The Vagus Nerve, The Catalyst Of Our Relaxation System
The vagus nerve is one of the most important nerves in the nervous system, since it is involved in a wide variety of motor and sensory functions, some of them especially essential, such as the contraction of the heart and the decrease in the heart rate.
It is one of the cranial nerves, specifically the longest pair we have in that area and its route through the nervous system goes from the medulla oblongata to the thorax, hence the large number of functions it has and its importance in proper functioning. of the organism.
But the functions of this nerve are not limited to carrying out certain “mechanical” and automatic tasks that take place inside our body without us being aware of it; It is also involved in processes that influence our emotional state.
Over the last decades, scientific research and health professionals have managed to find evidence of certain benefits that it may have. stimulation of the vagus nerve both to treat stress and anxiety problems and other disorders and psychological pathologies.
Below we will see what the main functions of the vagus nerve are, in addition to briefly highlighting the main benefits of its stimulation.
As indicated, the vagus nerve has a wide variety of functions within the body, which is why it is considered one of the most important components of the human nervous system.
It is an example that the division between the body and the mind is a fiction that we have invented to understand ourselves better from a simplifying point of view: in reality, both things are the same, and both the functions of our nervous system and our experiences and ways of consciously interacting with the world, combine to form a whole.
In addition to slowing the heart rate and controlling heart contractions, the vagus nerve is responsible for controlling the motor functions of the larynx, diaphragm and stomach, with all the implications for the digestive and gastrointestinal system that this entails.
Finally, the vagus nerve produces the reflex of coughing, swallowing or vomiting and is also responsible for controlling the visceral organs and the sensation of taste, which allows us to identify flavors.
How does the vagus nerve affect relaxation processes?
Vagus nerve stimulation also has a direct effect on irregular brain activity and allows us achieve more relaxed states throughout the body a very useful phenomenon in both the fields of psychology and medicine.
As the main element of the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve is essential when it comes to influencing or improving all those involuntary functions of the human body: from breathing and gastrointestinal movements to heart rate.
That is why its stimulation It can help us achieve states of greater tranquility, calm and relaxation that allow us to live more peacefully and better carry out a wide variety of healthy habits.
This stimulation of the vagus nerve allows us, in conclusion, to be more relaxed, overcome symptoms of anxiety or depression, agitation, hyperactivity or stress; It even helps us sleep better at night.
Due to its organic importance and the organization that the vagus nerve exerts in various functions of the nervous, digestive and gastrointestinal systems, it has become a nerve of great interest for decades in scientific research, medicine and psychology.
On the one hand, the electrical stimulation technique of the vagus nerve is an innovative technique that has been used for some decades and consists of implanting a small electrical impulse generator in the upper thorax, specifically in the afferent fibers of the left vagus nerve. This electrical stimulation has proven to be effective in reducing stress in people who may present anxious and depressive symptoms and also in people over 4 years of age who may present cases of epilepsy.
On the other hand, there are various exercises and activities that favor the activation of the vagus nerve, among which we propose the following:
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