Many people are stuck in fight-or-flight without realizing it—and digestion is often the first place it shows up.
Getting Lost in Los Vagus:
The vagus nerve, also known as the 10th cranial nerve, is a critical part of your nervous system. Its name means “wandering” in Latin, which is fitting because it connects to multiple organs and influences nearly every system in the body.
Today, many people remain trapped in the sympathetic nervous system—the fight-or-flight state—when they would benefit more from parasympathetic activation, the body’s rest-and-digest state. Understanding this process is key, and Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory provides a framework for how our nervous system navigates between these states.
Signs You Might Be Stuck in Freeze or Fight-or-Flight
Do you notice yourself:
- Emotional eating or mindless scrolling?
- Feeling disconnected or dissociated?
- Experiencing anxiety or digestive discomfort?
These could be signs that your nervous system is stuck in a freeze or fight-or-flight state.
Polyvagal Theory explains three main states:
- Dorsal Vagal (Freeze/Shutdown): Associated with dissociation and immobilization.
- Sympathetic (Fight-or-Flight): Linked to stress, anxiety, and hypervigilance.
- Ventral Vagal (Calm and Social): The safe state where you feel relaxed, grounded, and connected.
Tip: Meditation can be helpful, but if you’re in fight-or-flight, it might not work effectively. The body needs gradual nervous system recovery, often starting with movement or other grounding techniques.
How I Shifted from Danger to Healing
In my own healing journey, I discovered I was constantly sending messages of danger to my body. This affected my digestion, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
Some habits that create a sense of danger in the body include:
- Food fear or anxiety around eating
- Rushing or eating too quickly
- Generalized anxiety
- Lack of emotional awareness
- Self-sabotage through emotional eating
Over time, I replaced these habits with self-compassion, grounding, and emotional awareness. Now, I feel safer in my body and better able to help others regulate their nervous systems.
Techniques to Activate the Vagus Nerve
Activating the vagus nerve helps:
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve digestion and gut health
- Process emotions more effectively
- Cultivate safety and trust in the body
Practical techniques I use and recommend:
- Qigong for gentle movement and energy flow
- Self-massage to release tension
- Breathwork to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system
- Emotional healing practices to release stored trauma
- Self-energy techniques to cultivate calm
Here’s a quick 3-minute technique to improve digestion, process emotions, and get grounded. Add a hum on your exhale to further stimulate your vagus nerve:
Watch the technique here
Final Thoughts
Your vagus nerve is essential for overall health, affecting your digestion, emotional regulation, and nervous system balance. By practicing self-compassion, grounding, and vagus nerve activation, you can shift from stress to calm and support long-term well-being.
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