Vagus Nerve, Parasympathetic Nervous System, Fight or Flight, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Susan Morrison Vagus Nerve, Parasympathetic Nervous System, Fight or Flight, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Susan Morrison

CW Vol 2 Ed. 24 - 🧠 Why One Nerve Might Be the Key to Better Sleep, Less Stress, and Long-Term Health

When you think of improving your health, you might focus on diet, exercise, or hydration. But there's an unsung hero quietly influencing everything from your mood to digestion and even how well you recover from stress: the vagus nerve. This week, we’re highlighting insights from Dr. Navaz Habib, a functional medicine expert and author of Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve, who recently appeared on The Dhru Purohit Show to explain how this nerve could be the missing piece in your wellness puzzle.

🔍 What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body, running from your brainstem to your gut. It’s a central player in the parasympathetic nervous system, a powerful communication superhighway between your brain and body that plays a major role in relaxation, digestion, and recovery. If your vagus nerve isn’t working well, you may feel burned out, anxious, inflamed, or stuck in “fight or flight” mode.

🚨 Signs Your Vagus Nerve Needs Attention

Dr. Habib identifies a few key warning signs:

  • Poor sleep quality or feeling unrested.

  • Bloating, indigestion or slow gut motility.

  • Anxiety, irritability, mood swings or brain fog.

  • Low energy or poor recovery from workouts.

🔧 What Disrupts It?

There are four types of stress that can overload your vagus nerve:

  • Physical (e.g., poor posture or injury)

  • Chemical (e.g., processed foods, toxins)

  • Emotional (e.g., chronic worry or grief)

  • Electromagnetic (e.g., too much screen time, poor sleep hygiene)

🛠️ How to Support Your Vagus Nerve

Here are a few simple ways to improve vagus nerve tone and reduce stress throughout the day:

☀️ Start with a Solid Morning Routine

  • Wake up at the same time each day

  • Get sunlight in your eyes within 30 minutes of waking

  • Avoid jumping into emails or social media first thing

🌙 Wind Down with Intention

  • Keep screens off for 1 hour before bed

  • Try nasal breathing or light stretching

  • Use a calming sleep environment (cool, dark, quiet)

Daily Nervous System Support

  • Practice slow, deep breathing

  • Gargle aggressively, hum, or sing (yes, really!)

  • Try a short meditation or gratitude journal entry

⏱️ Use Wearables Wisely

Dr. Habib breaks down how to interpret wearable data like:

  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV) – Higher HRV = better vagal tone

  • Respiratory Rate – Irregular patterns may signal stress

  • Sleep Cycles – Deep, restorative sleep is essential for healing

Even if you don’t wear a tracker, you can still tune in to how you feel after different activities—especially sleep, food, and stress exposure.

🧰 The takeaway? You don’t need a full lifestyle overhaul to feel better. Start with just one routine—like consistent sleep or a few minutes of deep breathing—and build from there. Your vagus nerve (and your future self) will thank you.

View this Newsletter and links to resources here!

The links are also provided here:

“The vagus nerve helps us shift from ‘fight or flight’ into ‘rest and digest’—but only if we create space for it.”

— Dr. Navaz Habib on The Dhru Purohit Show. Click here to listen.

Learn How To Exercise Your Vagus Nerve to Lower Stress and Inflammation here or scan the QR code.

6/11/2025

Read More