The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body, running from the brainstem down through the neck, chest, and abdomen to the gut. It’s the main highway of the parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” state that is the opposite of the stress response — and its function underpins almost everything I work with in my practice.
What the Vagus Nerve Does
The vagus nerve regulates heart rate, breathing, digestion, immune function, and inflammation. It carries information both ways: from the brain to the organs, and — crucially — from the organs back to the brain. About 80% of vagal fibres are afferent, meaning they carry information from the body upward to the brain. This is why gut feelings are physiologically real: the gut is continuously reporting to the brain via the vagus nerve, and the brain responds.
When the vagus nerve functions well — what researchers call high vagal tone — the body can efficiently shift between stress responses and recovery. Heart rate variability is high, digestion works properly, inflammation is regulated, and the immune system functions optimally. When vagal tone is low, the system gets stuck in a state of chronic stress activation, and everything from gut function to mood to immune health is affected.
Vagal Tone and Chronic Conditions
Low vagal tone has been associated with IBS, inflammatory conditions, anxiety and depression, chronic fatigue, cardiovascular disease, and a range of autoimmune conditions. When you look at the list of conditions that holistic therapy helps with, and the list of conditions associated with low vagal tone, the overlap is striking — because many of the conditions we treat are, at some level, conditions of vagal dysregulation.
How Holistic Therapy Supports Vagal Function
This is where it gets directly relevant to what I do. Reflexology activates the parasympathetic nervous system and improves vagal tone through the autonomic connections between the reflex points and the nervous system. Craniosacral therapy works directly with the cranial nerve complex, of which the vagus is a primary component. Reiki consistently produces the deep parasympathetic shift that improves vagal tone. Even abdominal massage stimulates the vagus nerve mechanically through its effect on the gut.
All of these approaches, in different ways, are improving the body’s capacity to regulate itself — and vagal tone is a central mechanism through which that regulation happens. This is why the benefits of holistic therapy extend so far beyond any single symptom or organ system.
Practical Implications
Understanding the vagus nerve helps explain why holistic therapy works on multiple conditions at once — why someone who comes for digestive support often finds their sleep improves, or why someone coming for anxiety notices their digestion also benefits. When you improve the overall regulatory capacity of the autonomic nervous system, the benefits are systemic.
I’m based in Wilby, near Wellingborough, and I see clients from across Northamptonshire. For more on how I work with nervous system regulation, the trauma and emotional release page covers this in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I improve my vagal tone myself? Yes — certain practices like slow diaphragmatic breathing, cold water exposure, humming, and mindfulness all stimulate the vagus nerve. Holistic therapy accelerates and deepens this process in ways that self-practice alone typically can’t achieve.
Is vagal nerve dysfunction the same as dysautonomia? Dysautonomia is a broader category that includes several autonomic nervous system disorders. Vagal tone is one dimension of autonomic function. If you’ve been diagnosed with dysautonomia, holistic therapy can be supportive but should be discussed with your healthcare provider first.
Which of your therapies has the most direct effect on the vagus nerve? Craniosacral therapy works most directly with the vagus nerve’s anatomical pathway. Reflexology and Reiki produce strong vagal activation through indirect mechanisms. For complex cases, KORE Therapy combines multiple approaches.
Read more about the therapies I offer on the therapies page, or explore how I approach digestive and hormonal health from my Northamptonshire practice.