when relaxed, calm, and focused. A healthy brain requires oxygenated blood flow to support cognitive functions and emotional regulation. The vagus nerve helps regulate this process by slowing heart rate, increasing respiration, and relaxing muscles. Therefore, this allows for more oxygenation of the brain and less stress on the cardiovascular system.

Consequently, chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system decreases blood flow to the brain, making it harder to think clearly and effectively. If the vagus nerve isn’t working properly, it could cause anxiety and other problems like depression, panic attacks, insomnia, digestive issues, and even autoimmune disorders.

Conclusion

There are many ways to overcome vagus nerve anxiety in one month. Another key point, seeking professional help for anxiety often involves understanding the connection between the vagus nerve, vagal toning, and anxiety reduction.

The effects of vagal toning can positively impact various aspects of your life, including emotional regulation, cognitive function, immune system function, and cardiovascular health.

All things considered, activating the vagus nerve and developing higher vagal tone, can counteract the effects of stress and cultivate a state of relaxation and calmness. Through techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, social connections, exercise, and joyful activities, we can integrate vagal toning into our daily lives and experience the transformative effects. Therefore, small steps taken consistently can lead to significant changes in stress management and overall quality of life. Until next time…

Articles about Vegas Nerve Anxiety

–Insight into the Vagus Nerve and Your Anxiety

lorida-counseling.com/insight-into-the-vagus-nerve-and-your-anxiety/#:~:text=Chronic%20activation%20of%20the%20sympathetic,issues%2C%20and%20even%20autoimmune%20disorders.

-4 Vagus Nerve Exercises for Anxiety

https://mentalhealthmatch.com/articles/anxiety/4-vagus-nerve-exercises-for-anxiety

-Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17598-vagus-nerve-stimulation

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy, One Voice In The Vastness Of Emotions

“People are often trapped by their own thoughts because they are striving for perfection or are trying to find a way to control a situation.” — Megan Marples

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