Top 12 'Vagus-Nerve-Soothing' Wellness Routines to start at home when you're tired of feeling wired and tired. - Goh Ling Yong
Ever feel like you’re running a marathon while simultaneously trying to solve a Rubik's Cube? Your body is screaming for rest, but your mind is buzzing, replaying conversations, and scrolling through an endless to-do list. You're exhausted, yet you can't switch off. This frustrating state of being "wired and tired" is the modern-day epidemic of a dysregulated nervous system. It's the feeling of having one foot on the gas and the other on the brake, leaving you feeling stuck, anxious, and completely drained.
This isn't just a feeling; it's a physiological reality. When we're constantly bombarded by stressors—work deadlines, social pressures, non-stop notifications—our body’s "fight-or-flight" response (the sympathetic nervous system) works overtime. Its counterpart, the "rest-and-digest" system (the parasympathetic nervous system), which is supposed to bring us back to a state of calm, barely gets a chance to engage. The key player in activating this crucial calming system is a little-known (but incredibly powerful) nerve: the vagus nerve.
Think of the vagus nerve as the superhighway of your nervous system, connecting your brain to your heart, lungs, and gut. A healthy, well-functioning vagus nerve has a high "vagal tone," which means your body can relax faster after stress. The good news? You can intentionally improve your vagal tone. You don't need a fancy retreat or expensive gadgets. You can start right now, from the comfort of your own home. Here are 12 simple, effective wellness routines to soothe your vagus nerve and finally shift from "wired and tired" to calm and centered.
1. Master the Art of the Slow Exhale
If you only try one thing on this list, make it this. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing is the fastest and most direct way to activate your vagus nerve. When you take slow, deep breaths, you stimulate the nerve endings in your diaphragm, which sends a powerful signal to your brain that you are safe. This immediately begins to shift you out of a stressed state and into a relaxed one.
The magic is in the exhale. By making your exhale longer than your inhale, you slow your heart rate and engage your parasympathetic nervous system. It’s a built-in tranquilizer that you have access to at any moment. This isn't just about breathing "more"; it's about breathing with intention and rhythm to consciously regulate your internal state.
- How to do it: Try "Box Breathing." Inhale slowly for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale completely for a count of four, and hold at the bottom for a count of four. Repeat for 2-5 minutes. Or, for a more targeted approach, try inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of eight. Feel your belly rise and fall, and notice the instant sense of calm that washes over you.
2. Embrace a Splash of Cold
This might sound intimidating, but cold exposure is a fantastic way to build resilience in your nervous system. When your body is exposed to a sudden cold shock, it triggers an initial fight-or-flight response. However, as you breathe through the discomfort, your vagus nerve kicks in to slow your heart rate and calm you down. Regularly practicing this teaches your body to recover from stress more efficiently, thereby improving your overall vagal tone.
You don’t have to jump into an ice bath to get the benefits. Small, manageable doses of cold can be incredibly effective. The goal is a brief, intense stimulus followed by a calming recovery, which acts like a workout for your nervous system.
- How to do it: Start small. At the end of your next warm shower, turn the water to cold for just 15-30 seconds. Focus on your slow exhales during this time. Another great option is to fill a bowl with cold water and ice and plunge your face in for 15-20 seconds. This stimulates the vagus nerve branches in your face and is surprisingly refreshing.
3. Hum, Sing, or Gargle Your Way to Calm
Have you ever noticed how humming a simple tune can be incredibly soothing? There's a biological reason for that. The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. By creating vibrations in this area through humming, singing, chanting, or even gargling, you are directly stimulating the nerve.
This is one of the most enjoyable and accessible ways to enhance vagal tone. It doesn't matter if you're a professional singer or completely tone-deaf; the physical vibration is what counts. It’s a playful and effective way to interrupt a stress cycle and bring a sense of ease to your body and mind.
- How to do it: Put on your favorite song and sing along loudly in the car or shower. Try chanting a simple "Om" sound, feeling the vibration in your chest and throat. Or, make gargling part of your morning routine. Take a sip of water, tilt your head back, and gargle for 30 seconds. It feels a bit silly, but the calming effect is real.
4. Practice Mindful Self-Compassion
Meditation is a well-known stress-reducer, but focusing specifically on self-compassion can be a game-changer for a frazzled nervous system. When you're "wired and tired," it's often accompanied by a harsh inner critic. Practices like loving-kindness meditation help to shift your internal dialogue from one of judgment to one of warmth and acceptance, which your nervous system interprets as safety.
This practice involves extending feelings of goodwill and warmth towards yourself and others. Research shows that fostering these positive emotions directly increases vagal tone, as measured by heart rate variability. It's a way of soothing your inner state from the inside out.
- How to do it: Sit comfortably and place a hand over your heart. Silently repeat phrases like: "May I be safe. May I be healthy. May I be happy. May I live with ease." After a few minutes of focusing on yourself, you can extend these wishes to loved ones, neutral people, and eventually, all beings. Apps like Insight Timer have many guided loving-kindness meditations to get you started.
5. Nourish Your Gut-Brain Connection
The gut is often called the "second brain," and the vagus nerve is the primary communication channel between the two. An unhealthy gut microbiome can send stress signals to the brain, while a healthy one can send calming signals. As I often discuss with Goh Ling Yong, nurturing your gut health is foundational for managing your mental and emotional well-being.
By eating a diet rich in probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (food for that bacteria), you can positively influence your gut health, which in turn helps to improve your vagal tone. It’s a powerful reminder that what you eat directly impacts how you feel, not just physically, but mentally too.
- How to do it: Incorporate probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha into your diet. Feed those good bacteria with prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, bananas, and asparagus. Reducing inflammatory foods like processed sugar and refined carbohydrates can also significantly calm the entire system.
6. Engage in Gentle, Mindful Movement
You don't need a high-intensity workout to benefit your nervous system. In fact, when you're already stressed, gentle movement is often far more beneficial. Practices like yoga, Tai Chi, and simple stretching combine physical movement with mindful breathing, creating a powerful synergy that soothes the vagus nerve.
Poses that involve gentle twists, forward folds, and neck stretches can be particularly effective at physically stimulating the nerve. This type of movement releases physical tension held in the body while simultaneously calming the mind, helping to break the cycle of being "wired and tired."
- How to do it: Try a simple Cat-Cow stretch. On all fours, inhale as you drop your belly and look up (Cow). Then, exhale as you round your spine and tuck your chin to your chest (Cat). Repeat 5-10 times, syncing your breath with the movement. Another great option is a gentle neck roll: slowly drop your right ear to your right shoulder, then roll your chin to your chest, and finally bring your left ear to your left shoulder.
7. Connect and Laugh with Others
Positive social connection is one of the most powerful vagus nerve stimulators. When we feel genuinely connected to others and share a good laugh, our brains release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and feelings of safety. This process directly enhances the function of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Laughter is particularly potent. A deep, hearty belly laugh causes your diaphragm to contract and stimulates the vagus nerve, releasing tension and leaving you feeling relaxed and uplifted. In a world that can feel isolating, making time for genuine connection is not a luxury; it’s a biological necessity for a healthy nervous system.
- How to do it: Schedule a phone call with a friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Make a plan to meet a loved one for coffee. Watch a clip from your favorite stand-up comedian or a funny movie. Prioritize quality time with people (and pets!) who make you feel good.
8. Give Yourself a Soothing Self-Massage
The vagus nerve passes along the sides of your neck, and there are key reflexology points in your feet and hands that connect to your body's relaxation response. Gentle self-massage in these areas can be a wonderful way to manually stimulate the nerve and release stored tension.
This practice brings a mindful touch to your own body, sending signals of care and safety to your brain. It’s a simple act of self-kindness that can have profound effects on your nervous system, especially when you're feeling overwhelmed.
- How to do it: Using your fingertips, gently massage the sides of your neck in a slow, circular motion for a few minutes. For your feet, roll a tennis or lacrosse ball under each foot, focusing on any tender spots. This can be done while you're sitting at your desk or watching TV.
9. Practice a "Brain Dump" or Gratitude Journaling
Mental clutter is a huge contributor to the "wired" feeling. Journaling, specifically in the form of a "brain dump," allows you to get all those racing thoughts, worries, and to-do lists out of your head and onto paper. This act of externalizing your thoughts can create a sense of mental space and calm, reducing the cognitive load that keeps your stress response activated.
Alternatively, a gratitude practice shifts your focus from what's wrong to what's right. Intentionally focusing on positive experiences and feelings of appreciation has been shown to improve heart rate variability and vagal tone. It trains your brain to seek out the good, which helps to counteract the brain's natural negativity bias.
- How to do it: Before bed, spend 5-10 minutes writing down everything that's on your mind without judgment or structure. Just let it flow. Or, keep a journal where you write down three specific things you were grateful for that day and why. It could be as simple as "the warmth of my morning coffee" or "a kind word from a colleague."
10. Listen to Calming Frequencies
Music has a direct and immediate impact on our emotional and physiological state. Listening to calming music, especially pieces with a slow tempo (around 60 beats per minute), can slow your breathing and heart rate, which in turn stimulates the vagus nerve.
Certain types of sound, like binaural beats, ambient music, or nature sounds, are specifically designed to guide your brain into a more relaxed state. Creating a dedicated "calm" playlist can be a powerful tool to have on hand when you feel your stress levels rising. Here on the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe in using all the tools at our disposal to support our well-being.
- How to do it: Search for "vagus nerve stimulation music," "solfeggio frequencies," or "binaural beats for relaxation" on platforms like YouTube or Spotify. Put on a pair of headphones, close your eyes, and just listen for 10-15 minutes without any other distractions.
11. Gently Engage Your Eye Muscles
This is a lesser-known but highly effective technique. Your vagus nerve is intricately linked with the tiny suboccipital muscles at the base of your skull, which are involved in eye movement. By gently engaging these muscles, you can send calming signals through this pathway.
This technique, often used in somatic therapies, helps to release deep-seated tension in the head and neck. It’s a subtle but powerful way to signal to your brain that it's safe to relax your vigilance and let go of stress.
- How to do it: Lie comfortably on your back with your knees bent. Clasp your hands and place them behind your head, letting your head rest heavily in your hands. Without moving your head, dart your eyes to the far right and hold them there for 30-60 seconds, or until you feel a spontaneous sigh, yawn, or swallow. Return your eyes to the center, then repeat on the left side.
12. Incorporate Omega-3 Fatty Acids
While not a "routine" in the same way, your diet plays a long-term role in the health of your nervous system. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish and certain seeds, are essential for brain health and have been shown to increase vagal tone and heart rate variability.
These healthy fats help reduce inflammation throughout the body and brain, which is crucial because chronic inflammation is a major stressor on the nervous system. Ensuring you have an adequate intake of omega-3s is a foundational step in building a more resilient and balanced internal state.
- How to do it: Aim to eat fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines 2-3 times per week. You can also incorporate plant-based sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts into your daily diet by adding them to smoothies, oatmeal, or salads. If you struggle to get enough through diet, consider talking to a healthcare professional about a high-quality fish oil supplement.
Your Path to a Calmer You
Feeling "wired and tired" doesn't have to be your default setting. Your body has an incredible, innate capacity for calm and healing, and the vagus nerve is your key to unlocking it. The power lies not in overhauling your entire life overnight, but in peppering your days with small, intentional moments of care that signal safety to your nervous system.
Don't feel pressured to do all 12 of these routines at once. The goal is to reduce stress, not add to it! Pick just one or two that resonate with you the most. Maybe it's starting your day with a 30-second cold rinse or ending it with a gratitude list. Commit to that small practice, and notice how it begins to shift your internal landscape. By consistently and gently stimulating your vagus nerve, you can retrain your nervous system, build resilience, and finally find that elusive sweet spot of being both energized and at peace.
Which of these routines are you excited to try first? Share your choice in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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