The Body's Secret "Calm" Button: How to Befriend Your Wiring and Hit the Brakes on Anxiety
Have you ever been sitting in a corner with apparently nothing going on, but inside, your stomach is churning like vinegar and garlic? It feels like a thousand-horsepower engine has been left running in your chest and won’t turn off. Or perhaps you are among those whose stomach and intestines mess up and bloat the moment they get stressed, even before their brain gets involved. For years, we’ve been told it’s all “in your head” and if you change your thinking, it will get fixed. But honestly, the problem isn’t always in our “mind”; sometimes the fault lies in our body’s “wiring.”
The thing is, our body has a silent hero that we often ignore; an amazing super-nerve that acts like a “volume knob” and can turn down the noise of anxiety so calm can return to the body. The name of this close friend is the “Vagus Nerve.” Now, don’t think we are going to get into complex medical discussions; not at all. Just imagine a massive information superhighway starting from your brain, coming down, hugging your neck, heart, and lungs, and finally spreading out like tree roots into your stomach and intestines. What does this mean? It means your brain, heart, and belly are connected by a direct, fast line and are constantly whispering to each other.
The main job of this nerve is to pull the body’s handbrake when there is no danger and say: “Okay, danger is over, now calm down, digest food, and rest.” But the problem with our busy, stressful modern lives is that it seems our foot is locked on the gas pedal. Traffic, installments, bad news, work worries… these cause this poor Vagus Nerve to get tired and weak; as if the body’s brake pads have worn out and it no longer has the strength to calm us down. The result is that even when we are sitting still, we have heart palpitations, there is always a background anxiety in the pit of our stomachs, our digestion is always off, we lose our temper quickly, and focusing becomes hard for us.
But the fantastic news is here: you don’t have to put up with this “broken brake” and endure it. You can exercise this nerve like a muscle and strengthen it again so that whenever you will it, it calms you down. There are a few simple, immediate home tricks that act like a massage for this nervous system and signal to the brain that “everything is safe.”
The fastest and easiest is the “magic of breathing.” Not just any breathing! The key point is that the exhale (breathing air out) must be longer than the inhale (taking air in). It’s enough to inhale for 4 seconds through your nose, then imagine you want to blow out a candle very gently so it doesn’t blow out, and exhale the air for 6 to 8 seconds. Repeat this a few times to see how it works miracles. The second way might seem a bit strange, but it’s the “ice water shock”! Our body is designed so that when it suddenly encounters cold, it lowers the heart rate to conserve energy and calms down. When you are very anxious, splash a handful of cold water on your face, or at the end of your daily shower, let cool/cold water run over your neck and chest for a few seconds to give your nervous system a hearty “reset.”
The next trick is quite fun: singing in the shower! Seriously. Because the Vagus Nerve passes right next to the vocal cords in the throat, when you sing loudly or even hum with your mouth closed so that your throat vibrates, this nerve gets stimulated and activated. Gargling salt water does the same thing. The last two points are about connections; one internal and one external. Remember we said the end of this nerve reaches the intestines? If your stomach is constantly bloated and messed up, your mood won’t be good either. Take care of your gut bacteria by eating probiotic yogurt and fiber so your brain can calm down. And finally, don’t forget that we humans calm down by looking into kind eyes and hearing the warm voice of a safe friend. When stressed, instead of looking at your phone, call a friend or hug someone you love.
The bottom line is this: if you are constantly anxious, don’t think you are “broken” or have weak willpower. Maybe your body’s braking system just needs a simple service. With these small daily actions, you can regain control of the body’s steering wheel. Start right now with a “long exhale.”
Sources and links for further reading:
- “The Polyvagal Theory” by Dr. Stephen Porges (the father of this theory). This book is a bit specialized but is considered the primary source. Link to Dr. Porges’ book page
- “Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve” by Stanley Rosenberg. This book is full of practical exercises for massaging and stimulating this nerve. Link to view the book on Amazon
- Psychology Today Website: A collection of simple, scientific articles about the vagus nerve and mental health. Link to Vagus Nerve article archive
- Huberman Lab Podcast: Dr. Andrew Huberman has spoken about breathing tools and stress control via the nervous system in several episodes which are very worth listening to. Link to podcast website
