Summarize the following:
Slowing down your breathing by exhaling for longer than you inhale and taking deep breaths has been shown to not only stimulate your vagus nerve, but also reduce anxiety and promote calmness. Aim to take 6 10-second breaths per minute for 5 minutes to increase vagal activity. Deeply breathe in with your diaphragm so that your stomach expands outward. Try breathing in for 5 seconds and then slowly exhaling for 5 seconds. If you're having trouble performing deep breathing exercises, try looking up helpful videos online or downloading an app that will guide you in your breathing. Studies have shown that regularly performing yoga increases the activity of your parasympathetic nervous system, which includes greater stimulation of your vagus nerve. For best results, perform at least 90 minutes of yoga each week consistently. If you're a beginner, start out with some relatively easy yoga poses, such as the cat pose, cow pose, bridge pose, and the aptly named easy pose. Similar slow exercises, such as tai chi and qi gong, have also been shown to have a stimulating effect on the vagus nerve. Don't try to do yoga that is overly difficult for you to do. Remember, yoga should be relaxing as well as physically engaging. Exercise that significantly increases your heart rate, such as jogging, walking, or weightlifting, has a number of positive effects on your mental health, including vagus nerve stimulation. Aim to perform this exercise at least every other day to receive consistent positive results. Try to engage in exercises that you enjoy doing; this will help ensure that you're able to do them consistently. Regular exercise also increases brain growth and can help reverse cognitive decline. . Progressive muscle relaxation is an effective way to reduce anxiety. Starting with your toes, squeeze the muscles in both feet to tense them, hold for 10 seconds, then release. Do this for each muscle group in your body until you reach the top of your head. Then, relax for as long as you like. Find a quiet, comfortable spot to perform a progressive muscle relaxation. Remember to breathe as you perform this exercise. Although your sympathetic nervous system will be initially heightened after being exposed to the cold, once your body becomes acclimated your parasympathetic nervous system will generate a response, including by stimulating the vagus nerve. Try splashing cold water on your face or ending your showers with 1 minute of cold water to increase vagal activity. Over time, you may find it helpful to take showers only using cold water. Simply spending some time underdressed in cold weather (e.g., wearing a t-shirt during a snowfall) can also stimulate your vagus nerve. For those suffering from epilepsy or from depression that doesn't respond to therapy or medication, there are devices (called programmable pulse generator devices) that doctors can implant under the skin that stimulate the vagus nerve with electrical impulses that may be particularly useful. Talk to your doctor to determine whether this type of device is right for you. This form of vagus nerve stimulation is generally considered safe for most people. Some side effects may include voice changes, throat pain, cough, headache, chest pain, or tingling on the skin. As of September 2018, noninvasive devices that stimulate the vagus nerve and that don't require surgery are available in Europe, but have not yet been made available in the United States.
Perform slow, deep breathing exercises. Do yoga for 90 minutes every week. Engage in moderate to intense exercise 4 times a week. Perform progressive muscle relaxation Expose your body to cold water, weather, or beverages. Undergo surgery to implant a device that stimulates your vagus nerve electrically.