A surprising number of ‘spiritual practices’ have turned out to stimulate the vagus nerve/affect its baseline tone. This is also probably one of the pathways by which cardiovascular conditioning affects health (vagus nerve innervates the heart). I had thought that the vagus nerve also innervates the diaphragm, which would explain how breathing exercises could affect it, but it turns out that’s the phrenic nerve.
Deep breathing does stimulate the vagus nerve though, if I understand correctly.
How much the heart rate changes after a period of deep breathing is a standard test of vagal nerve function. People with autonomic dysfunction can’t slow their heart rate through deep breathing.
A surprising number of ‘spiritual practices’ have turned out to stimulate the vagus nerve/affect its baseline tone. This is also probably one of the pathways by which cardiovascular conditioning affects health (vagus nerve innervates the heart). I had thought that the vagus nerve also innervates the diaphragm, which would explain how breathing exercises could affect it, but it turns out that’s the phrenic nerve.
Deep breathing does stimulate the vagus nerve though, if I understand correctly. How much the heart rate changes after a period of deep breathing is a standard test of vagal nerve function. People with autonomic dysfunction can’t slow their heart rate through deep breathing.