The Vagus NerveCalm, Reset and Regulate
What the vagus nerve really does, the science versus the hype, and simple, practical ways to calm your nervous system.
58 pages A4 · phone edition 114 pages
On sale this week The full guide goes on sale here this week, £2.22 for its first week, then £3.49.
Read a previewRead a preview
Read the first four pages right here (of 58). Swipe to turn, tap a page to see it bigger.
The full guide goes on sale this week.
About this guide
The vagus nerve has become one of the most talked-about parts of the body. Social media is full of “vagus nerve hacks”, and therapists talk about “regulating your nervous system”. This guide explains what the vagus nerve really is and does, separates the science from the hype, and gives you simple, practical ways to notice stress and calm your body.
More about this guide
Part one is meet your vagus nerve: what it is and where it runs, rest-and-digest and fight-or-flight, vagal tone and heart rate variability, the gut–brain link, and polyvagal theory, told fairly.
Part two, the heart of the guide, is regulating your nervous system: the window of tolerance, fight, flight, freeze and fawn, signs of dysregulation in body, thoughts and behaviour, triggers, a daily self-check, co-regulation, quick calming tools and long-term habits.
Part three is everyday vagus care: slow breathing, humming, chanting and singing, cold water, laughter, gentle yoga, meditation and massage, with honest notes on the evidence. Part four covers medical vagus nerve stimulation, when to see a GP, and where to get help.
What’s inside
- What the vagus nerve is, and where it runs
- Rest-and-digest versus fight-or-flight
- Vagal tone and heart rate variability
- The gut–brain link
- Polyvagal theory, told fairly
- What regulation and dysregulation mean
- The window of tolerance
- Fight, flight, freeze and fawn
- Noticing dysregulation: body, thoughts and behaviour
- Triggers
- A daily self-check
- Co-regulation
- Quick calming tools
- Long-term habits: sleep, movement, nature
- Breathing slowly
- Humming, chanting and singing
- Cold water, laughter, yoga, meditation and massage
- Honest evidence notes
- Medical vagus nerve stimulation
- Safety, and when to get help
- A gentle week for your nervous system
- Jargon buster and sources
Not medical advice. This guide is for general information only and does not replace your GP or a therapist. If you faint, have chest pain or a racing or irregular heartbeat, see a doctor. In an emergency, call 999.
