How Trauma Gets Trapped in Your Body Part 1 the Vagus Nerve
youtu.be
The vagus nerve is a crucial neural pathway that carries information to and from the brain, acting as the body's messenger system. It is connected to various bodily systems and plays a role in functions such as swallowing, talking, heart regulation, gut function, and more. When we experience stress, the vagus nerve signals a threat to these organs, leading to physiological changes like increased heart rate and rapid breathing. Anxiety can also affect the functioning of the vagus nerve, resulting in symptoms like irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. The vagus nerve is connected to the trigeminal nerve, which communicates with the vagus nerve through different facial expressions. For example, smiling activates certain areas of the trigeminal nerve, signaling positivity to the vagus nerve. Stimulating the auricular branches of the vagus nerve through massage or auricular stimulation can activate the "rest and digest" part of the nerve. In the context of trauma, the vagus nerve plays a role in triggering the stress response based on past experiences. To recalibrate the vagus nerve and the orienting reflex, it is important to deactivate the autopilot network of the brain and activate the executive control network. Effective communication throughout the body is essential for the vagus nerve to carry out its functions.
The vagus nerve is a crucial neural pathway that carries information to and from the brain, acting a