What Is Vagal Tone and Why Is It Key to Reducing Anxiety?
Why Vagal Tone Is the Missing Link in Anxiety Relief
If you’ve tried everything to manage anxiety—deep breathing, therapy, mindfulness—but still feel stuck in stress mode, your vagal tone might be the missing piece.
Vagal tone refers to the health and efficiency of your vagus nerve, a key player in your nervous system’s ability to shift from stress (fight-or-flight) to calm (rest-and-digest).
A strong vagal tone means your body can bounce back from stress quickly, helping you feel grounded and resilient. But when vagal tone is low, your nervous system struggles to regulate, keeping you stuck in chronic anxiety, panic, or emotional shutdown.
The good news? You can strengthen your vagal tone with simple, science-backed practices that improve emotional regulation, lower stress, and create lasting anxiety relief.
What Is Vagal Tone?
To understand vagal tone, let’s start with the vagus nerve—your body's built-in stress regulator.
The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, running from your brainstem down to your heart, lungs, and digestive system. It’s the main communicator of your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls rest, relaxation, and recovery.
Vagal Tone: Your Nervous System’s Resilience Score
Think of vagal tone as a measure of how quickly your nervous system recovers from stress.
High vagal tone = Your body shifts easily from stress to calm. You feel more resilient, emotionally regulated, and connected.
Low vagal tone = Your body gets stuck in fight-or-flight or shutdown mode, making it harder to regulate emotions, digest food properly, or feel socially engaged.
Why Low Vagal Tone Keeps You Stuck in Anxiety
The Stress Loop: Why You Can’t “Think” Your Way Out of Anxiety
If your vagal tone is low, your body struggles to turn off the stress response. This means you:
Stay anxious even when the threat is gone
Experience racing thoughts, tight chest, digestive issues, or sleep problems
Feel dizzy, lightheaded, or disconnected from your body
Have difficulty feeling safe, even in calm situations
This is why just changing your thoughts (as in traditional talk therapy) isn’t always enough—your body needs to learn how to feel safe again.
How to Strengthen Your Vagal Tone & Reduce Anxiety
The key to improving vagal tone is stimulating the vagus nerve, sending signals of safety to your brain and body. Here’s how:
1. Deep, Slow Breathing (The Fastest Way to Activate Your Vagus Nerve)
Why it works: Slow diaphragmatic breathing increases parasympathetic activity, calming your nervous system.
How to do it:
Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6-8 seconds
Repeat for 2-5 minutes
👉 Try it before bed or during anxious moments to calm your system.
2. Humming, Chanting, or Singing (Yes, Really!)
Why it works: Your vagus nerve runs through your throat, and vibrations stimulate it.
How to do it:
Hum a song you enjoy
Try chanting “Om” in a deep, slow tone
Sing out loud (even if you’re off-key!)
👉 Try humming for 60 seconds when you feel anxious and notice the shift.
3. Cold Exposure (A Nervous System Reset Hack)
Why it works: Cold water activates the vagus nerve, helping reset your stress response.
How to do it:
Splash cold water on your face
Take a cold shower for 30 seconds
Hold an ice pack on your chest or neck
👉 Try this first thing in the morning to activate your parasympathetic system.
4. Gentle Movement & Stretching
Why it works: Movement releases stored stress energy, signaling safety to your nervous system.
How to do it:
Try slow, mindful yoga or Tai Chi
Go for a short walk outdoors
Stretch your neck and shoulders gently
👉 Start with 5-10 minutes of movement daily to improve vagal tone.
5. Vagus Nerve Self-Massage (A DIY Stress Relief Tool)
Why it works: Massaging areas where the vagus nerve runs helps activate the relaxation response.
How to do it:
Gently massage behind your ears and along your jawline
Lightly stroke your neck from top to bottom
Use slow circular motions on your abdomen
👉 Try this before bed to improve relaxation and sleep.
6. Connection & Co-Regulation (Healing Through Relationships)
Why it works: Safe, supportive connections naturally strengthen vagal tone by signaling "I am safe" to your nervous system.
How to do it:
Spend time with people who make you feel safe
Engage in gentle touch (hugs, hand-holding, cuddling a pet)
Listen to someone with a calming voice
👉 Even virtual connection (like a voice note from a friend) can improve vagal tone.
Why Strengthening Vagal Tone Is the Key to Long-Term Anxiety Relief
Most anxiety treatments focus on thoughts, but real healing happens when we work with the nervous system.
✔ With high vagal tone, you can:
✅ Recover faster from stress and avoid anxiety spirals
✅ Feel more connected in relationships instead of withdrawing
✅ Improve digestion and sleep, which are controlled by the vagus nerve
✅ Increase emotional resilience, making life’s stressors feel more manageable
Train Your Nervous System to Feel Safe Again
If you feel stuck in anxiety, it’s not your fault—your nervous system may just need support.
The best part? Strengthening vagal tone doesn’t require expensive treatments. Small, daily nervous system regulation practices can make a huge impact over time.
🚀 Next Steps:
✅ Try one of the vagus nerve exercises today
✅ Notice when your body shifts into calm mode
✅ Keep practicing—vagal tone improves with consistency
Your nervous system is designed to heal—let’s give it the tools to do so.
To find out more about my services, click here: Anxiety Therapy
