The vagus nerve

THE WANDERING NERVE
Our nervous system is responsible for how our body reacts to external and internal stimuli. It sends ‘sensory’ messages to the brain which sends ‘motor’ messages to the glands and muscles of the body to cause a chain of reactions to the stimuli. The nervous system has two responses to this information – the sympathetic ‘fight or flight’ response and the parasympathetic ‘rest and restore’ response. Throughout our day the nervous system shifts gear from one to the other without us even noticing. We rise to challenges with the sympathetic nervous system and we settle and reset with the parasympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system is the bodies ‘on’ switch. When the sympathetic nervous system, or the fight or flight response, is triggered the nervous system sends ‘sensory’ signals to the brain and the brain sends ‘motor’ signals to the body to increase heart rate and blood pressure, open our airways, inhibit digestion and reproductive organs, stimulate adrenaline production, open our sweat glands and tense the muscles ready for action. It helps you get jobs done, stay focused, productive and energised. When you get stuck with the switch ‘on’ the body becomes physically and menatlly exhausted and gradually starts to break down.

The parasympathetic nervous system is the bodies ‘off’ switch. When the parasympathetic nervous system, or the rest and restore response, is triggered the nervous system sends ‘sensory’ signals to the brain and the brain sends ‘motor’ signals to the body to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, relax our airways, stimulate digestion and reproductive organs, inhibit adrenaline production, stimulate endorphin productions and relax the muscles. It helps you stay calm when you are stressed, make more informed decisions and wind down after your working day is over. When you are able to flick the switch ‘off’ the body has space to create optimal conditions for the functionality of the organs, strengthen the immune system to regenerate and heal, and relieve symptoms of stress, tension and anxiety.

These two nervous system responses are autonomic which means they are involuntary and are not within our control. But we can create favourable conditions to influence which response we are in. When balanced these two responses work together and shift smoothly from one to the other. The body strives for homeostasis, it thrives with a balance of activity and rest; doing and nondoing; mental stimulation and mental space.

There are many nerves responsible for the parasympathetic ‘rest and restore’ nervous response. Most of them come from the cranial nerves with just three coming from spinal nerves. The main cranial nerve associated with 75% of the parasympathetic nerve fibres, and for regulating the parasympathetic response, is the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and travels from the brainstem straight to the throat, heart, diaphragm, stomach, kidneys, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, sphincter and reproductive organs. Which is why it is often referred to as the ‘wandering nerve’. It is the only nerve that influences such a wide variety of bodily functions including our mental health, immune system, digestive system and cardiovascular system. The vagus nerve can be stimulated with deep breathing, gentle movement, meditation, singing, chanting and laughing, cold water therapy and gut health. The breath-linked, meditative flowing movement of yoga is one of the best ways to combine three of the above methods for helping your body find this delicate balance between the two nervous systems and stimulate the vagus nerve.

VAGAL TONE
When we breathe in our heart rate increases slightly and when we breathe out it decreases. The difference between your inhale rate and exhale rate is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and, along with heart rate variability (HRV), it is used as a way to access vagal tone. A higher measurement indicates an adaptable nervous system and high vagal tone. High vagal tone is associated with good sleep, better moods, mentally resilient, less risk of cardiovascular diseases, good gut health and less risk of inflammatory conditions. While low vagal tone is associated with poor sleep, anxiety, stress, depression, cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, gut issues and inflammation.

YOGA BREATH, MOVEMENT & MEDITATION
The breath is part of the autonomic nervous system, which means it works automatically. But what makes the breath unique, and one of the fastest routes to the vagus nerve, is that we can also control the breath. We can extend, shorten and hold the breath depending on our desired outcomes. When we breathe, in particular an extended exhale, the diaphragm stimulates the vagus nerve which causes a chemical reaction that activates the nerve fibres and sends messages to the brain and initiates the parasympathetic response in all the parts of the body which this ‘wandering nerve’ travels to. Yjjayi breath vibrates the vocal cords and stimulates the vagus nerve in the throat.

The gentle movement of yoga encourages a calm and introspective mindset and helps us stay present on our mat in meditative mindfulness. Yoga postures, which innervate the regions of the body which the vagus nerve travels to, stimulate the nerve and influence vagal tone. For example chest opening and backbend poses stimulate the vagus nerve in the throat, heart and diaphragm; twists stimulate the diaphragm, stomach and reproductive organs; forward bends stimulate the stomach and heart; and inversions stimulate the heart and stomach.

EXPLORING THE VAGUS NERVE IN YOUR PRACTICE
This blended yoga sequence trains both sides of the nervous system to help you become more skilled at tapping into your energy stores when you need them and being able to switch off and relax at the appropriate time to manage our energy bank. The sequence combines breath with movement to create a meditative flow by linking an inhale and an exhale with each pose. This little trick not only stimulates the vagus nerve in the diaphragm but gives you something simple to focus on and put aside all the unwanted chattering in the mind. You will then transition into the king of all yoga for the nervous system – restorative yoga. In restorative you consciously relax, become aware of your breath and absorb the benefits of your practice. It is important to make sure you are completely comfortable and adjust to find comfort if needed. Staying in a restorative pose when you are not totally comfortable is counterproductive to the process. The poses are held for longer periods (you will see the suggested hold times in the sequence) with the support of your blankets to help you to feel effortless comfort. You will need a bolster and two blankets for this practice.

ALIGNMENT CUES
There is no specific peak pose in the vagus nerve sequence. Move slowly with an even breath.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

If there are specific poses that you would like to stay longer in, give yourself three deep breaths in those poses, and pick up the next pose with the allocated inhale or exhale as indicated by the sequence.

For a longer practice add in a Sun Salutations at the start of each mini flow or repeat each mini flow.

RESTORATIVE POSE ALIGNMENT CUES
The props you’ll need for the restorative poses are:
1 x bolster - or 2 towels, wrapped around a horizontally rolled pillow and tied to secure.
2 x yoga bricks - or 2 two thick similar sized dictionaries.
2 x yoga blankets - or any wool, thick cotton or fleece blanket with density.

No.1 - Elevated resting pose with chest opening
Place your bolster vertically along the top of your mat. Sit with the back of your hips against the short end of the bolster. Gently lie back onto your bolster and let your arms hang down either side of the bolster.

No.2 - Prone twist with leg support
Place your bolster vertically along the top centre of your mat with a folded blanket at the top. Sit with your right hip against the short end of the bolster. Place your hands on the mat either side of the bolster, with an inhale lengthen through the whole spine and on your exhale gently place your front spine along the length of the bolster. Place your right cheek on the folded blanket and let your arms gently hang either side of the bolster. Repeat on the left side.

No.3 - Mountain brook
Place a neck roll at the top of your mat, a narrow folded blanket under that and a bolster towards the end of your mat. Lie down on your back and adjust your three props to nestle under the curve of your neck, under your shoulder blade and under your knees.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Shifting tension

PHYSICAL & MENTAL TENSION
Tension can be felt physically and menatlly. It can show up in muscle aches, headaches or digestive issues and can also be a general sense of feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. Physical tension can be caused by mental tension and similarly mental tension can cause physical tension. Prolonged periods of stress can also cause physical and mental tension to accumulate and can be shifted by regulating the nervous system. Yoga works on both physical and mental manifestations of tensions through gentle movement and conscious breathing. As we stretch and move through our practice we release tension from problem areas like the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips. The poses in our yoga practice take focus and concentration and sometimes it can be as simple as distraction is the best cure for washing away our stress, tension and anxieties. Yoga also makes us more aware of our breath, the breath is one of the most powerful tools for releasing stress and tension. The breath stimulates the vagus nerve which is the main cranial nerve associated with the parasympathetic rest and restore response. It travels to and from the brainstem straight to the throat, heart, diaphragm, stomach, kidneys, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, sphincter and reproductive organs. It is responsible for slowing heart rate and reducing blood pressure, relaxing our airways, stimulating digestion and reproductive organs, inhibiting adrenaline production, stimulating endorphin production and relaxing the muscles.

RESTORATIVE YOGA AND TENSION
Restorative yoga in particular helps to initiate the parasympathetic rest and restore response and is a direct pathway to the nervous system. The poses in restorative yoga are designed to deliberately shift you into relaxation and is considered a ‘non sleep deep rest’ or NSDR practice. NSDR are practises which are scientifically proven to give more benefits than even a good night's sleep in terms of less time required to achieve better brain and body function. Taking a restorative pose, or Savasana, at the end of your practice, teaches the body to let go of the physical challenges of the practice and cultivates a malleable nervous system ready to return to balance after a period of stress.

EXPLORING SHIFTING TENSION IN YOUR PRACTICE
The sequence starts with a gentle warm up, moves into some standing poses to shift habitual areas of tension, and finishes with two restorative poses to assimilate and optimise your chance to shift both physical and mental tension. The standing flows will target the front of the hips and the shoulders which can both be tight from prolonged periods of sitting with the pelvis tilted back and the shoulders hunched forward, or from moving throughout your day without awareness of good posture. As you move through the sequence bring your attention to the areas that you find you might habitually hold tension. Scan down through your body from the tip of your crown to your toes and see if you can root out any areas that you weren’t aware you were tensing and gripping. Pay particular attention to your neck, jaw, shoulders, lower back and hips, which are renowned areas that we all hold tension.

ALIGNMENT CUES
The peak pose of this sequence is Viparita Virabhadrasana/Reverse Warrior, a pose I find I am adding to my practice lots recently. It gives a lovely side stretch to realign the spine, opens the hips, inner groin, frees up the shoulder joint and encourages light core activation.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Virabhadrasana II, inhale, turn your right palm to face up, hinge to your left from your waist, reach your right palm up and over your ear.

• Rest your left hand on your left thigh or your lower calf, draw your navel towards your spine.

• Lengthen through your right side body all the way to your fingertips, keep your right leg deeply bent, gaze up to your right fingertips.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Restorative for stress relief

DON'T STRESS ABOUT STRESS
Stress is not always a bad thing and has its time and place where it is an essential part of everyday life. Stress is the response of the sympathetic nervous system which makes us alert, energetic and increases cognitive function to create and get tasks done. When the nervous system is balanced we have periods of stress and periods of rest and we are able to move smoothly from one to the other. But when we tip the balance into constant, or chronic, stress we start to feel depleted. In a period of period the hormones adrenaline and cortisone are released to help us perform tasks. When the body completes the task the body clears these stress hormones out of our systems. In chronic stress we get caught in a loop, these hormones don’t get cleared out, our immune system is put under pressure and we become more susceptible to disease.

RESTORATIVE YOGA
Restorative yoga targets the parasympathetic nervous system, or the rest and restore nervous system response. Amongst its long list of benefits is that it helps relieve stress. It enhances the malleability of the nervous system – which is our capacity to move easily from activity to rest, and similarly from rest to activity – by rewiring the brain's response to stress and enhancing our ability to heal and find balance. It supports you physically, mentally and emotionally and can be used therapeutically or as a preventative measure. It is a practice of conscious relaxation which gives a deeper replenishment than even sleep and at the same time helps establish good sleep cycles. It comes under the umbrella of ‘non sleep deep rest’, or NSDR, which optimises brain and body functions.

Restorative is a practice of passive poses which consciously relaxes the body. The poses are held for longer periods of time and are supported with props to help you feel effortless comfort. In this practice we look for gentle openings rather than strong stretches. The nervous system responds better to gentle stimuli, less is more!

EXPLORING THE SEQUENCE
Anytime you feel rushed, exhausted or overwhelmed use this sequence to help you relearn how to relax and restore your nervous system. Consider the four pillars of restorative yoga when you are setting up your space – quiet, dark, safe, warmth. The body will cool down quickly so layer up and stay warm. Hold the poses for the suggested minute on the accompanying illustrated sequence. Remember to do both sides in an asymmetrical pose. Stay warm and be completely comfortable throughout your practice. Discomfort will reduce your ability to rest your nervous system. If a pose isn’t working for you just move onto the next one. Use a phone on a low volume to time your holds. As you settle into the pose, scan down from head to toe to make sure everything is happy. Use the gentle rise and fall of your breath if you find your mind wandering. Remember to take 10 minutes of resting pose at the end of your practice to let everything settle in a symmetrical pose before you reintegrate into your day.

PROPS SETUP
Props bring restorative to another level. But you don't have to have a huge array of official yoga props to get started. You can improvise with household items that can do just as good a job.

RESTORATIVE POSE ALIGNMENT CUES
The props you’ll need for the restorative poses are:
1 x bolster - or 2 towels, wrapped around a horizontally rolled pillow and tied to secure.
2 x yoga bricks - or 2 two thick similar sized dictionaries.
2 x yoga blankets - or any wool, thick cotton or fleece blanket with density.

No.1 - Constructive rest
Start lying on your back, your knees bent, feet mat distant apart and knees knocked in together. Place your hands on your belly and feel the breath move through you. Take four rounds of 4/6 breath, inhaling for the count of 4 and exhaling for the count of 6. Keep the breath as gentle as possible, notice if you are holding any tension in your shoulders and upper chest. Pause after and notice any change this simple breath observation has made to your body and mind.

No.2 - Star stretch
From lying on your back reach your arms overhead and stretch your feet away in a star shape. Stretch your right arm and left foot away, hold for 3-4 deep breaths. Stretch your left arm and right foot away, hold for 3-4 breaths.

No.3 - Supported bridge
From lying on your back, lift your hips up and place the bolster horizontally under your hips. Settle your hips down onto the support of the bolster. Knees bent, feet hip distance apart. Arms in cactus position or extended either side of your body, palms facing up.

No.4 - Prone twist
Place your bolster vertically along the top centre of your mat with a folded blanket at the far end. Sit with your right hip up against the short end of the bolster. Place your hands either side of the bolster. With an inhale lengthen through the whole spine and on your exhale gently place your front spine along the length of the bolster. Place your right cheek on the folded blanket and let your arms gently hang either side of the bolster. Repeat on the left side.

No.5 - Reclined bound angle
Place your bolster vertically along the top centre of your mat with a folded blanket at the far end. Sit with the back of your hips against the short end of the bolster. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop out to the sides. Prop your legs with a brick under each thigh or use a yoga belt to secure your feet and support the legs. Gently lie back onto your bolster and place your head on the folded blanket at the top.

No.6 - Resting pose
End your practice with at least 10 minutes of Savasana or Resting Pose. Lie on your back, legs stretched out, arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up. Legs slightly apart and feet fall out to the side, soften your shoulder, back of the neck long. Gently close your eyes, let the body become heavy and melt into the support of the ground. Soften the muscles across your forehead, releasing all tension, gaze inwards. Let all the muscles and bones of your body release.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru