Soothing Your Vagus Nerve: Gentle Practices for Inner Calm
If you’ve ever felt stuck in anxiety, panic, or overwhelm, you’re not alone—and your nervous system might be asking for support. One key player in your body’s stress response is the vagus nerve, which helps regulate everything from your breathing and digestion to your heart rate and mood. When it’s in balance, you feel more grounded and safe. When it’s dysregulated, you may feel on edge, numb, or exhausted.
The good news? You can learn to gently support your vagus nerve through simple, accessible practices. As a trauma-informed holistic practitioner, I regularly help clients incorporate these into their healing routines—and I use many of them myself.
Let’s explore some of my favorite calming techniques.
What Is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, running from your brainstem down through your neck, chest, and abdomen. It’s a core part of your parasympathetic nervous system, often called the “rest and digest” system.
When the vagus nerve is activated in healthy ways, it sends signals that help your body relax after stress. But chronic trauma, burnout, or emotional wounds can weaken this response, making it harder to come back to calm.
The beautiful part? With time and consistency, you can retrain your nervous system to feel safe again.
7 Ways to Calm the Vagus Nerve
1. Slow, Deep Breathing
Breath is one of the fastest ways to signal safety to your nervous system. Try this simple technique:
Inhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4
Exhale slowly for 6–8 counts
Repeat for a few minutes
Longer exhales activate the vagus nerve and invite a sense of ease.
2. Gentle Humming or Chanting
Your vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords. Humming, chanting, or singing can stimulate it in a soothing way. Try humming “mmm” or chanting a calming sound like “om” for a few minutes. You can even pair this with a sound bath or meditation.
3. Splashing Cold Water on Your Face
It might sound odd, but brief exposure to cold water—especially on your face—can kickstart your vagus nerve and help reset your system. Try splashing your face or using a cool compress on your neck or chest.
4. Vagus Nerve Massage
You can gently massage certain areas where the vagus nerve runs:
The sides of your neck (along the sternocleidomastoid muscle)
The area behind your ears
Your chest and diaphragm area with soft circular motions
Use light pressure and check in with your body’s cues.
5. Vocal Toning or Singing Bowls
Sound healing is a powerful way to regulate the vagus nerve. Whether you use your voice or instruments like singing bowls, the vibrations can help bring your body into a relaxed state. I often use vocal toning in sessions for this exact reason.
6. Mindful Touch and Somatic Grounding
Gently placing a hand over your heart, chest, or belly while breathing can send a powerful message of safety to your nervous system. Somatic grounding techniques like tapping, swaying, or rocking can also be supportive.
7. Connection and Safe Presence
The vagus nerve thrives on safe connection. Laughing with a friend, cuddling a pet, or receiving compassionate touch from a trusted person (or healing practitioner) can deeply activate your body’s relaxation response.
Why This Matters in Trauma Recovery
For those of us navigating trauma—especially childhood or relational trauma—our nervous systems may feel like they’re always bracing for impact. By supporting the vagus nerve, we begin to build a new relationship with safety. Not as a concept, but as a felt experience in the body.
It’s not about “fixing” yourself. It’s about gently reminding your body that it’s safe to soften.
Book Resource
📖 The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
This book explains how trauma lives in the body and includes helpful discussions on nervous system regulation and somatic healing.
Final Thoughts and Invitation
If you’ve been feeling stuck in anxiety or disconnection, know that you don’t have to navigate it alone. At Restorative Healing Haven, I offer sessions designed to help calm and rewire the nervous system—through Root Cause Therapy, Somatic Healing, Reiki, and Sound Baths.
🧠✨ Curious which option might support your healing best? I offer free consults to help you find your starting point.
📅 Book a consult or session here: www.restorativehealinghaven.com/services
📍South Haven + virtual options available