For many years, the autonomic nervous system was thought to have two branches, a sympathetic branch for revving up and a parasympathetic branch for calming down.
According to Stephen Porge’s Polyvagal theory, the human autonomic (automatic) nervous system has 3 branches that have evolved over time:
The Ventral (Front) Vagal Branch, part of the parasympathetic nervous system, is responsible for social engagement when you feel safe, but is switched off when you sense danger.
The Sympathetic Branch is responsible for activation. When you feel safe, this gives you the energy to get things done, but when you detect a threat, it becomes anxiety or “fight or flight.”
The Dorsal (Back) Vagal Branch, also part of the parasympathetic nervous system, is responsible for immobilization (stillness). When you feel safe, this allows you to “rest and digest,” but when you become overwhelmed by a lack of safety, it becomes “shut down or collapsed.”
When stress is high, the sympathetic system goes into a fight-or-flight response. Fighting or fleeing aims to resolve a threat, but if neither is possible or successful, sympathetic arousal can become so extreme that it is too much for the body to handle. The dorsal vagal branch can send you into a state of collapse. This can be a full collapse, dissociation, or partial shutdown that makes it difficult to think clearly, access words or emotions, or move parts of your body.
Ventral vagal social engagement and healthy attachment (co-regulation) with kind and loving people is a great way to come out of a dorsal vagal shutdown, especially if you have had traumatizing experiences with untrustworthy people in the past.
Increasing Vagal Tone
The tone of your vagus nerve is the key to accessing socially engaged calm in your parasympathetic nervous system. Vagal tone is measured by tracking your heart rate alongside your breathing rate. Your heart rate speeds up a little when you breathe in and slows down a little when you breathe out.
A higher vagal tone means that your body can quickly return to a calm state after a stressful experience. This does not mean you will be less activated by stressful events but you will recover more quickly.
If you have a low vagal tone, you will not recover as quickly after a stressful event. When you have a low vagal tone, you might feel stuck in high activation (sympathetic - fight/flight) or low activation (dorsal vagal - collapse) long after a stressful incident has ended.
To emotionally heal from trauma and adverse experiences, ventral vagal calm must be present. Remember, you need to feel safe and calm when engaging in your emotional healing process, so increasing your vagal tone prepares you to be strongly present for yourself.
How to Create Ventral Vagal Calm
Prolonged Exhale: Taking a long out-breath is one of the fastest ways to calm your vagus nerve. Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Cold Water: If you feel anxious or shut down, splash cold water on your face. You can also place an ice cube on your face, anywhere from your lips to your scalp line.
Butterfly Hug: Hug yourself. Wrap your arms around your body and place each hand on your opposite shoulder. Pat one shoulder and then the other until you feel calm.
Sing or Hum: The muscles in the back of your throat activate the vagus nerve as they move.
Tap your Energy Meridians: Try this "quick tap" to clear fear HERE.
Chanting and Humming: Chant "OM" vibrates the throat and creates ventral vagal calm. Humming is also helpful.
Meditation: Try brain wave meditation. Or listen to relaxing Solfeggio frequencies.
Laughing: Watch feel-good movies and laugh!
Inspirational Reading: When you feel fearful, angry, sad, or hopeless, it helps to have a collection of inspirational books to read.
Prayer: Pray to your higher power and ask for healing support.
Loving Social Engagement: Touch or hug a beloved person or animal.
Yoga: To relieve anxiety, try the Sun Salutation yoga sequence or any one of the poses below, especially the forward bend.
With love,
Shelley