Regulating Your Nervous System : How Chiropractic Can Influence the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve, also known as the "wandering nerve," is the longest cranial nerve in the body and plays a pivotal role in telling our brain what’s happening in our organs and controlling various bodily functions. From breathing and digestion to blood pressure, inflammation, mood, and pain regulation, the autonomic nervous system is responsible for controlling these involuntary actions. It encompasses a vast network throughout multiple organs of the thorax and abdomen, including the heart, lungs, digestive tract, and even the vocal cords. One key component of this system is the vagus nerve, a vital nerve that connects the brain to various organs in the body.
Chiropractic care (along with other modalities) can impact the vagus nerve and help regulate your nervous system. Dr. Dani is a Denver based perinatal and pediatric chiropractor and utilizes multiple techniques including; adjustments (when appropriate), craniosacral fascial technique, gentle myofascial release, and at-home recommendations to improve the glide of tissues, promote better communication between the brain and the body, and decrease tension & stress to help enhance overall health and well-being.
What is nervous system regulation?
Many of us have heard about fight or flight vs rest and digest and while this is a very digestible way to view the very intricate and complex nervous system. Our goal with nervous system regulation is to help the body appropriately fluctuate between the two. This means that the body will naturally upregulate during stressors- such as when you need to grab your kiddo out of harm’s way. For a baby, you’ve likely notice they tend get a bit ramped up when they are hungry or uncomfortable! Ideally, the nervous system is able to experience a stressor, respond appropriately, then downregulate once the stressor is over. While it may sound a bit woo woo, bodywork helps the brain and body to feel safe and allow them both to respond to their day to day environment in a less heightened state. If someone is uncomfortable, their nervous system is more likely to be on alert and react a bit more intensely to any additional stressors as the body is more primed to identify or perceive day to day inconveniences or troubles as threats rather than for what they are.
What does nervous system regulation mean?
Nervous systems should naturally fluctuate from a relaxed /resting state to a more energized / mobilized state. The goal is to allow the brain and body to feel safe and less in a guarded or defensive position or view of our environment. Someone hitting the brakes in front of us should absolutely create a stress response, but a regulated system will come back down from this versus an upregulated state where we’re flying off the handle with curse words, a selected finger wave, swerving around the offending driver, ruminating on it for days, and allowing it to impact their thoughts and actions going forward. With nervous system regulation, we are aiming to increase the duration of time in which we feel calm and regulated, and aiming to decrease an overly active stress response.
What does nervous system regulation feel like?
Nervous system regulation widens the threshold and increases the capacity to handle stressors. The body feels more safe and calm, less on edge and agitated and more at ease and able to cope with surroundings. When negative stimulus occurs, we’re able to respond and then come back to a neutral state more quickly.
Why is nervous system regulation and the Vagus Nerve important?
The vagus nerve is responsible for controlling a wide range of involuntary processes, including heart rate, breathing, digestion, and even emotional responses. By acting as a communication pathway between the brain and these essential systems, the vagus nerve helps maintain homeostasis, or the body's natural balance. When the vagus nerve is functioning optimally, it can positively influence overall health and well-being.
Conversely, when the vagus nerve is impaired or dysregulated, it can lead to a host of health issues, such as heart rate variability, digestive problems, inflammation, and even mental health disorders. Conditions like chronic stress, inflammation, and trauma can all impact the vagus nerve's function, leading to a cascade of negative effects on the body.
How can Chiropractic influence the Vagus nerve?
The vagus nerve exits the brainstem and travels downward through the upper cervical spine/neck. Chiropractic and manual therapies help to reduce tension in the muscles surrounding the vagus nerve, improve tissue glide, increase lymphatic drainage, and help improve blood flow to these areas. Manual therapies can also address other areas of the body that can influence the vagus such as the diaphragm and abdomen. Improving rib expansion through adjustments and exercises can improve rib mobility and the ability to take a deep breath which can also greatly decrease stress and contribute to nervous system regulation. This, in turn, can lead to improved heart rate variability, better digestion, reduced inflammation, and even enhanced emotional regulation. Chiropractors may also use other techniques, such as craniosacral fascial therapy and myofascial release, to further support the vagus nerve and the overall functioning of the nervous system.
What you can do at home to help with Nervous System Regulation?
Mental Health Therapy
Self Care (massage, dry brushing, sauna, etc.)
Mindfulness (being present, focusing in on senses, etc.)
Journal
Find a form of movement (walking/running, swimming, lifting etc.)
Focusing on quality sleep
Attention to diet and nutrition / gut health
Social engagement
Singing/humming
Brain-Body Awareness (deep breathing, yoga, meditation)
