What Is Vagal Tone and Why Is It Key to Reducing Anxiety?
You've probably tried all the "right" things for anxiety. You've done the breathing exercises, maybe tried therapy, downloaded meditation apps, read the self-help books. And some of it helped, maybe, but you still feel like your nervous system has a mind of its own.
Here's what nobody talks about: you might be missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Meet Your Vagus Nerve (Your Body's Anxiety Off-Switch)
Your vagus nerve is basically the highway between your brain and the rest of your body. It's what tells your heart to slow down after a stressful moment, what helps your digestion work properly, and what allows you to actually feel calm instead of just thinking calm thoughts.
Vagal tone is like measuring how good your vagus nerve is at its job. High vagal tone means your body is really good at shifting from "oh shit, everything is terrible" mode back to "okay, I can handle this" mode. Low vagal tone means you get stuck in stress mode way longer than you need to.
Why Everything Else Hasn't Worked
If your vagal tone is low, it's like trying to drive a car with bad brakes. You can learn all the techniques in the world, but if your nervous system can't actually shift gears when you need it to, you're going to stay stuck in anxiety no matter how many deep breaths you take.
This is why some people can meditate for years and still feel anxious, or why therapy helps you understand your patterns but doesn't necessarily make your body feel safer.
The Actually Good News
Your vagal tone isn't fixed. Just like you can strengthen your muscles at the gym, you can strengthen your vagus nerve with specific practices that actually work. And when you do, everything else - the breathing, the mindfulness, the therapy insights - starts working better too.
You're not broken if other things haven't worked. You just needed to start with your nervous system's foundation first.
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 is basically a measure of how good your vagus nerve is at doing its job. High vagal tone means your body is really efficient at bouncing back from stress. Low vagal tone means you get stuck in stress mode way longer than necessary, like having a smoke alarm that goes off and then forgets how to turn itself off.
It's not about being calm all the time (because that's not realistic). It's about your body being able to respond to stress when it needs to, and then actually return to baseline when the stressful thing is over.
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
Here's the thing that nobody tells you about anxiety: your body doesn't care how logical your thoughts are. You can know with your rational brain that you're safe, that the presentation went fine, that your friend isn't mad at you, but if your vagal tone is low, your body is still going to act like you're being chased by a bear.
When Your "Off Switch" is Broken
Low vagal tone is basically like having a smoke alarm that goes off every time you make toast, and then refuses to turn off even after you've opened all the windows and waved a towel at it for twenty minutes.
When your vagus nerve isn't doing its job well, you get stuck with:
Anxiety that lingers way longer than it should (like, the stressful thing happened three hours ago, why is your heart still racing?)
That awful tight feeling in your chest that makes you feel like you can't get a full breath
Your stomach acting like it's personally offended by everything you eat
Sleep that feels more like lying in bed with your eyes closed while your brain runs a marathon
Why "Just Think Positive" Doesn't Work
This is why well-meaning people telling you to "just relax" or "think positive thoughts" can feel so frustrating. It's like trying to turn off a fire alarm by reasoning with it. Your body is operating from a completely different system than your thinking brain, and that system doesn't speak in words or logic.
Your nervous system speaks in sensations, breath patterns, and felt experiences. So if you want to actually feel less anxious (not just think less anxious thoughts), you have to work with your body, not just your mind.
That's where vagal tone comes in, it's literally the bridge between your thinking brain and your feeling body, helping them get on the same page about whether you're actually safe or not.
How to Strengthen Your Vagal Tone & Reduce Anxiety
Your vagus nerve is basically your body's built-in anxiety reset button, but most people have no idea it exists. It's this long, wandering nerve that connects your brain to your heart, lungs, and gut, and when it's working well, it's like having a really good friend who can talk you down from a spiral.
The stronger your vagal tone, the better your body gets at shifting from "everything is terrible" mode back to "okay, I can handle this." Here's how to give yours some love:
1. Breathe Like Your Life Depends on It (Because Kind of It Does)
Why this works: When you breathe slowly and deeply, you're literally sending your nervous system a text that says "we're safe here." Your vagus nerve gets the message and starts dialing down the anxiety.
How to actually do it:
Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts (let your belly expand, not just your chest)
Hold it for 4 counts (don't stress if you can't hold that long)
Exhale through your mouth for 6-8 counts (this is the magic part - longer exhales activate the vagus nerve)
Do this for 2-5 minutes, or until you feel less like you're vibrating with anxious energy
💡 Try this: Next time you're lying in bed with your mind racing, or when you feel that familiar anxiety bubble rising in your chest.
2. Make Some Noise (Your Throat Will Thank You)
Why this works: Your vagus nerve runs right through your throat, so when you hum, sing, or chant, you're giving it a gentle massage from the inside.
How to actually do it:
Hum your favorite song while doing dishes
Try a deep "Om" sound (yes, it feels weird at first, do it anyway)
Sing in the car, shower, wherever (your vagus nerve doesn't judge your pitch)
Even gargling water for 30 seconds counts
💡 Try this: When you feel that tight, anxious feeling in your chest, hum for 60 seconds and notice what shifts.
3. Shock Your System (In a Good Way)
Why this works: Cold exposure is like hitting the reset button on your nervous system. It activates your vagus nerve and teaches your body that it can handle stress and then recover.
How to actually do it:
Splash cold water on your face when you're feeling overwhelmed
End your shower with 30 seconds of cold water (work up to this gradually)
Hold an ice pack on your chest or the back of your neck
Even drinking ice water slowly can help
💡 Try this: First thing in the morning to wake up your parasympathetic nervous system, or anytime you feel stuck in anxiety mode.
4. Move Your Body (Gently, Please)
Why this works: Gentle movement helps discharge stored stress and tells your nervous system "we're safe enough to move freely."
How to actually do it:
Try slow, mindful yoga (YouTube has tons of free options)
Take a walk outside without your phone
Do some gentle neck and shoulder rolls
Even swaying side to side while standing can help
💡 Try this: Start with just 5-10 minutes a day. Your body will tell you what feels good.
5. Give Yourself a Massage (No Spa Required)
Why this works: Gentle touch in areas where your vagus nerve runs helps activate your relaxation response. Plus, it feels nice.
How to actually do it:
Massage behind your ears and along your jawline (where you hold a lot of tension)
Gently stroke your neck from top to bottom
Use slow circles on your belly (your gut has tons of vagus nerve connections)
Be gentle - this isn't deep tissue, it's more like petting a cat
💡 Try this: Before bed to help your body shift into sleep mode, or anytime you need a quick reset.
6. Borrow Someone Else's Calm
Why this works: Your nervous system can literally "catch" calm from other people. It's called co-regulation, and it's not cheating - it's how humans are designed to heal.
How to actually do it:
Spend time with people whose energy feels steady and safe
Get hugs, hold hands, or cuddle with pets
Listen to someone with a soothing voice (podcasts, audiobooks, voice messages from friends)
Even being around calm people without talking can help
💡 Try this: When you're feeling dysregulated, instead of isolating, reach out to someone who feels like a safe harbor.
The Real Talk About Vagal Tone
Strengthening your vagal tone isn't about becoming a zen master who never feels anxious. It's about building resilience - helping your nervous system get better at bouncing back when life gets overwhelming.
Some of these techniques will work better for you than others, and that's completely normal. Your nervous system is unique, just like you are. The goal is to experiment and find what actually helps you feel more grounded and less like you're constantly braced for impact.
Start small, be consistent, and remember: your vagus nerve has been there your whole life, quietly doing its job. Now you're just giving it some extra support to do that job even better.
Train Your Nervous System to Feel Safe Again
If you're reading this while feeling like your anxiety has taken over your life, I need you to know something: this isn't a character flaw. Your nervous system isn't broken or defective. It's just been working really hard to keep you safe, and now it needs some help learning how to chill out.
You don't need expensive therapy or fancy equipment to start strengthening your vagal tone. You don't need to become a meditation guru or completely overhaul your life. You just need to start small and be consistent.
Think of it like going to the gym, but way less sweaty and annoying. Every time you do one of these vagus nerve exercises, you're basically doing a tiny workout for your nervous system's ability to calm down.
🎯 Your Starting Point
Pick ONE technique from this post that feels doable (not all of them, just one)
Try it today, even if it's just for 30 seconds
Notice what happens in your body - does anything shift, even slightly?
Keep doing that one thing for a week before adding anything else
Your nervous system has been learning and adapting your whole life. The same system that learned to stay on high alert can absolutely learn to settle back down. It just takes some patience and the right tools.
You're not trying to become a different person. You're just helping your body remember what calm feels like, one small practice at a time.
Your nervous system wants to heal, it's literally designed for it. Sometimes it just needs a little guidance on how to get there.
To find out more about my services, click here: Anxiety Therapy
