What is Vagal Tone and How Can you Improve It

The Vagus Nerve (Cranial Nerve X) is the main line of communication between your brain and your gut, providing 80 to 90% of the gut-to-brain communication.  The Vagus Nerve is also involved in relaxing you after stressful situations.  Vagal tone refers to how well that communication system is working.  It is the key activator in the parasympathetic (rest and relax) nervous system.  Vagal tone “reads” the gut biome, initiating a response that modulates inflammation, depending on whether or not it detects pathogenic or non-pathogenic organisms.  The gut microbiome affects your mood, stress, and overall inflammation.

Low Vagal Tone can negatively impact health and contribute to:

  • Mental health issues

  • Dysglycemia (blood sugar rollercoaster)

  • Digestive issues

  • Autism

  • Migraines

  • Diabetes

  • Cardiovascular conditions and stroke

  • Alcoholism

  •  Leaky gut (intestinal hyperpermeability)

  • Heart disease

  • Fatigue

  • Autoimmune disease

High Vagal Tone contributes to better overall health, which can be seen in many ways:

  • Improves the function of many of the body’s systems

  • Better blood sugar regulation

  • Decreases the risk of heart disease

  • Reduces migraines

  • Improved digestion

Simple vagal tone exercises create a large impact on your body’s inflammation, inflammatory response, and your general overall health.  You can improve vagal tone by:

  • Deep breathing and meditation

  • Laughing, singing, and speaking from the diaphragm

  • Yoga, chanting, or humming

  • Balancing the gut microbiome by eating fiber and probiotic foods to feed beneficial bacteria

  • Washing the face with cold water, taking a cold shower, or trying cryotherapy

  • Massage ro bodywork

  • Fasting

Vagal tone is an extremely important mechanism that can affect many body systems.  Dr. Jennifer Johnson can help you create a plan to improve your overall vagal tone, including exercises, supplementation, and mental exercises.