Vagus Basics
Taking deep breaths helps your vagus nerve make you feel ____.
What is calm.
True or false. Petting a cat or dog can help activate your vagus nerve and make you feel peaceful.
True.
Vagus nerve stimulation has been studied to improve symptoms in this IBD.
What is ulcerative colitis/crohn's disease
True or false. Your vagus nerve affects your voice.
True.
What does the vagus nerve do to your heart rate?
What is slowing it down
This sound "mmmm" can activate your vagus nerve.
What is humming.
Wiggling your toes and squeezing your hands tight, then relaxing, helps calm your vagus nerve. This is called ____ relaxation.
What is progressive muscle relaxation.
Targeted vagus nerve stimulation may help in rehabilitation after this type of brain injury by enhancing neuroplasticity.
What is stroke.
What is gargling.
The vagus nerve travels from your brain all the way down into this organ system.
What is the digestive system.
True or False: The vagus nerve is your body's calm-down switch
True
Activating the vagus nerve makes your brain release these chemicals that help make you feel calm. Name one.
What are GABA, serotonin, or endorphins.
What is anxiety.
The vagus nerve affects many part of the body, including the voice, heart, stomach, lungs, and even the ____ system that fights germs.
What is the immune system.
The vagus nerve helps your body rest and ___.
What is digest.
Putting a hand on your belly and watching it rise and fall helps your vagus nerve know you're safe. What kind of breathing is this?
What is belly breathing.
Slow breathing can activate the vagus nerve by stimulating this major muscle under your lungs.
What is the diaphragm.
Stimulating the vagus nerve can help treat treatment-resistant depression and this seizure condition.
What is epilepsy.
Vagal stimulation can modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, reducing the risk of this stress hormone.
What is cortisol.
What percentage of vagus nerve signals travel from the body up to the brain?
What is about 80%.
Splashing a little cold water on your face tells your vagus nerve to chill. What is this reflex called?
The diving reflex.
When your vagus nerve is activated, digestion improves because it improves because it increases the movement that pushes food forward.
What is peristalsis.
Clinical studies suggest vagus nerve stimulation can prevent progression in patients with this neurodegenerative condition affecting memory.
What is Alzheimers Disease.
The name "vagus" comes from a word meaning ___.
What is wandering.