5 Yoga Poses To Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

Try these easy and effective yoga poses to stimulate vagus nerve

The Vagus nerve is a nerve in the body that passes through the belly, diaphragm, lungs, throat, inner ear, and facial muscles. Vagus nerves play an important role to manage the central nervous system since they act as messengers for the nervous system.

Today, we will help you know about the yoga poses that help stimulate the Vagus nerve and thus initiates a relaxation response. Initially, when you begin stimulating the Vagus nerve, you may feel sleepy but ultimately, the goal is to discover a relaxed yet awake state.

1. Cat Cow Pose

The cat-cow pose is a gentle, simple pose that includes backbend stretches, which help mobilize the spine. This pose helps stretch your torso, shoulders, and neck.

This yoga pose focuses on various muscle groups like erector spinae, rectus abdominis, triceps, serratus anterior, and gluteus maximus.

You can follow these steps:

• Go on all fours.

• Your wrists go underneath your shoulders, and your knees will be placed underneath your hips.

• Make sure you balance your weight evenly on all fours.

• Breathe in and look up, let your stomach drop down toward the mat.

• Breathe out and tuck your chin into your chest, draw your navel toward your spine, and your spine should be arched towards the ceiling.

• Maintain focus while you practice this pose.

• Focus on releasing tension in your body.

• Hold the pose for at least 1 minute.

2. Supine Spinal Twist

Here are the steps to practice the supine twist to help alleviate constipation:

• Lie flat on the back on a mat.

• Stretch the arms out to the side in a T-position with palms down.

• Try bending one leg at the knee.

• Keep the shoulders flat and gently drop the bent leg over the other leg.

• Hold the pose for a few breaths before repeating it on the opposite side.

3. Child's Pose

The child's pose may be helpful for your hips and back, relaxing them and allowing them to stretch. In this pose, you will have to kneel and sit on your knees.

Lean forward while keeping your buttocks on your heels, and rest your forehead on the floor. Place your arms next to your legs, palms facing up. Try to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. Complete at least eight breaths.

If you find it difficult to rest your forehead on the floor, give this a try. Kneel and sit on your knees with your knees slightly apart. Lean forward and fold your arms in front of you on the floor. Now rest your forehead on your arms and continue inhaling and exhaling.

4. Waterfall Pose

The waterfall pose is a restorative inversion that helps calm the mind and body. It helps relieve tension in the lower abdomen and reverses the effects of gravity on the legs thus allowing your heart rate to slow down.

• You will have to lie on your mat with a block beneath your tailbone.

• Now try bending your knees and slowly bring your feet up toward the ceiling, into a waterfall pose.

• Let your muscles relax as you sink into the earth, keep rotating your feet in circles.

• Hold the pose for ten breaths.

5. Forward Fold

This is one of the traditional yoga poses in which you bend forward. It can be restful and rejuvenating. This pose can help relieve back pain and sciatica. It helps manage imbalances and improves strength.

The pose focuses on muscles like hamstrings, deltoids, gluteus maximus, triceps, and quadriceps. You should:

• Get on all fours.

• Your hands should be aligned under your wrists and your knees under your hips.

• Press into your hands, tuck your toes, and lift up your knees.

• Move your sitting bones slowly up toward the ceiling.

• Slightly bend your knees and lengthen your spine and tailbone.

• Your heels should be slightly off the ground.

• Press firmly into your hands and distribute the weight on both sides of the body.

• Pay attention to the position of your hips and shoulders.

• Your head should be in line with your upper arms and your chin tucked in slightly.

• Hold this pose for at least 1 minute.