THE IMPORTANT VAGUS NERVE

HOW TO STIMULATE YOUR VAGUS NERVE 

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Your body has a built-in chill button—and it’s called the vagus nerve.

When stimulated, the vagus nerve can shift your body out of stress and into relaxation mode. It reduces inflammation, improves digestion, enhances mood, and strengthens the connection between your gut and brain.

HOW THE VAGUS NERVE CONNECTS YOUR GUT AND BRAIN

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, extending from the brainstem through the neck and into the chest and abdomen. It plays a crucial role in the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions like heart rate, digestion, and breathing. (1)

It’s best known for regulating the “rest and digest” response, the body’s natural counter to the “fight or flight” stress state. By activating the vagus nerve, your body can return to balance—supporting relaxation, digestion, emotional regulation, and long-term resilience. (2)

WHAT IS VAGAL TONE - AND WHY IT MATTERS

Vagal tone measures how responsive and strong your vagus nerve is. High vagal tone means your body can quickly shift into relaxation mode—helping digestion, lowering inflammation, stabilizing mood, and boosting stress resilience. Low vagal tone can contribute to digestive issues, increased anxiety, brain fog, and chronic inflammation. (3)

KEY ROLES OF THE VAGUS NERVE

• Stress regulation
  • By toggling between activating and calming your body’s responses, it keeps your stress reactions in check. (4)
• Cognitive support
  • It helps ease brain inflammation and supports clear thinking and sharp focus. (5)
• Digestive control
  • It regulates how your gut moves and sends signals that tell your brain when you’re hungry or full, guiding healthy eating patterns. (6)

SUPPORTING YOUR VAGUS NERVE NATURALLY

Supporting your vagus nerve can have a positive impact on your overall health and well-being. Here are some effective ways to support and stimulate the vagus nerve:

1. Deep Breathing: Practice slow, diaphragmatic breathing to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and encourage the vagus nerve to promote relaxation. Try techniques like box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing. (7)

2. Cold Exposure: Exposing your body to cold, such as taking cold showers or splashing cold water on your face, can stimulate the vagus nerve and enhance its function. (8)

3. Meditation/Prayer and Mindfulness: Engaging in regular meditation/prayer or mindfulness practices can help reduce stress and promote vagus nerve activity. (9)

4. Singing, Humming, and Chanting: Activities like singing, humming, or chanting stimulate the vagus nerve through the muscles of the throat, supporting its activity (10)

5. Massage: Gentle massage, especially around the neck and shoulders, can stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation. (11)

6. Laughter: Laughing is a natural way to activate the vagus nerve and reduce stress (12)

7. Psychobiotics: A healthy gut microbiome can positively influence vagal tone. Consuming psychobiotics or eating gut-friendly foods can support vagus nerve function. Joyful Humans™ products do contain our MGBA-5™ Psychobiotic stack (13)

8. Whole Foods Diet: Focus on anti-inflammatory foods like animal proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, fruit, sweet potatoes, as inflammation can impair vagal tone. (14)

9. Regular Physical Exercise: Moderate aerobic exercise, such as walking or swimming, helps maintain vagus nerve function and promotes a calm nervous system. (15)

These practices can help maintain a healthy vagus nerve, contributing to better stress management, improved digestion, and overall emotional balance.

JOYFUL HUMANS:  MY VAGUS NERVE BALANCE™

At Joyful Humans, we created My Vagus Nerve BALANCE™ to support calm, clarity, and balance through a thoughtfully crafted blend of botanicals, adaptogens, and plant compounds traditionally used to nourish the nervous system and help the body adapt to everyday stress. What’s Inside:

• Saffron (Safrinside®):Safr'Inside® is a patented, full-spectrum saffron extract renowned for its scientifically validated benefits in mood enhancement, stress reduction, sleep improvement, and women's health support. (16)

• Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum): Known for its mood-enhancing and anxiety-reducing effects by modulating serotonin and promoting relaxation. (17)

• GABABLISS™: (Blue Lotus, Mucuna Pruriens, Lemon Balm, Amanita Muscaria/Musicmol, Bacopa Monnieri)

• Our proprietary stack is processed for safety and standardized for neuroactive benefits while excluding unwanted compounds (IBO). It supports nervous system balance by acting as a powerful GABA receptor agonist to reduce anxiety, modulate pain and support deep sleep.

• Passion Flower: Enhances relaxation and improves sleep by boosting GABA activity. (18)

• Holy Basil: A natural adaptogen that may lower stress hormones and supports mood stability. (19)

• Vanizem®: A patented botanical extract derived from Aframomum melegueta (Grains of Paradise). Clinically proven for its unique ability to enhance mood, reduce stress, improve cognitive function and support sleep quality. (20)

• 24k Colloidal Gold: A suspension of 24k gold nanoparticles in liquid - research shows colloidal gold may support nerve regeneration, mood enhancement, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, anti-aging properties and immune system support. (21)

• BALANCE™ Plant Terpene Blend: A synergistic mix of Limonene, Linalool, Myrcene, Beta Caryophyllene, Alpha-Pinene, and Terpinolene that enhances relaxation and reduces inflammation. (22)  

HOW TO USE MY VAGUS NERVE BALANCE™ 

BALANCE™ is a concentrated formula that includes our proprietary GABABLISS™ stack (Blue Lotus, Mucuna Pruriens, Lemon Balm, Amanita Muscaria /Muscimol Extract, and Bacopa Monnieri). Because every body responds differently, we recommend starting low and adjusting slowly.

• Start with 2-3 "pumps"  under the tongue in the morning to help calm any anxiety.

• If desired, increase gradually by 2-3 "pumps" at a time to find your preferred amount.

Some individuals use 6-12 "pumps" (12 pumps equals a full serving) in the evening as part of their wind-down/sleep routine. Effects may vary depending on body weight, metabolism, and sensitivity. Always start small and listen to your body.

Reminder:  We recommend taking periodic breaks throughout the weak & month to support balance and avoid building tolerance.

PAIRING WITH THE JOYFUL HUMANS STACK

To support your daily rhythm, you can combine BALANCE™ with our other offerings:

• RESTORE™ – Formulated to support complete gut wellness

• AWAKEN™ – Designed with nootropics and botanicals traditionally used to support mental clarity

• FORTIFY™ – A functional-food chocolate bar created for convenient, mindful fortifying nourishment

Together, these formulas work in harmony to build resilience, elevate mood, and support balance in both body and mind.

Your vagus nerve is a gateway to how you feel, process, and respond to life. Supporting it is one of the most important steps you can take toward nervous system balance. 

Joyful Humans™ is here to support you throughout your journey.