I found this book in the prison library and the title caught my eye. I remembered reading about the vagus nerve in another book and being fascinated—especially how it’s linked to that “sick to your stomach” feeling during heartbreak. I’ve come to call it the “heartbreak nerve.”
At only 77 pages, I’d call this more of a pamphlet than a full book, so I won’t count it toward my goal of 100 books. But I still learned a few interesting things worth sharing.
What is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in our body. It connects the brain to nearly all major organs and plays a key role in regulating our fight-or-flight response. When the brain senses danger, this nerve tells the organs to behave differently—like slowing down digestion to conserve energy, or increasing heart rate to pump more oxygen. It also signals glands to release stress hormones like adrenaline.
If the vagus nerve is malfunctioning, it can cause both physical and mental health issues. People who’ve experienced trauma often have an overactive vagus nerve, leading to anxiety, panic attacks, and other symptoms—even when there’s no real danger present.
Calming the Vagus Nerve
The book covers several techniques to soothe and regulate the vagus nerve, which can improve long-term health and reduce anxiety. Some are common practices like:
- Meditation
- Massage
- Yoga
- Acupressure
But two methods really stood out to me:
1. ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response)
This is a newer method involving sounds or visuals that trigger a “tingling” or goosebump sensation, usually in the head or neck. It’s big on YouTube and TikTok. Examples include:
- Whispering near the microphone
- Light tapping, paper cutting, or brushing sounds
- Videos of things fitting perfectly together
Each person responds differently, so you have to find your own ASMR trigger. I can’t wait to explore these videos when I’m out.
2. Cold Immersion
This includes cold showers or even cryotherapy. The idea is to expose your body to cold to activate the vagus nerve in a controlled way. After the initial stress, your body rebounds into a deeply relaxed state. Repeated exposure helps your body resist overreacting to stress in the future. I used to do cryotherapy weekly and didn’t realize it was helping my vagus nerve all along.
Final Thoughts
This book was informative, to the point, and took less than an hour to read. I’d recommend either reading it or just doing some research on the vagus nerve. It’s fascinating stuff. And don’t skip the ASMR videos—I know I won’t!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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