Healing Through the Vagus Nerve: Improve Your Body's Response to Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Trauma Through Nervous System Regulation

Healing Through the Vagus Nerve explains how the nervous system and vagus nerve function using accessible language and illustrations. Amanda Armstrong, founder of Rise as We, explores vagal tone and its effects on mental health and daily life. The book presents a somatic approach to treating trauma, anxiety, and depression, grounded in research showing that 80% of mind-body communication originates in the body. The guide offers a variety of adaptable exercises and practices for improving nervous system function, including breathing techniques (diaphragmatic breathing, physiological sigh, voo breath, and the Valsalva technique), massage techniques for the ear, neck, and abdomen, visual techniques (lateral eye stretches, eye pushups, orienting, eye cupping, and gaze opening), and physical techniques such as cold exposure and yoga. Throughout the book, Armstrong shares relatable client stories and details from her own experience healing her nervous system. Multiple entry points help readers engage with the material as they learn to work with their nervous system rather than against it.