As a functional medicine practitioner, I’ve witnessed time and again how deeply stress can affect our health—often in ways we don’t immediately recognize. At the center of this stress-response cycle lies the vagus nerve, a vital part of our nervous system that plays a key role in regulating essential functions like heart rate, digestion, mood, and immune health.
When stress becomes chronic, it doesn’t just weigh on your mind; it can lead to dysfunction in the vagus nerve, throwing your body’s natural balance off course and compromising your overall well-being. In this article, we’ll uncover four types of stress that are especially harmful to vagal function and explore how they impact your body over time.
4 Types of Stress that Affect Vagus Nerve Function
1. Daily Stressors
Modern life is filled with constant, low-level stressors like financial worries, work pressures, and relationship challenges. While manageable individually, these stressors can accumulate over time, keeping the sympathetic nervous system (our “fight or flight” mode) activated and blocking the vagus nerve’s ability to promote calm and restoration.
This imbalance can lead to digestive issues, anxiety, and poor sleep—clear signs of vagus nerve dysfunction. Over time, these daily stressors chip away at your nervous system’s ability to maintain balance, leaving your body stuck in a state of chronic stress.
2. Psychological Stress
Psychological stress, especially from major life events like childhood adversity, traumatic experiences, or significant losses, can have a profound and lasting impact on vagus nerve function.[1] These intense emotional experiences often rewire the brain’s stress response systems, keeping the body in a heightened state of alertness and reducing vagal tone—the vagus nerve’s ability to promote calm and balance.
This ongoing state of overactivation can make it harder to regulate emotions and physiological processes, leading to chronic issues like anxiety, mood instability, and even physical symptoms.
Major life stressors are often an overlooked cause of vagus nerve dysfunction. Reflecting on significant events—asking yourself, “What was happening in my life when my health concerns began?”—can provide important insights into the connection between stress and well-being.
3. Physical Stress
Physical stress, whether from a sedentary lifestyle or physical trauma, can significantly affect vagus nerve function.[2] Regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining healthy vagal tone, as exercise naturally stimulates the vagus nerve and supports the parasympathetic nervous system.
On the other hand, a lack of movement can weaken vagal function over time, while physical injuries—especially to the neck or spine—may directly impair the vagus nerve. If left unaddressed, these injuries can lead to long-term dysfunction, further disrupting the body’s ability to restore balance and recover from stress.
Physical stress is often underestimated but surprisingly simple to address… this is the easiest source of stress to forget and the simplest to change for the better. Simply taking regular walks can spark many positive changes!
4. Biochemical Stress
Biochemical stressors, such as microbiome imbalances (dysbiosis), nutrient deficiencies, and environmental toxins, can deeply impact vagus nerve function.[3] The vagus nerve is a key player in the gut-brain axis, making it especially sensitive to these factors. When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can trigger inflammation and disrupt vagal signaling. Similarly, deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals needed for nerve function may weaken vagal activity, while exposure to toxins can damage nerve tissue and further impair the vagus nerve’s ability to function properly.
Understanding these biochemical stressors is key to restoring balance. Functional lab testing can reveal nutrient deficiencies, microbiome imbalances, and even hormonal shifts, offering clarity where there was once guesswork. I often remind my clients, “Test, don’t guess,” to uncover the root causes of vagus nerve dysfunction and create a plan for lasting improvement.
The Link Between Chronic Stress and Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
When various stressors build up over time, they can gradually diminish vagus nerve function.[1][2] This decline often shows up as symptoms like reduced heart rate variability, digestive issues, heightened anxiousness, and a weakened immune system. Without proper balance, the body can get trapped in a cycle of chronic stress, which further impairs vagal function and disrupts overall well-being.
It’s important to remember that true healing happens in the parasympathetic “rest, digest, and recover” state—the state the vagus nerve helps promote. Excessive negative stress, however, keeps us stuck in a sympathetic “threat response” mode, making it harder for the body to reset and heal.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A Path to Improved Vagus Nerve Function and Balance
The good news is that vagus nerve function can be improved, even in the face of chronic stress. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and cold exposure are known to enhance vagal tone and support the parasympathetic nervous system.[4] Technological solutions, such as Truvaga’s vagus nerve stimulators, offer a convenient way to boost vagus nerve health, helping to counteract the negative effects of stress.
By incorporating vagus nerve stimulation into your routine, you can address the effects of the various stressors discussed—whether they stem from daily pressures, emotional trauma, physical challenges, or biochemical imbalances. Truvaga stimulators, for example, have been reported to help users feel calmer, improve mood, reduce anxiousness, and enjoy better sleep quality[5]—all vital outcomes linked to a healthy vagus nerve.
Understanding how different types of stress influence vagus nerve function is the first step toward reclaiming your well-being. By identifying and addressing these stressors and integrating vagus nerve stimulation practices, you can help your body shift from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest,” promoting balance, resilience, and better overall health.
Sources
[1] Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Can stimulating the vagus nerve improve mental health?, https://feinstein.northwell.edu/news/insights/vagus-nerve-stimulation-and-mental-health
[2] The Cleveland Clinic, Your Vagus Nerve May Be Key To Fighting Anxiety and Stress, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-the-vagus-nerve-do
[3] National Library of Medicine, Beatrice Bretherton, Lucy Atkinson, Aaron Murray, Jennifer Clancy, Susan Deuchars, Jim Deuchars, Effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in individuals aged 55 years or above: potential benefits of daily stimulation, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6682519/
[4] Cedar Sanai, Amy Paturel, Bolster Your Brain by Stimulating the Vagus Nerve, https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/stimulating-the-vagus-nerve.html
[5] Globe Newswire, electroCore’s Truvaga Users Reported Improved Stress, Anxiety, Sleep, Energy and Mood in Recent Focus Group Study, https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/03/21/2631251/0/en/electroCore-s-Truvaga-Users-Reported-Improved-Stress-Anxiety-Sleep-Energy-and-Mood-in-Recent-Focus-Group-Study.html
Author bio:
Dr. Navaz Habib, is the bestselling author of “Activate Your Vagus Nerve,” and the newly released “Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve.” He is also the host of “The Health Upgrade Podcast.”
After graduating as class valedictorian from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 2010 and went on to practice traditional chiropractic for years, until he utilized the power of functional medicine to transform his own health. Dr. Habib is the founder of “Health Upgraded” an online functional health consulting clinic, supporting optimal health by elevating the awareness and function of the vagus nerve.
