100 Days

Day 52

Despite my honest intentions to focus on more spiritual elements while doing my bows (e.g. energy, love, gratitude, connecting through my 7th chakra or to my heart), I’m finding that relaxing my face, and in particular my mouth, is actually having the most rewarding result… at least for now. Somehow this super simple and seemingly purely physical focus brings me great joy, so much joy that I’m starting to wonder if relaxing my mouth—and giving myself what feels like an orgasmic gums massage—is actually stimulating my vagus nerve.

What is the vagus nerve, you ask? Here’s a little tidbit from Psychology Today¹:

The path from sociability to tranquillity is paved by the vagus nerve, the main route of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. The vagus wanders from brain stem to body, carrying signals to organs like the heart, lungs, and intestines, and regulating a number of facial muscles to boot. The vagus influences heart rate and breathing. It is intimately involved in how we perceive, react to, and recover from stress. When the vagus nerve is activated, heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, and the body enters a state of physical calm.

I’ve been told by two of my yoga teachers, Tanya Kaps and Kelly Smith, that a great way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (in other words, how to relax) is to stimulate the vagus nerve by relaxing the tongue and the back of the throat. Perhaps when I’m relaxing my cheeks, mouth, and jaw during my bows, I’m essentially doing the same thing. And if I am, then holy moly  everyone in the world should pick this trick up – it’s amazing.