Have you ever felt nervous and noticed it first in your stomach? That is not a coincidence. Your brain and your gut are in constant conversation, and the vagus nerve is the messenger running between them.
A two way highway
The vagus nerve runs from your brain down to your gut. Most of its fibers actually carry messages up from the gut to the brain, which is why how your gut feels can shape your mood, and how stressed you feel can shape your digestion.
Calm the messenger, and both ends of the conversation feel it.
What happens under stress
When your brain senses stress, it tells your body to leave rest and digest mode. Digestion slows, blood flow shifts away from your gut, and you may feel bloating, cramping, or a knot in your stomach. A cranky gut then sends its own signals back up, and the cycle continues.
Three places to begin
- 1Lengthen your exhaleBreathe in for 4, out for 6. A longer exhale signals safety.
- 2Hum or singYour vagus nerve passes near your vocal cords, and gentle vibration can help.
- 3Eat in a calm momentThree slow breaths before a meal helps your body shift into rest and digest.
Small daily moments of calm add up. Your gut is listening.
Brittany Bash
Functional Medicine Practitioner · PhD · BSN
Founder of The Whole Healing Method, helping people restore gut, metabolic, and cognitive health at the root. I am with you.