What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve, also known as the 10th cranial nerve, extends from the brain through the face, chest, and abdomen. Branches of nerves extend from the vagus nerve through the throat, heart and lungs, and stomach and intestines. It is responsible for regulating organ functions and bringing information about the organs back to the brain.

Why Vagus Nerve Yoga?

Your body needs a fine-tuned balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to maintain a healthy body and mind. The sympathetic nervous system constricts blood vessels and increases heart rate, while the parasympathetic nervous system dilates blood vessels and lowers heart rate. The sympathetic nervous system is stimulated in times of stress and is the cause of the “fight-or-flight” response. The vagus nerve is the primary pathway for the parasympathetic nervous system, which can be thought of as a “rest and digest” response. This study published in Front Psychiatry shows that stimulating the vagus nerve is beneficial to reducing inflammation and improving mental health. It suggests meditation and yoga as a method to accomplish this. This article also suggests yoga to reduce nervous system reactivity through yoga that focuses on vagus nerve flexibility.

During these stressful times, we need to take time to care for ourselves and find calm. All live online classes throughout June focus on the Vagus Nerve and how yoga and meditation techniques can help tone the nervous system to be less reactive through Vagus Nerve Flexibility.

Click on the link here to sign-up and go to the ‘Classes’ tab. You will need to sign in to your Mindbody account or create a new one. You can open and use the link anytime during the week. You do not have to open it at the class time; that is the cut-off to sign-up for the class. For more information about On Demand classes, visit our website page HERE.

Next two weeks of On Demand:

Dogwood Studio will also offer vagus nerve and yoga workshops on June 25th from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. and July 2nd 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. More information is coming soon!

For more information, email us at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com.