Have you ever felt like your body is stuck in survival mode?
Like your mind is racing, your gut is tied in knots, your hormones are out of rhythm, and no matter what you do, your nervous system just won’t settle?
You’re not broken.
But there is a reason.
It could be that your vagus nerve — the quiet, powerful communication superhighway between your body and brain — is underactive, overwhelmed, or simply out of tone.
Let’s dive into one of the most overlooked keys to restoring energy, lowering inflammation, and bringing harmony back to your hormones.
What Is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve (from the Latin vagus, meaning “wandering”) is the longest cranial nerve in your body — running from your brainstem, through your neck, lungs, heart, gut, and almost every vital organ along the way.
Think of it as a major highway between the gut and other organs and the brain. Sending and receiving impulses from all over the body.
It’s the main switch of your parasympathetic nervous system — your rest, digest, and repair mode.
When it’s toned and functioning well, it tells your body: “You’re safe. You can relax. You can heal.”
But when it’s underactive or stressed, your body stays stuck in fight-or-flight. Cortisol climbs, inflammation rises, digestion slows, periods become erratic, and energy crashes.
It’s like trying to recharge your phone… but never plugging it in.
How the Vagus Nerve Affects Inflammation, Hormones, and Energy
Here’s where it gets fascinating from a biochemistry and naturopathic perspective:
- Inflammation Control
The vagus nerve triggers what’s called the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway — a powerful signal that tells the immune system to calm down.
When vagus tone is low, pro-inflammatory cytokines (like IL-6 and TNF-alpha) can flood the system, contributing to autoimmunity, brain fog, fatigue, and even mood disorders.
- Hormonal Communication
The vagus nerve helps regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function — the master hormonal pathway that controls cortisol, thyroid hormones, and sex hormone balance.
Low vagus tone = high stress, low resilience, irregular cycles, and that feeling like everything is “just too much.”
- Energy & Mitochondrial Health
A calm nervous system is essential for cellular repair and mitochondrial energy production. Without it, your body prioritises survival over restoration, keeping you tired, inflamed, and flat.
Signs Your Vagus Nerve Might Be Under Stress
- You feel anxious, edgy, or overwhelmed easily
- You struggle with poor digestion or IBS symptoms
- You’re always tired but have trouble truly relaxing
- You hold tension in your neck, jaw, or gut
- You get sick often or feel “inflamed”
- Your periods are irregular, or your hormones feel off
- You feel disconnected from joy, creativity, or intuition
Sound familiar? You’re not alone…… And you can do something about it.
How to Naturally Tone Your Vagus Nerve
You can think of the vagus nerve like a muscle — the more you use it (gently), the stronger and more responsive it becomes. Here are my favourite naturopathic ways to tune in and tone up your vagus nerve:
- Breathwork – Slow and Deep
Breathing deeply into your belly (diaphragmatic breathing) stimulates the vagus nerve directly.
Try this:
Inhale for 4 counts → hold for 4 → exhale slowly for 6–8 counts. Repeat for 2 minutes, several times a day.
Even just a few rounds can calm your entire system.
- Cold Exposure – Gently Wake the Nerve
Cold showers or splashing your face with cold water stimulate the vagus nerve via the facial nerves and trigger a parasympathetic response.
Start with 10–30 seconds of cold water at the end of your warm shower and build from there.
- Herbal Nervines & Adaptogens – Nature’s Nervous System Tonics
Certain herbs can nourish and tone the vagus nerve by calming the entire parasympathetic system.
My favourites:
- Withania (Ashwagandha) – helps calms cortisol and supports nervous system resilience
- Lemon balm – gentle, and uplifting. Beneficial for hormonal nervous tension
- Passionflower – great addition to help racing thoughts and nervous exhaustion
- Rhodiola – helps support the adrenal gland and builds vagal tone in a tired but wired system
- Humming, Singing, or Chanting – Yes, Really!
Your vagus nerve is connected to the muscles at the back of your throat.
Humming, chanting, or even singing in the shower can vibrate and stimulate this nerve in a gentle, joyful way.
What a fun way to support your vagal nerve……
- Restorative Yoga or Lying on the Floor
Slow, supported movements that shift your body into safety tell the vagus nerve “all is well.”
Even 10 minutes lying down with your legs up the wall can begin the reset.
Final Thoughts: Your Calm Is Your Power
We live in a world that glorifies pushing through. But your body was never designed to operate in overdrive all the time.
When you support your vagus nerve, you unlock one of the most powerful healing systems in your body. You calm inflammation, regulate hormones, restore energy, improve digestion, and reconnect to a sense of peace.
And the best part? It doesn’t take hours a day or expensive therapies.
It starts with something as simple as your breath… and your awareness.
Ready to Reset Your Nervous System?
I’ve created a Free Vagus Nerve Reset Guide that walks you through the top techniques I use in clinic to help women move from frazzled to focused — and from flat to full of life.
From my clinic to you
And if you’d like personalised support, you can book a Naturopathic Consultation with me — where we’ll look under the hood and build a tailored plan to get your spark back.
Teressa
Naturopath + Biochemist
Ready to kick start Gut Health? Book a Call!
This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.
