11 Ways To Stimulate Vagus Nerve Function For Better Gut & Mental Health

The connection between our gut and our brain cannot be denied, and it's something I've seen firsthand as an integrative neurologist.

Case in point: Many neurological disorders—including migraines1, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis2, and dysautonomia—have gastrointestinal manifestations such as diarrhea, constipation, and indigestion. But we've only recently started to develop a greater understanding of this complex crosstalk between these two organs, as well as its physical and emotional impact.

This gut-brain crosstalk, we've learned, is governed by something called the vagus nerve, which is considered the main channel of communication between the GI tract and the brain (and which sends signals in both directions).

As the longest nerve in your body, the vagus nerve runs from the base of the brain through the neck and then branches out in the chest stretching all the way down to the abdomen, touching the heart and almost all major organs on its way—and its effects on both physical and mental health are extensive.

While we know the vagus nerve has many functions, we're not always completely sure how it works. What we do know: It's a key player in the parasympathetic nervous system, the network of nerves that relax your body after periods of stress. The more we stimulate the vagus nerve (by deep breathing, for example), the more we enhance the calming effects of the parasympathetic (or "rest and digest") nervous system and counter the stimulating effects of the sympathetic (or "fight or flight") nervous system.

All of which is to say, how well the vagus nerve is functioning—and thus, how well the gut and the brain are communicating—can have an effect on everything from anxiety levels to heart rate to digestion to weight gain, and much more.

Poor vagal tone or functioning can have significant health implications. Disruption of vagus nerve function can be caused by excessive stress, disease, certain medications, inflammation, and infections, among other things—and when disrupted, the body has an overall more difficult time relaxing and attending to its primary functions including sleeping, breathing, digestion, and movement of wastes via the GI tract, lungs, and skin.  

Among other things, this poor vagal functioning can lead to stagnation and bacterial overgrowth in the GI tract, and, in turn, these "bad" gut microbes may influence the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis via the vagus nerve, which can affect important neuronal cellular activity in the brain and lead to inflammation and neurodegeneration. Which goes to show you how it's all connected. 

But that's not all. Here are some other problems associated with low vagal tone, or an underperforming vagus nerve: 

Fortunately, there are some things we can do on our own to optimize the communication between the brain and the gut by way of the vagus nerve.

The steps outlined below can help regulate vagal tone, reduce inflammation (which can suppress vagus nerve function), and ensure overall healthy parasympathetic and sympathetic balance. This, in turn, can help you recover more quickly after periods of stress, improve digestion, and lead to a host of other full-body benefits.

Deep breathing is one of the most simple yet effective ways to stimulate3 the vagus nerve. When your exhale is even a few counts longer than your inhale, the vagus nerve sends a signal to your brain to turn up your parasympathetic nervous system. Try this exercise: Breathe for two counts in, and four counts out, with a one count pause at the top of the inhale and a one count pause at the bottom of the exhale. Multiple studies also support the power of meditation to improve pain, sleep, appetite, anxiety, and gastrointestinal function via a direct effect on vagal tone.

Research shows4 that engaging in regular moderate exercise such as yoga increases gastric motility—the contractions of the smooth gastric muscle essential for the movement of food through the digestive tract—and that it does this by way of stimulating the vagus nerve.

Consider ending your shower with a one-minute blast of cold water, and don't be afraid to head outside for a walk when it's chilly. Studies show5 that acute cold exposure activates the vagus nerve, as well as various neurons6 on the vagus nerve pathway, causing a shift toward parasympathetic nervous system activity. 

Dietary tryptophan is metabolized in the gut and may help the astrocytes—cells in the brain and spinal cord—control inflammation, which may improve communication from the gut to the brain via the vagal messenger pathway. These foods include spinach, seeds, nuts, bananas, and poultry.

Obesity and gut inflammation can disrupt vagal activity and negatively affect the connection between the brain and the GI tract. So if you're overweight, your best bet is to adopt sustainable practices that will lead to long-term weight loss. My advice: Move your body daily and focus on consuming a diet high in a variety of vegetables and fruits, along with nuts, seeds, and legumes such as the Mediterranean diet.

Consume plenty of fiber-rich foods daily (aim for 25-plus grams), and maintain routine sleep and exercise patterns to allow your body to eliminate on a daily rhythm. Healthy elimination ensures less stagnation of inflammatory food residues in the colon, and a less hospitable environment for unwanted organisms that can impair communication between the brain and gut.

Excessive sugar not only causes chronic inflammation but also impairs cellular feedback loops and other signaling pathways, and inflammation of the GI tract mucosal lining allows pathogens to further perpetuate inflammatory signals to the brain.

In addition to slashing your intake of sugar to foster a healthy gut and maintain optimal gut-brain signaling, consider adding fermented foods or a probiotic to your diet. Research shows that gut microorganisms can actually activate7 the vagus nerve. In one study8, mice that were given the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus experienced increased GABA production and a reduction in stress, depression, and anxiety. However, this beneficial effect did not occur among mice whose vagus nerve had been removed.

Red meat and eggs contain choline, which can be good for you, but when consumed in excess is converted to trimethylamine N-oxide9 (TMAO), a compound that has been associated with inflammation10 and cardiovascular issues9. Reduced consumption of these foods may decrease inflammation and allow the vagus nerve to better regulate parasympathetic and sympathetic vitals such as blood pressure and heart rate.

Some studies suggest11 that fasting and dietary restriction can activate the vagus nerve. And given fasting's host of other benefits—from improved cognitive function to weight loss to reduced inflammation—it may be worth a try. The best part: Your fasting window doesn't need to be that long to reap some great benefits.

Research shows12 that singing has a biologically soothing effect, which has everything to do with the vagus nerve. So go ahead, sing along to the radio when you're in the car—or better yet, when you're taking a cold shower!

These are just a few things you can do to improve brain function, gut function, and everything in between. Sometimes complex pathways can respond to simple interventions.

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