For those who have been following my journey, you know that two years ago, I underwent a bilateral mastectomy. During my recovery, I relied on gentle yoga practices like breathing and yoga nidra that didn't require a lot of physical movement. Among them were specific practices to relieve stress and our gut-brain superhighway, the vagus nerve.

Yoga practices like chanting and meditation are ideal for their "supercharging" effect on the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve plays a vital role in maintaining mental balance and calm, which is critical for healing. You can read on to learn how these and other yoga practices can help you feel better, whether you are managing stress, recovering from surgery or an illness, or simply looking to improve your overall resilience.

Warning:  There is a lot of information here, but this is a must-read that can

change your life from head to gut … literally.

What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve (Latin for ‘wanderer’) is the longest cranial nerve in the body. It runs from the brain, passing and contacting the tongue, vocal cords, throat, heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver, spleen, large intestine, small intestine, pancreas, and kidneys and ending as a ball of nerve endings in the stomach. 

Why is it important?

Called the “nerve of emotion,” the vagus nerve serves as a communication superhighway relaying messages from the gut to the brain and back. As the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), it oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including:

• mood
• immune response
• digestion
• heart rate 
• breathing

When the body is in a sympathetic state, its primary focus is being able to defend itself or flee from a dangerous or threatening situation. This vital response prepares the body to deal with perceived threats. However, prolonged activation of this “fight-or-flight” response can have adverse effects, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, digestive problems, and a weakened immune system.

By contrast, when we are in the parasympathetic state, our bodies and minds are calm and can focus on resting, healing, and digesting. The ability of our nervous system to move smoothly from hyperarousal back to homeostasis depends largely on the activity or tone of the vagus nerve.

Your Health, the Vagus Nerve and Yoga

From a purely scientific perspective, vagal tone is a measure of cardiovascular function that facilitates adaptive responses to environmental challenges.

• Low ‘vagal tone’ is characterized by anxiety, negativity, weak digestion, depression and inflammation, all indications of stress 
• ‘High vagal tone’ is associated with lower blood pressure, improved digestion, better mood, and reduced anxiety. 

Researchers who study the mind-body effects of holistic practices like yoga have found that by incorporating even a few yoga practices each day, you can increase vagal tone. I hope, by now, you recognize that good vagal tone is key to optimizing your physical and mental health. 

Improving Vagal Tone

Think of the vagus nerve as a built-in de-stressor. With practice, you will be able to engage it at any time.  In a world where we experience situations that continually elicit anxiety and stress, it’s worth knowing some quick and easy strategies for toning the vagus nerve to bring your body into a state of balance.

6 Yoga Practices to Tone the Vagus Nerve

1) Slow deep breathing

One of the simplest (and most effective ways) to tone the vagus nerve is deep diaphragmatic breathing. Known in yoga as Three-Part Yoga breathing, this practice of breathing slowly and deeply sends signals through the vagus nerve to the brain that says, “Time to relax.”

*Quick Tip: To slow down your exhale,

imaging letting air out of a tire and exhale with the sound of “shhh.”

2) Singing and chanting

The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat, so singing, humming, and chanting can activate it. Research has shown the ‘Aum’ or ‘Om’ mantra to be particularly effective for cultivating a sense of calm. 

If chanting isn’t your thing, instead try adding a mantra to your asana practice when you exhale into a pose. Using a mantra on the exhale calms your nervous system by helping to increase the length of the exhale. Forward bending postures and twists, like Uttanasana and Sage’s Twist, lend themselves to this. Choose a simple mantra, such as Om or Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, and chant it aloud as you exhale into the pose. 

3) Body scan with progressive muscle relaxation

When you do a body scan, you scan your body from head to toe, seeking to identify where you might be holding tension and then consciously release those areas. This quickly and effectively activates your body's relaxation response.

*Quick tip: Focus on releasing the tension around the eyes, face, jaw and tops of the shoulders

4) Practice poses that open the chest and neck

Your vagus nerve passes right behind the sternocleidomastoid muscles (SCM) and in front of the scalenes which tend to be the tightest muscles in the neck. From there, it branches down into the thorax (or chest). Gentle stretches that target the neck and chest can help trigger the relaxation response.

• Try these chest-opening poses: Cat-Cow, Sphinx and Fish
• Practice this simple somatic neck stretch:

1. Gazing forward, gently drop your right ear toward your right shoulder. Allow your eyes to turn toward the right. Stay for three breaths. Then inhale your head and gaze back to the center.

2. Again, tilt your head towards your right shoulder, but this time, take your gaze to the left, away from your shoulder. Stay for three breaths.

3. Return your head and eyes to the center. Take a moment to notice any sensations in your neck, throat, and face before repeating to your left.

5) Stimulate the belly 

Because the vagus nerve culminates its journey as a bundle of nerves in the gut, poses that stimulate the belly help to regulate both your nervous system, promoting a sense of calm and balance.

• Try belly-stimulating poses: Cobra, Supported Child’s Pose, or Bridge
• Or practice twists, such as this simple seated twist done on the floor or in a chair:

1. Inhale your arms out to the sides, palms turned up. As you exhale, turn your belly to your right, allowing your left hand to rest on your right thigh and your right hand behind you on the chair or floor.  

2. With your next inhale, lift your arms to chest height as you return to the center. Exhale to the left, bringing your hands to the left thigh. Continue twice more, twisting to each side.   

3. Next, twist to the right and take two breaths. On your third inhale, slowly turn your head to the left and gaze over your left shoulder. Stay here for three breaths before returning to the center. Repeat to your left. 

*Bonus Practice: Try this belly-stimulating sequence

6) Meditate

Meditation has been shown to activate the PNS. Studies have found that practicing loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is especially beneficial for vagus nerve activity.  Similar to chanting, meditation stimulates the relaxation response by slowing your heart rate and respiration, relaxing the muscles of the abdomen, and slowing brainwave activity. 

No matter your age or ability, whether you are recovering from surgery, treating a lifelong illness, or looking to supercharge your nervous system, the Vagus Nerve is a great place to start. 

Be well! 

published 10/23/22; revised 3/24/25

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