The Vagus Nerve’s Role in Mental Health

If you’ve ever taken a deep breath to calm yourself, you’ve used your vagus nerve—whether you realized it or not.

The vagus nerve (Latin for “wandering”) is the tenth cranial nerve and the longest in the human body. It travels from your brainstem throughout your body, connecting to the heart, lungs, gut, and other internal organs. This nerve plays a key role in the parasympathetic nervous system—our “rest and digest” system—regulating functions like heart rate, digestion, mood, and inflammation.

Why the Vagus Nerve Is Vital for Mental Health

One of the vagus nerve’s most important functions is managing our physiological stress response. People with high vagal tone—meaning their vagus nerve is more active or resilient—tend to bounce back more easily from stress and regulate their emotions better. In contrast, low vagal tone is linked to anxiety, depression, and mood instability.

For example, studies have shown that children and adolescents with low vagal tone are more emotionally reactive and vulnerable to stress-related disorders. In one study, adolescents exposed to life stress developed anxiety and depression symptoms only when their vagal tone was low; those with high vagal tone were protected.

What’s more, the vagus nerve is a key link in the gut-brain axis, the communication pathway between your digestive system and your brain. Your gut microbes send messages to your brain—largely through the vagus nerve—and imbalances in this system have been tied to mood disorders (Bonaz et al.). In other words, when your vagus nerve isn’t functioning properly, you may experience not just digestive issues, but emotional distress as well.

How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve Naturally

Fortunately, you don’t need an implant to tap into the power of your vagus nerve. Many everyday practices have been shown to naturally stimulate vagus activity:

1. Deep, Slow Breathing

Slow, diaphragmatic breathing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to activate the vagus nerve. Research has shown that even short breathing sessions can reduce anxiety and increase heart rate variability (HRV), a key measure of vagal tone. Try inhaling for four counts, pausing briefly, and exhaling slowly for six to eight counts.

2. Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation, especially practices focused on breathing or loving-kindness, engages parasympathetic activity and enhances emotional regulation. While studies have found mixed results on whether meditation directly increases vagal tone, it consistently reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.

3. Cold Exposure

Cold water exposure, such as splashing your face or taking a brief cold shower, activates the vagus nerve by triggering the “diving reflex,” which slows the heart rate and calms the nervous system.

4. Humming, Singing, and Gargling

These vocal activities stimulate the vagus through the muscles in the back of the throat. While the research is limited, many clinicians recommend humming or singing as simple vagal exercises.

5. Regular Exercise

Aerobic exercise improves overall cardiovascular health and increases HRV over time. Movement-based practices like yoga and tai chi also enhance vagal tone by combining breath, movement, and body awareness.

6. Social Connection and Laughter

Social bonding, touch, laughter, and even loving-kindness meditations can enhance vagal activity. According to the Polyvagal Theory, the vagus nerve is deeply involved in our sense of safety in relationships, and positive social engagement reinforces this calming system.

Putting It All Together

Here are a few simple things you can start doing today to support your vagus nerve and mental health:

• Spend 5–10 minutes each day doing slow, diaphragmatic breathing

• Meditate or practice mindfulness a few times per week

• Add brief cold exposure (e.g., 30 seconds of cold water at the end of your shower)

• Exercise regularly, even light walking

• Engage in meaningful conversations or spend time with people who help you feel safe

• Hum, sing, or gargle daily

Improving vagal tone won’t happen overnight, but with consistent practice, these tools can help reduce stress, improve mood, and create a deeper sense of regulation and connection between your body and mind.

References

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Bonaz, B., Bazin, T., and Pellissier, S. “The Vagus Nerve at the Interface of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 12, 2018, doi:10.3389/fnins.2018.00049.

Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., and Hasler, G. “Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain–Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 9, 2018, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044.

Groves, D. A., and Brown, V. J. “Vagal nerve stimulation: a review of its applications and potential mechanisms that mediate its clinical effects.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, vol. 29, no. 3, 2005, pp. 493–500.

Hein, E., Nowak, M., Kiess, O., Biermann, T., Bayerlein, K., Kornhuber, J., and Kraus, T. “Auricular transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in depressed patients: A randomized controlled pilot study.” Journal of Neural Transmission, vol. 120, no. 5, 2013, pp. 821–827.

Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., and Jerath, V. “Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system.” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 67, no. 3, 2006, pp. 566–571.

Kreibig, Sylvia D. “Autonomic nervous system activity in emotion: A review.” Biological Psychology, vol. 84, no. 3, 2010, pp. 394–421.

Krygier, J. R., Heathers, J. A. J., Shahrestani, S., Abbott, M., Gross, J. J., and Kemp, A. H. “Mindfulness meditation, well-being, and heart rate variability: A preliminary investigation into the impact of intensive Vipassana meditation.” International Journal of Psychophysiology, vol. 89, no. 3, 2013, pp. 305–313.

Porges, Stephen W. The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company, 2011.