July 8, 2025, 2:21 am | Read time: 6 minutes

The vagus nerve connects the brain and organs, unconsciously influencing heartbeat, breathing, and digestion. Experts see it as a key to stress management–and thus to protection against cardiovascular diseases.

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Stress as an underestimated risk factor for the heart

Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression not only affect mental balance but also significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. “Numerous scientific studies clearly show how closely stress, as well as depression and anxiety disorders, are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases,” warns Prof. Thomas Voigtländer of the German Heart Foundation.

The vagus nerve, part of the parasympathetic nervous system, offers potential protection. “It transmits signals from the brain to the heart,” explains Dr. Cora Stefanie Weber in the magazine “Herz heute” (2/2025). As a so-called “relaxation nerve,” it calmingly influences pulse and blood pressure, thus contributing to heart health.

In everyday life, many people’s sympathetic nervous system is permanently overactive. It puts the body in a constant state of alert–with consequences for the heart.

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How stress mobilizes the body

Stress–derived from the Latin word “stringere” (‘to tighten’)–is a natural reaction of the body to alarm stimuli. In stressful moments, the organism switches to activation mode: The brain registers a potential danger and triggers a cascade of stress hormones like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol.¹

These messengers cause the bronchi to expand, breathing to accelerate, heart rate and blood pressure to rise, muscles to be supplied with nutrients, and insulin levels to increase. All this ensures that the body can react quickly–for example, by fleeing or fighting.

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Central control between head and organs

The vagus nerve plays a key role in the unconscious control of vital bodily functions. As the tenth cranial nerve, it extends from the brainstem through the neck and chest to the abdomen. Along its path, it branches out to numerous organs–including the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, and digestive organs–and connects them to the brain.²

It regulates digestion, breathing, heart rate, and satiety. At the same time, it transmits internal signals like hunger or exhaustion, influencing our behavior, especially in stressful moments. Thus, it significantly contributes to maintaining internal balance.

HRV: Measure of regulatory ability

The so-called heart rate variability (HRV) shows how flexibly the heart responds to external and internal stimuli. When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate increase. In healthy young people or athletes, however, HRV is usually high–allowing them to relax significantly faster after exertion thanks to the vagus nerve’s effect.

Not everyone possesses this ability to the same extent. According to the German Heart Foundation, people with anxiety and panic disorders have an increased risk of heart attacks. “It is believed that their brain can no longer sufficiently suppress anxiety reactions, their vagus nerve is inhibited, and they thus fall into chronic stress.”

According to Weber, people with an active vagus nerve and high HRV benefit from better concentration, emotional control, and higher emotional well-being. Findings suggest “that better awareness of one’s own feelings is associated with more stable heart action–and can thus be a protective factor.”

Measures to strengthen the vagus nerve

The German Heart Foundation recommends a series of measures to activate the vagus nerve and simultaneously reduce the risk of heart attacks:

• Healthy diet and normal body weight
• Avoidance of nicotine, moderate alcohol consumption
• Adequate sleep
• Relaxation techniques such as deep abdominal breathing
• Regular endurance sports
• Effective stress management
• Psychotherapeutic conversations
• Art and body therapy

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How everyday exercises can stimulate the vagus nerve

“Numerous promises about the effects of vagus nerve stimulation are spread on the internet and social media–for example, through self-massage of the neck or breathing exercises; but also through over-the-counter electronic devices,” reports Nils Kröger from the University of Tübingen on the university magazine “Puls” website. However, the effect depends on the individual case. “To say that stimulation always promotes relaxation would be wrong.”

At the same time, there is evidence that controlled breathing techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation are particularly effective–especially in combination with vagus nerve stimulation. The so-called box breathing or extended exhalation can also have a relaxing effect.

Here are nine exercises to activate the vagus nerve

• Box Breathing: Inhale, hold, exhale, hold for four seconds each–ideal for calming.
• Singing: Especially vowels like A, O, or U have a stimulating effect.
• Gargling: Simple exercise with water–stimulates laryngeal muscles and taste sense.
• Self-massage: Gently circle with both hands on the side of the neck between ear and shoulder.
• Cold stimuli: Cold shower, especially in the neck area, activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Head turning: Slowly turn the head left and right, fixing a point with the eyes each time.
• Raising eyebrows: Activates the vagus nerve via the facial nerve–ideal for experienced ear wigglers.
• Accommodation training: Alternately focus on near and distant objects–strengthens eye muscles and inner balance.
• Acupressure: Press a point in the ear for 30 seconds, repeat several times.³

Conclusion: Small nerve with a big impact

The vagus nerve controls far more than just physical processes–it influences how we respond to stress and how quickly we calm down. Its targeted activation can help balance the autonomic nervous system, buffer stress reactions, and promote recovery. Both initial scientific findings and practical experiences suggest that even small, regularly performed exercises in everyday life can have noticeable effects–not only on heart health but also on overall physical and emotional well-being.

*With material from dpa