How gargling can help reduce your stress
It’s been a tough year. Remember the murder hornets? What could have been huge news was barely a blip on our radar than the catastrophic upheaval of 2020. Our stress levels and resilience are being tested, and we’ve lost the ability to sweat it out at the gym, blow off steam with friends at Happy Hour, or escape to a show. So, where does that leave us?
Fortunately, our bodies come wired with a built-in stress reliever, the vagus nerve. Cranial Nerve #10 is the longest nerve in the body, hence its name “vagus,”, Latin for “wandering.” It’s best known for its ability to regulate your parasympathetic nervous system, which governs the “Rest and Digest” response and counters the sympathetic “Fight or Flight” response — our go-to response when it comes to all things 2020. Since it innervates the heart, lungs, and gut, it can powerfully alter your physical reaction to stress and improve your mental and emotional state. The activity of the vagus nerve is described by Vagal tone— the higher the tone, the better the parasympathetic response and the calmer we feel. The process is reciprocal as well: the better we feel, the higher our vagal tone is.
You don’t have to be a neuroscientist to understand how to activate your vagus nerve. Here are some easy techniques you can do.
Breathing: It innervates the lungs, so breath-work activates the vagus nerve.
Deep slow breaths - Focus on inhaling and exhaling LESS than six times in a minute.
Long exhalations and short inhalations - Inhale for a 3 count and exhale for a count of 9.
Square breathing - Inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4. Exhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4. Repeat for 5-10 minutes
Singing, Humming, Gargling - The vagus nerve innervates parts of the throat so any of these can increase your vagal tone. Humming and singing also require breathing, so you get double activation. Gargling for 10-20 seconds can be a strong stimulus for the vagus nerve.
Gentle pressure on the gut - Remember those neoprene back braces? They’re useless for back injuries but excellent for activating your vagus nerve. You can also try a gentle warm pack on your belly for 20 minutes at a time.
Meditation and Mindfulness - Neuroscience explains what gurus have known for thousands of years. If you’re a beginner, apps such as Calm and Headspace are excellent to get you started.
Gentle vibration in the left ear - The parasympathetic branch of the vagus nerve is superficial to the skin just above the outer part of the ear canal. Using a small vibration tool such as the tip of a vibrating toothbrush for 3-5 minutes can provide vagus nerve activation. Be sure the sensation is gentle and comfortable. Too much pressure or painful stimulation is counter to the goal.
Exercise - Is this even really news? Exercise activates the vagus nerve in numerous ways. Plus, you also get the benefit of increasing your physical health.
Start by trying 1-2 of these techniques 3-5 times a day. Most only take a few minutes, and the investment of time will pay off in greater concentration, better resilience, and an improved sense of well-being. Build the habit slowly and stick with it. After all, there are still four months left in 2020.