Vagus Nerve and Anxiety: How They're Connected and What You Can Do
- Bryson R. Tibbitts
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Why this nerve plays a key role in calming the mind and body
For people living with anxiety, it often feels like the body has a mind of its own: a racing heartbeat, tight chest, short breath, and a constant sense of being “on edge."
One of the missing links in understanding anxiety is the vagus nerve. This wandering nerve helps regulate the nervous system’s stress and recovery states. When it is underactive or out of balance, anxiety symptoms can intensify. And when you don't understand what's happening or what you can do about it, you often feel even more overwhelmed.
That's why we wrote this article: to explain the connection between the vagus nerve and anxiety, and what you can do to start restoring calm.
The Science: How the Vagus Nerve Influences Anxiety
The vagus nerve is the main pathway of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you calm down after stress. Low vagal tone means your body struggles to switch out of fight-or-flight, leaving you stuck in a state of chronic stress.
Brain regions connected to vagus input (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, insula) directly influence fear responses, mood regulation, and emotional resilience. Studies show that people with low vagal tone often have higher anxiety symptoms and lower heart rate variability (HRV).
So what does all of that mean? It's not necessarily that your vagus itself is what causes or prevents anxiety or any other vagus symptoms. Rather, it's the communication highway between your brain and your body, including your heart and gut. That's why your mental state can show up as a racing heart or a queasy stomach. (see the list of symptoms below)
But because it's the connection between the brain and body, we can indirectly influence both the brain and body by influencing the vagus nerve. The bidirectionality of its signal is what allows us to treat both the symptoms and the root cause of anxiety.
Common Anxiety Symptoms Linked to the Vagus Nerve
Racing heartbeat or palpitations
Digestive distress during anxious episodes
Shallow, rapid breathing
Difficulty calming down after stress
Heightened startle response
Feeling “stuck” in tension even without obvious triggers
What You Can Do to Support the Vagus Nerve
At-Home Practices
Slow breathing with extended exhales
Humming, singing, or chanting
Cold face splash or shower finish
Gentle yoga or neck stretches
In-Clinic Therapies
RPSS: Direct vagus nerve pathway activation that retrains the system.
Alpha-Stim: Calms brainwave patterns, producing similar regulatory effects.
These therapies work when at-home methods alone do not bring lasting relief.
If anxiety has been holding you back, download our free Vagus Nerve Regulation Guide. It will give you simple daily practices to start calming your nervous system and regaining control.
When you’re ready, we can help you explore whether non-invasive therapies like RPSS or Alpha-Stim are the right next step for lasting balance and recovery. To discuss treatment options or schedule a consultation, contact us today.
Key Take-away:
The vagus nerve is a critical piece of the anxiety puzzle. When it is not functioning well, the nervous system can remain stuck in fight-or-flight. By learning how to support and stimulate this nerve, both at home and with targeted therapies, you can help your body reset, regulate, and recover.
