There’s a nerve that runs from your brainstem all the way down through your face, throat, heart, and gut. It’s called the vagus nerve (vagus means wandering in Latin). And it’s the main line of your parasympathetic nervous system - your rest-and-digest/rest- and- recover mode. Ultimately this is the part of the nervous system that helps us feel calm and lets our bodies heal. If we can stimulate and support vagal nerve tone, we will sleep really well. It’s just that easy. So here are a few suggestions to help support and nourish that powerful wandering nerve.
1. Dim everything.
Overhead lights off, warm lamps only. Replacing bedroom lights with red lightbulbs on a couple lamps is even better. Bright overhead light tells your brain it’s still daytime and keeps cortisol up. Lamps tell it the sun is setting. Simple, but it sets the stage.
2. The 4-7-8 breath.
Inhale 4 seconds, hold 7, exhale 8. Four rounds. The magic is in that long exhale - slow exhalation is one of the most direct ways to activate the vagus nerve and drop your heart rate. (Your inhale speeds your heart up, your exhale slows it down. So a long, slow exhale is basically a brake pedal).
3. Warm wet washcloth over your face for 30 seconds, then a spray of clove water.
When something wet goes on the face, it triggers something called the diving reflex - the same reflex that lets seals and dolphins slow their heart rate underwater.
We share this reflex with marine mammals! Your body has a literal seal mode and you can switch it on with a washcloth. A cool cloth actually works even better than warm if you can handle it, but warm is a bit more soothing before bed.
4. Hum or chant “voo” for 30 seconds.
Humming vibrates your vocal cords and larynx, which sit right on top of the vagus nerve - so you’re giving it a direct little massage from the inside.
A study out of the Karolinska Institute found that humming increases the nitric oxide in your sinuses about 15-fold compared to quiet breathing (nitric oxide helps open up your blood vessels and improves airflow through your sinuses).
All from making a bee noise! Bhramari (bee breath) has been doing this in yoga for thousands of years.
5. Lie on your right side for 5 minutes.
Side-sleeping in general supports that rest-and-digest shift, and a lot of people find the right side especially soothing as they drift off.
However, if you deal with acid reflux, the left side is actually the better side for keeping things settled. So go with whatever feels best for you. Just five minutes here before you drift off does so much.