'OM'

Did you know that chanting 'OM' can stimulate the vagal nerve?

ID: A medium-dark skinned yogi sitting cross legged on a yoga mat, eyes closed meditating with a dog sat at their side.

What is the vagus nerve? A long nerve extending all the way from the brain to beyond the stomach which connects major organs such as the gut, liver, pancreas, brain, reproductive organs, kidneys, bladder, tongue, ears, eyes and major blood vessels.

Vagal nerve stimulation is commonly used to reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression and improve digestive function!

A clinical trial in which patients chanted 'om' caused vibrations which activated the auricular (ear) branches of the vagal nerve. This resulted in de-activation of the limbic system which is the oldest/primitive aspect of the brain largely responsible for the fear and stress response.

Activating the vagal nerve is a great way to induce the parasympathetic nervous system or "rest and digest" system and improve digestion.

#vagaltone

#perthnaturopath#perthnutrition#guthealth#gutbrainconnection#gutbrainaxis