How Stress Affects the Vagus Nerve

Key Takeaways

• Exercise can help reduce stress and make the vagus nerve less sensitive.
• Meditation and deep breathing can calm the mind and ease anxiety.
• If the vagus nerve is damaged, it can cause swallowing problems, nausea, and bloating.

We sometimes think of stress as an emotional burden, but its effects run much deeper than that. It also affects the vagus nerve, a long nerve that runs from your brainstem all the way down to your abdomen. It is responsible for many different functions, including heart rate, digestion, and immunity. It is also one of the most critical nerves in the body for maintaining mental health.

When stress becomes chronic stress, it can have a serious negative impact on the vagus nerve. This can lead to problems such as anxiety and depression. It can also make the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. That’s why it’s *so* important to manage stress to maintain a healthy vagus nerve. Let’s take a closer look at how stress impacts the vagus nerve, strategies that can help you ease stress, and what you can do to heal yours.

Can Stress and Anxiety Affect the Vagus Nerve?

Stress and anxiety can both trigger the vagus nerve. In fact, they are often linked because stress can lead to anxiety, and anxiety can worsen the effects of stress. When the vagus nerve is overstimulated, it can cause several symptoms, including:

• Abdominal pain and bloating
• Acid reflux (GERD)
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Difficulty swallowing
• Changes in heart rate, blood pressure, or blood sugar
• Brain fog
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Headaches or migraines
• Mental health symptoms including anxiety, depression, and emotional numbness

The vagus nerve plays a key role in the body’s shift between the fight and flight and relaxation responses. When the vagus nerve is functioning effectively, it helps promote emotional balance. When impaired or disrupted, it can be difficult to calm down after experiencing a stressor. Increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, rapid breathing, and other anxiety symptoms may persist long after the stressor is gone.

That means that your body stays stuck in a state of hyperarousal, which makes anxiety feel persistent and overwhelming.

How Do You Destress the Vagus Nerve?

There are a number of ways to destress the vagus nerve:

• Exercise: Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and improve your overall health. It can also help to reduce the sensitivity of the vagus nerve.
• Meditation: Meditation can help to focus and calm the mind, which can, in turn, help to reduce stress levels.
• Deep breathing: Taking deep breaths can help to slow down the heart rate and ease anxiety.
• Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques such as yoga, Tai Chi, and massage can all help to reduce stress and promote relaxation.

What Happens If the Vagus Nerve Is Damaged?

If the vagus nerve is damaged, it can lead to a number of problems such as:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Early satiety
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn

Damage to the vagus nerve is usually caused by trauma, surgery, or disease. In some cases, it may be possible to repair the damage. However, in other cases, the damage may be permanent.

Why Is the Vagus Nerve Important in Stress Management?

We all deal with stress. The problem is when stress builds unchecked. Over time, stress can lead to vagal nerve dysfunction. Dysfunction of the vagal nerve can also be a result of aging.

If your vagus nerve has been negatively affected for an extended amount of time, you could develop health issues such as type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety.

To avoid negative mental of physical health issues, it’s essential to keep your stress under control.

How Does Breathing Affect the Vagus Nerve?

Breathing deeply can help to calm the vagus nerve. This is because deep breathing helps to slow down the heart rate. When the heart rate is slowed, the body can relax and reduce stress levels.

What that means is that deep breathing can be an effective tool for managing stress and maintaining a healthy vagus nerve.

How to Heal the Vagus Nerve

The good news is that there are things you can do to heal the vagus nerve and improve your overall health:

• Get tested for autoimmune conditions. Autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can cause damage to the vagus nerve. If you have an autoimmune condition, it is important to get treated by a qualified physician to heal the underlying condition and reduce the risk of further damage to the vagus nerve. 
• Improve gut health. The gut-brain connection is well-established in research. This means that if your gut is not healthy, it can impact your mental health. To heal the gut, eat plenty of nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, fruits, quality protein, and healthy fats. You may also want to consider supplementing with probiotics or taking other measures to improve gut health. 
• Manage stress. Chronic stress can worsen symptoms of a dysfunctional vagus nerve. To reduce stress, make lifestyle changes like getting regular exercise, practicing meditation or yoga, and getting enough sleep. You may also want to try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. Reducing stress will help heal the vagus nerve and improve your overall health. 
• Consider herbs and supplements. Many different herbs and supplements can help heal the vagus nerve. These include ginger, turmeric, omega-3 fatty acids, B-complex vitamins, magnesium, and probiotics. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional before taking any herbs or supplements to ensure they are safe for you. 
• Try acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body. Acupuncture is effective for treating a number of conditions, including pain, anxiety, and migraines. It may also help heal the vagus nerve by reducing inflammation and stimulating blood flow. 
• Stimulate the vagus nerve with electrical stimulation therapy (EST). EST involves using low-level electrical currents to stimulate specific points in the body. EST has been used for many years as a treatment for conditions like pain, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. More recent research suggests that EST may also help treat conditions like depression, migraines, and GERD by stimulating the vagus nerve. EST is generally considered safe when performed by a qualified healthcare professional. 

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:44. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044

2. Landolt K, Maruff P, Horan B, et al. Chronic work stress and decreased vagal tone impairs decision making and reaction time in jockeys. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2017;84:151-158. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.07.238

3. Hall S, Kumaria A, Belli A. The role of vagus nerve overactivity in the increased incidence of pneumonia following traumatic brain injury. Br J Neurosurg. 2014;28(2):181-186. doi:10.3109/02688697.2013.835373

4. Kenny BJ, Bordoni B. Neuroanatomy, Cranial Nerve 10 (Vagus Nerve) [Updated 2021 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537171/

5. Shimojo G, Joseph B, Shah R, Consolim-Colombo FM, De Angelis K, Ulloa L. Exercise activates vagal induction of dopamine and attenuates systemic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2019;75:181-191. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2018.10.005

6. Cahn BR, Goodman MS, Peterson CT, Maturi R, Mills PJ. Yoga, meditation and mind-body health: Increased BDNF, cortisol awakening response, and altered inflammatory marker expression after a 3-month yoga and meditation retreat. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:315. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315

7. Hoshikawa Y, Fitzke H, Sweis R, et al. Rumination syndrome: Assessment of vagal tone during and after meals and during diaphragmatic breathing. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2020;32(11):e13873. doi:10.1111/nmo.13873

8. Jacobs V, May HT, Crandall BG, et al. Vagus nerve injury symptoms after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018;41(4):389-395. doi:10.1111/pace.13304

9. Sorski L, Gidron Y. The vagal nerve, inflammation, and diabetes-A holy triangle. Cells. 2023;12(12):1632. doi:10.3390/cells12121632

10. Chan E, Mani AR. Assessing the therapeutic potential of vagus nerve stimulation in autoimmune diseases: A systematic review. Physiol Rep. 2025;13(3):e70230. doi:10.14814/phy2.70230

11. Amorim D, Amado J, Brito I, et al. Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for anxiety disorders: A systematic review of the clinical research. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018;31:31-37. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.008

12. Freire RC, Cabrera-Abreu C, Milev R. Neurostimulation in anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1191:331-346. doi:10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_18

By Arlin Cuncic, MA

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology.

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?

Helpful

Report an Error

Other