When I first started looking into vagus nerve stimulation, I thought I'd need to buy some expensive device or take supplements. Turns out, your body already has everything it needs. You just have to know what activates this nerve.
I've tested a lot of techniques over the past few years. Some worked better than others. Here are the ones I keep coming back to.
1. Slow Diaphragmatic Breathing
This is the foundation. Everything else builds on top of this.
When you breathe slowly and deeply into your belly (not your chest), you stimulate the vagus nerve through the movement of your diaphragm. The sweet spot seems to be around 6 breaths per minute: about 5 seconds inhaling and 5 seconds exhaling.
I do this for 5 minutes every morning. It sounds simple because it is simple. But the effects are real and measurable. If you want to understand why deep breathing works at a physiological level, I wrote about that separately.
How to do it: Sit comfortably. Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in through your nose and make sure only the belly hand moves. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Cold Exposure
I was surprised by this one. Splashing cold water on your face or taking a cold shower activates something called the "diving reflex" which triggers your vagus nerve.
You don't need to do anything extreme. I just end my normal shower with 30-60 seconds of cold water. The first few times felt awful. Now I actually look forward to it because of how alert and calm I feel afterward. I wrote a full post on cold showers and what they do to your nervous system.
How to do it: Start small. Splash cold water on your face or turn your shower cold for the last 30 seconds. Build up from there if you want.
3. Humming, Chanting, or Singing
Your vagus nerve runs right through your throat. When you make sounds that vibrate in your throat, you're physically stimulating it.
I hum while I'm cooking, driving, or doing dishes. It might look a little strange, but nobody has to know why you're doing it. I cover this technique in depth in my post on humming and singing for vagus nerve stimulation.
How to do it: Just hum. Any tune works. Or if you're into it, try the "Om" chant for a more sustained vibration. Gargling vigorously works too.
4. Laughing
Real laughter (not the polite kind) involves your diaphragm and creates the kind of deep belly movement that stimulates the vagus nerve. I've noticed that after a good laugh with friends, I feel noticeably calmer.
This might be one reason why spending time with people we like is so good for us.
How to do it: Watch something funny. Spend time with people who make you laugh. Don't force it though. Genuine laughter is the goal.
5. Gentle Exercise
Moderate physical activity like walking, yoga, or swimming activates the vagus nerve. You don't need intense workouts for this effect. In fact, super intense exercise can sometimes stress your system more than help it.
I've found that a 20-minute walk does more for my stress levels than a hard gym session.
How to do it: Move your body at a comfortable pace. If you can have a conversation while doing it, you're probably in the right zone.
6. Massage (Especially Neck and Feet)
Light massage of certain areas can stimulate the vagus nerve. The carotid sinus in your neck and your feet both have connections to it.
I do some light neck massage before bed sometimes. It's not a miracle cure but it does help me wind down.
How to do it: Gently massage the sides of your neck, right below the jaw. Or give your feet a good rub. Don't press too hard. Light to moderate pressure is enough.
7. Probiotics and Gut Health
This one takes longer to work, but the gut-brain connection through the vagus nerve is real. Research shows that certain probiotics can influence mood and stress through this pathway.
I'm not a supplement pusher, but I do make sure to eat fermented foods regularly. Yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi. The gut is sometimes called the "second brain" and the vagus nerve is the main highway between them.
How to do it: Add fermented foods to your diet. If you take probiotic supplements, look for strains that have been studied for mood effects.
8. Positive Social Connection
Here's something interesting. Your vagus nerve is part of what researchers call the "social engagement system." Warm interactions with people you care about naturally stimulate it.
This is probably why isolation is so bad for mental health and why feeling connected helps so much.
How to do it: Make time for face-to-face connection with people you like. Eye contact and real conversation seem to matter more than texts or social media.
9. Meditation
Not all meditation is created equal for vagus nerve stimulation, but loving-kindness meditation (where you cultivate feelings of warmth toward yourself and others) seems particularly effective.
I was skeptical of this one too. But the research on loving-kindness meditation and vagal tone is pretty compelling.
How to do it: Sit quietly and think of someone you care about. Focus on feelings of warmth and compassion toward them. Then extend those feelings to yourself and eventually to others.
10. Quality Sleep
Sleep is when your body does a lot of its restoration and repair, including for your nervous system. Poor sleep = poor vagal tone. Good sleep = better resilience to stress.
This isn't really a "technique" but it's worth mentioning because everything else works better when you're sleeping well.
How to do it: Prioritize sleep hygiene. Cool room, dark room, consistent schedule. Use some of the breathing techniques before bed.
What Works Best
I've tried all of these and honestly, the breathing exercises are the biggest lever for me. They're free, they work fast, and I can do them anywhere.
Cold exposure is a close second. The immediate alertness plus calm is a unique combination.
The rest are good supporting practices. They all help, but they work best when combined with the breathing foundation.
Making It Practical
Don't try to do all of these at once. Pick one or two and actually do them consistently. I'd start with:
- 5 minutes of slow breathing in the morning
- Cold water at the end of your shower
That's it. Do those two things for a few weeks and see how you feel. Then add more if you want.
These techniques might seem too simple to work, but that's kind of the point. Your nervous system responds to simple inputs. You don't need expensive equipment or complicated protocols. Just consistent practice with techniques that have real science behind them.
If you want structured guidance through all of this, that's exactly why we built VagusVital. The app walks you through these exercises with voice cues and timing. 5 programs are completely free. Check it out if you want help making this a habit. You might also want to see how we compare to other apps like Calm or Headspace.
