Simple Exercises to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve: An Illustrated Guide to Help Beat Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Pain and Digestive Programs

The vagus nerve is the most significant component of the ‘rest and digest’ parasympathetic nervous system and plays a key role in our health and wellbeing.

In a world where our lives and daily rhythms are becoming increasingly demanding, being able to implement effective techniques to downregulate our own stress levels is essential to maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Derived from the Latin ‘vagus nervus’ – meaning ‘wandering nerve’ – the vagus nerve is an information superhighway transmitting information between the brain and the heart, the gut, the immune system, and many organs. Backed up by the latest scientific research, this book will guide you through over 100 effective exercises that will naturally stimulate your vagus nerve and in turn help manage anxiety, depression, sleep and digestive disorders.

Better regulate your own stress response through vagus nerve stimulation and experience a greater zest for life!

These simple exercises work by improving the quality of stimulation the vagus nerve receives, enabling the brain to function with a greater level of predictability, safety and protection. It is this optimum level of sensory information-processing which provides a solid foundation for mental health, physical resilience and self-healing. Conversely, if this processing becomes disturbed it can lead to diminished physical, mental and emotional states that manifest in ways such as inflammation, digestive problems, anxiety, impaired immune response and sleep disturbances.

This is the first book to present the subject so comprehensively and in a way that is accessible to a general audience. Anyone can apply these powerful self-help techniques; explore a variety of balance, hearing, sight, breathing and touch exercises and experience for yourself the positive impact of vagal stimulation!

Lars Lienhard, sports scientist and former performance athlete, works as a trainer and consultant in high-performance sport. He has been training world-class athletes in a range of sporting disciplines for many years.

Ulla Schmid-Fetzer, author and former dance performance athlete, completed the Z-Health training course to become a neuroathletics trainer in record time and is now one of the few fully certified trainers in the whole of Europe.

Dr Eric Cobb, founder of Z-Health® Performance Solutions, is one of the world’s leading experts in innovative, neurologically-focused rehabilitation and sports performance programs.