Why You Struggle to Calm Down and How the Vagus Nerve Helps
You may have heard the vagus nerve mentioned more often lately in relation to stress management, but many people still aren’t quite sure what it does or why it matters. In simple terms, think of it as your body’s internal superhighway of calm. It runs from your brain through your face and throat, down through your heart, lungs, and digestive system. Along the way, it sends constant messages between your brain and body especially messages about stress, safety, and relaxation.
Interestingly, around 80–90% of these signals travel from your body to your brain, not the other way around. This means your physical state plays a huge role in shaping how you feel emotionally.
Research over the past decade has shown that gently stimulating the vagus nerve can help:
- Lower heart rate
- Reduce anxiety
- Improve sleep and digestion
- Support emotional regulation
- Help the body recover more quickly after stress
The best part? You don’t need complicated tools or lengthy routines. Small, everyday practices can activate your vagus nerve and help your nervous system settle.
Here are 3 simple, science-backed ways to start.
1. Your Vagus Nerve Helps You Shift Out of “Worry Mode”
When anxiety or overwhelm sets in, your body often flips into an internal alarm system. Your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes shallow, your muscles tense, and your thoughts can spiral. It can feel like there’s no off switch.
Your vagus nerve is that off switch.
One of the easiest ways to activate it is through extended exhale breathing. When your exhale is longer than your inhale, your vagus nerve sends a clear signal to your brain that you are safe to relax.
Try this: 4–6 Breathing
- Inhale gently for 4 seconds
- Hold for 2 seconds
- Exhale slowly for 6 seconds
- Repeat for 1–2 minutes
This technique can be helpful before a difficult conversation, after receiving stressful news, or when anxiety appears suddenly. Many people notice their shoulders relax and their thoughts slow almost immediately.
2. The Vagus Nerve Can Calm Sudden Stress Surges
If you’ve ever felt your heart race after a loud noise, conflict, or a confronting email, that’s your nervous system reacting automatically. This is a normal survival response but when stress lingers in the body, it can leave you feeling shaky, tense, and overstimulated for hours.
Your vagus nerve helps your body return to calm after these spikes.
One surprisingly effective way to support this process is through cold stimulation. Brief exposure to cold activates a powerful vagal reflex that can slow the heart rate and settle the stress response.
Try this: Cold Splash Reset
- Run cold water over your wrists for 15–20 seconds
- Splash your face with cold water
- Or hold a cool face cloth or ice pack against your cheeks or forehead
Many people feel a noticeable “reset” sensation as their breathing slows and the surge of adrenaline settles. This can be especially helpful before a presentation, after a stressful interaction, or during moments of panic or emotional overwhelm.
3. You Can “Tone” Your Vagus Nerve
Just like a muscle, your vagus nerve can be gently trained so your body becomes better at calming itself over time. This means you recover from stress more quickly and feel more emotionally steady day-to-day.
One of the most accessible ways to do this is through humming or singing. The vibration in your throat directly stimulates the vagus nerve via the vocal cords.
Try this: 60-Second Hum
- Hum along to a favourite song or hold a gentle hum for 30–60 seconds
- Try it while driving, cooking, or in the shower
- Repeat regularly for cumulative benefit
Over time, people often notice they feel more grounded, experience fewer emotional “spikes,” and bounce back from stress more easily.
Small Practices, Powerful Impact
When practiced regularly, vagus-supporting habits help retrain your nervous system to spend more time in a state of calm and connection rather than constant alert. These techniques are simple, but their impact on anxiety, emotional regulation, and overall wellbeing can be profound.
If you’d like personalised support learning how to regulate your nervous system or manage anxiety, stress, or emotional overwhelm, our psychologists at Ahead Psychology are here to help.
👉 Learn more about our psychologists here: Meet Our Team