The Vagus Nerve: How Your Gut Instincts Connect to Your Brain

Have you ever had a "gut feeling" about something? That sensation of butterflies in your stomach before a big presentation? Or felt your stomach drop when you received bad news? These aren't just figures of speech—they're your vagus nerve in action, serving as a biological superhighway between your gut and your brain.

The vagus nerve is one of the most fascinating and influential components of your nervous system, yet most people have never heard of it. Understanding how it works can open up new approaches to managing stress, improving digestion, reducing inflammation, and even enhancing your overall sense of wellbeing.

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, running from your brainstem all the way down through your neck, chest, and into your abdomen. The word "vagus" comes from Latin, meaning "wandering"—an apt description for a nerve that touches nearly every major organ along its path.

It's the main component of your parasympathetic nervous system, often called the "rest and digest" system. While your sympathetic nervous system activates your fight-or-flight response, the vagus nerve does the opposite—it calms you down, slows your heart rate, improves digestion, and helps your body recover and heal.

The Gut-Brain Highway: A Two-Way Street

Here's what makes the vagus nerve particularly remarkable: while we often think of the brain sending signals to the body, the vagus nerve is primarily a sensory nerve. In fact, approximately 80-90% of the nerve fibers in the vagus nerve carry information from your gut to your brain, not the other way around.

This means your gut is constantly sending your brain detailed information about:

• The state of your digestive system
• Nutrient levels and energy availability
• The presence of inflammation or infection
• The composition of your gut microbiome
• Emotional and stress-related signals

Your brain processes this information and responds accordingly, influencing your mood, stress levels, immune response, and even decision-making processes.

"Your gut isn't just digesting food—it's constantly communicating with your brain, influencing everything from your emotional state to your immune function."

Vagal Tone: Your Resilience Indicator

The effectiveness of your vagus nerve is measured by something called "vagal tone." High vagal tone is associated with:

• Better emotional regulation
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Reduced inflammation
• Enhanced digestion
• Greater resilience to stress
• Better social connection and empathy

Low vagal tone, on the other hand, is linked to chronic inflammation, poor digestion, difficulty recovering from stress, mood disorders, and increased susceptibility to chronic illness.

The good news? Vagal tone can be improved through specific practices and interventions.

How the Vagus Nerve Influences Your Health

Stress Response and Recovery

When you encounter a stressor, your sympathetic nervous system activates—your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, and stress hormones flood your system. The vagus nerve is responsible for shutting down this stress response once the threat has passed.

People with high vagal tone recover from stress more quickly. Their heart rate returns to normal faster, their cortisol levels drop more efficiently, and they're able to shift from a state of alert back to calm more easily.

Inflammation and Immune Function

The vagus nerve plays a critical role in regulating inflammation through what's known as the "inflammatory reflex." When your vagus nerve detects inflammation in the body, it can send signals that help modulate the immune response, preventing excessive inflammation that can lead to chronic disease.

This is why vagal tone is increasingly being studied in relation to autoimmune conditions, chronic pain syndromes, and inflammatory disorders.

Digestion and Gut Health

The vagus nerve controls many aspects of digestion, including:

• Stomach acid production
• Digestive enzyme release
• Intestinal muscle contractions (peristalsis)
• Nutrient absorption
• Communication between gut bacteria and the brain

Poor vagal function can contribute to digestive issues like bloating, constipation, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Mood and Mental Health

Because the vagus nerve is constantly sending information from your gut to your brain, the state of your digestive system can significantly impact your emotional wellbeing. This is partly why gut health is so closely linked to mental health.

The gut produces neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, which influence mood. The vagus nerve carries signals about these neurotransmitters to the brain, affecting how you feel emotionally.

Signs of Low Vagal Tone

You might have low vagal tone if you experience:

• Difficulty recovering from stress
• Persistent digestive issues
• Chronic inflammation or pain
• Poor heart rate variability
• Mood swings or anxiety
• Difficulty with emotional regulation
• Frequent illness or slow recovery
• Feeling "stuck" in fight-or-flight mode

How to Improve Vagal Tone

The vagus nerve responds to specific stimulation and practices. Here are evidence-based ways to improve vagal tone:

1. Deep, Slow Breathing

Slow, diaphragmatic breathing—especially with a longer exhale than inhale—directly stimulates the vagus nerve. Try breathing in for a count of 4, and out for a count of 6-8. This signals to your nervous system that it's safe to relax.

2. Cold Exposure

Brief exposure to cold (cold showers, ice on the face, cold water immersion) activates the vagus nerve. Even splashing cold water on your face can trigger the "dive reflex," which slows your heart rate and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.

3. Singing, Humming, or Chanting

The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, or chanting creates vibrations that stimulate the nerve and can increase vagal tone.

4. Meditation and Mindfulness

Regular meditation practice has been shown to increase vagal tone and improve heart rate variability. Even short daily practices can be beneficial.

5. Exercise

Moderate exercise, particularly aerobic activity, improves vagal tone. The key is consistency rather than intensity.

6. Social Connection

Positive social interactions and feelings of connection activate the vagus nerve. This is part of why social support is so important for both physical and mental health.

7. Massage and Manual Therapy

Certain types of manual therapy, particularly techniques that address the neck and cranial base, can influence vagal function. Some physiotherapists are trained in techniques specifically designed to support vagal nerve health.

The Role of Physiotherapy in Vagal Health

While many approaches to improving vagal tone focus on lifestyle practices, physiotherapy can play a unique role. Manual therapy techniques that address:

• Cervical spine dysfunction – The vagus nerve exits the skull at the base of your head and travels through the neck. Restrictions or dysfunction in this area can potentially affect vagal function.
• Diaphragm function – Since breathing is one of the most direct ways to influence the vagus nerve, addressing breathing mechanics and diaphragm function can be powerful.
• Postural patterns – Chronic postural stress, particularly forward head posture and thoracic tension, can affect both breathing and nerve function.
• Stress-related muscle tension – Chronic muscle guarding and tension patterns are both a symptom and a perpetuating factor in low vagal tone.

The Gut-Brain Connection in Clinical Practice

At Bedford Health Centre, we recognize that the body is an interconnected system. Patients who come in with persistent pain, digestive issues, or difficulty recovering from injury often benefit from approaches that support vagal function alongside traditional physiotherapy treatments.

This might include:

• Education about the nervous system and stress response
• Breathing retraining and diaphragm exercises
• Manual therapy to address physical restrictions
• Guidance on lifestyle practices that support vagal tone
• Integration with other healthcare providers when gut health or mental health concerns are present

Trusting Your Gut

Those gut feelings you experience aren't just metaphorical—they're your body's sophisticated communication system at work. Your gut is constantly gathering information about your internal and external environment and sending that information to your brain via the vagus nerve.

When this system is functioning well, you experience better digestion, improved stress resilience, balanced mood, reduced inflammation, and a greater sense of overall wellbeing. When it's not, you may struggle with chronic symptoms that seem unrelated but are all connected through this central nervous system highway.

Understanding the vagus nerve opens up new possibilities for healing—not through fighting your body's responses, but by supporting and optimizing the systems that are already designed to keep you healthy and balanced.