I still have a lot more to say about how we can cope with change, but I thought today I would like to take a break from that subject and talk about a new topic that I recently became aware of. Since starting this blog, I have learned a lot about mental health through the research that I have been doing. This is on top of what I have learned in my master’s degree.
Today I would like to talk about something that I have been reading about online. It might be a fad or it might be something important about mental health. It is called the vagus nerve. So, what is it and why is it important to our mental health?
Without getting too technical, the main reason why there is so much interest in the vagus nerve is because it can be artificially stimulated in order to help the body rest and relax. It is part of the so-called parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the Rest and Digest functions of the body as opposed to the so-called parasympathetic nervous system, which is in control of the Fight or Flight response.
There are a number of ways that we can try to stimulate the vagus nerve. I will try out many different ways, but the first one that I tried, I personally feel that it did well for me. It is a breathing exercise. You make a deep, vibrating humming sound in the back of your throat. I suppose it sounds a little bit like someone doing the classic Ohmmmm meditation sound. The vagus nerve runs from your brain to your large intestine, so I assume by doing this exercise we are stimulating it while it is making its way back to the brain.
I did this deep humming exercise while listening to music with a deep bass sound and trying to emulate that heavy beat while taking a long-drawn-out breath. After doing this for about 10 times, I found that I felt less anxious and improved my mood significantly.
I recommend trying it out. It does seem like an easy hack, but I suppose it makes sense. If you are not stimulating your vagus nerve, at least you are practicing mindfulness and doing relaxing breathing exercises. So I guess it is a three-in-one relaxation exercise.
Let me know how you go with it, and if you would like to speak to someone about anything that is on your mind, feel free to contact me. The first session is free.
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