A simple way to calm the nervous system

We all know the feeling of overwhelm. When it's all too much; Work is demanding, the house is a mess, the children are acting up, partner is infuriatingly unable to help out as much as we were hoping for, parents are ill, and actually, it looks like your youngest might be coming down with something too, your best friend is getting divorced and really needs you to be there and the school has been sending you emails about attendance.

Let's calm the nervous system in one simple step - by activating the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex cranial nerve in your body. It runs from your brainstem to your gut and on the way it touches several of your large organs, making it vital when it comes to your 'rest and digest' parasympathetic nervous system.

There are many ways to stimulate the nervous system, but my absolute favourite is humming. When you hum (or chant), you stimulate the vagus nerve and thereby signal to the body that it's time to relax.

So what I like to suggest to my clients is that they, ideally several times a day, hum their favourite song from start to finish. Disregard how it sounds or whether it's in tune or not. Just go for it. That's all.

(On a side note, the beauty of humming is that you don't need to worry about remembering lyrics!)

This is one of the most simple ways to calm your nervous system, and if you are into music, you just might end up loving the exercise too. Give it a go - what's the worst that can happen?