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Vagus nerve therapy is gaining more attention as an approach to supporting mental health. It targets the vagus nerve, which plays a crucial role in regulating mood, the nervous system, and the body’s stress response. The vagus nerve can be stimulated through lifestyle changes and medical devices to help reduce anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and increase a sense of calm.

What Is Vagus Nerve Therapy and How Does It Work?

Vagus nerve therapy is an approach to treatment that targets the vagus nerve, one of the body’s main communication pathways between the brain and vital organs, including the digestive system. This nerve, often referred to as the “wandering” nerve, is our longest cranial nerve and runs from the brainstem through the neck, chest, and abdomen.

It carries messages between the brain, organs, and digestive system and is a main part of the parasympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for:

• Mood regulation
• Immune response
• Digestion
• Heart rate
• The body’s stress response

Because of its role in the parasympathetic system and gut-brain axis, stimulating the vagus nerve may help ease conditions like anxiety and depression. Various forms of vagus nerve therapy or “toning” exist, but how effective are they?

Why Stimulating Your Vagus Nerve Might Impact Mental Health

Trauma specialist Valarie Harris, LPC-MHSP, works primarily with veterans dealing with PTSD or military sexual trauma (MST). She notes that individuals who’ve lived through trauma often experience an overactive vagus nerve, which can manifest as anxiety and irregular moods, as well as symptoms like nausea, bowel issues, and random pains.

Many specialists refer to the polyvagal theory, which suggests that the vagus nerve plays a critical part in our response mechanisms to stress, such as the fight-or-flight response.

“The communication between your ‘first’ brain in your head and your ‘second’ brain in your gut is instantaneous,” says Shawn M. Talbott, PhD, who refers to himself as a psychonutritionist.

Vagal Nerve Therapy Techniques That Can Help

Talbott runs mental wellness retreat 3 Waves Wellness, where he treats patients using a number of therapeutic modalities, including vagal nerve activation, also referred to as vagal toning. Ways to stimulate the vagal nerve include:

• Gentle pulses: This involves stimulating the vagus nerve through gentle rhythmic pulses, which can be achieved through an implanted device or simple manual exercises like humming or deep breathing. “You exercise the vagus nerve to improve its efficiency for sending signals,” Talbott says. “In a similar manner to how regular running exercises your leg muscles, making you a more efficient runner, the same is true for vagal toning.”
• Cold water: Videos have circulated on TikTok discussing vagus nerve icing, which requires plunging your face in ice water or holding ice on your chest. However, this isn’t always a safe option for people with certain health conditions. Harris points out that even splashing cold water on the face can be helpful.
• Medical devices: For individuals with more severe irregularities, a device can be implanted that uses electrical pulses to tone the nerve. Harris uses a low-energy neurofeedback system, or LENS, for individuals experiencing more severe symptoms. “(It’s) different from traditional neurofeedback in that the goal is not training the brain, but rather allowing a person’s physiology to direct the course of treatment to support the body’s natural desire for homeostasis,” Harris says.

Does Vagus Nerve Therapy Actually Work?

Only small studies have been completed around vagus nerve stimulation for conditions like depression, headaches, and epilepsy, so research is still needed to know its true impact. But plenty of experts say they have seen positive results in their practice.

Susanna Harkonen, a registered counselor and clinical trauma professional in Switzerland, says the vagus nerve is at the core of her work with clients. While she notes that results vary, she considers polyvagal theory a game-changer for both herself and her practice.

Some people who have undergone vagal toning, especially with the Safe & Sound Protocol, which stimulates the vagus nerve through non-invasive listening therapy, have reported improvements in sleep and digestion, as well as equilibrium and performance of certain physical tasks. They have also noted less rumination, better focus, and a greater ability to be proactive and speak their minds.

Talbott has seen patients come away more relaxed and calm after as little as one session, but continued practice a few times a week can lead to noticeable improvement in stress resilience and overall mood, as well. He also notes that vagal toning can also be a good option for individuals with little time for other more involved therapeutic interventions, as it can be practiced at the same time as breath work and meditation.

Practicing vagal toning requires curiosity about the nervous system, Harkonen says, and this can lead to a greater sense of responsibility for our states of mind, as well as increased overall safety.

“The polyvagal theory takes away much of the shame and guilt that people feel about their less than constructive behaviors and reactions and enables real healing to take place,” she says. “It isn’t all in the mind!”

Sleeping next to your partner can be comforting, but experts suggest it can also be good for your mental health, sleep quality, and relationship. Co-sleeping with a romantic partner is associated with less stress, lower levels of depression and anxiety, better sleep quality, and increased intimacy.

Mental Health Benefits of Sleeping Next to Your Partner

According to Claudia de Llano, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, sleeping next to your partner can benefit your mental health in many ways, including deepening your physical, emotional, and spiritual connection.

A 2022 study published in the journal Sleep concluded that sleeping next to your partner can offer several benefits for your mental health, including:

• Lower levels of depression
• Lower levels of anxiety
• Lower levels of stress
• Lower risk of sleep apnea
• Reduced severity of insomnia
• Greater social support
• Higher satisfaction with life and relationships

Dr. Romanoff explains that poor quality sleep is one of the main symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. “Since sleeping next to a partner promotes better sleep, it reduces that symptom and, in turn, improves the disorder,” she says.

Why You Might Sleep Better With a Partner

These are some of the ways that sleeping next to your partner can improve the quality of your sleep, according to Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.

• Improved sleep duration and efficiency: Research shows us that sleeping next to a partner is linked to increased sleep duration, higher sleep efficiency, and better sleep quality overall. Getting a good night’s sleep helps reduce stress and boosts restorative functions.
• More REM sleep: A 2020 study found that sleeping next to a partner is associated with 10% more rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The REM stage of sleep, which is where most dreams occur, is critical for cognitive functions such as learning and remembering.
• Shorter time taken to fall asleep: Research has found that partners are more likely to fall asleep faster when they sleep next to each other. The time taken to fall asleep is known as sleep latency, and shorter sleep latency is associated with better sleep efficiency.

Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your health and well-being. Not sleeping well can negatively affect your immunity, heart health, weight, memory, learning ability, and reaction time, among other things.

How Sleeping Together Can Deepen Your Bond

Below, de Llano describes some of the ways sleeping next to your partner can improve the physical, emotional, and spiritual connection between the two of you and increase intimacy in your relationship.

Physical Intimacy

Sleeping next to your partner not only enables sexual intimacy, but also promotes physical intimacy in the form of hugging, cuddling, kissing, and holding hands.

In fact, a research study with 778 participants found that the physical and sexual intimacy caused by sleeping next to a partner triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin not only promotes better sleep, but it also reduces stress and promotes bonding.

Emotional Intimacy 

Sleeping next to your partner offers an opportunity for you and your partner to share your thoughts, feelings, hopes, and perspectives with each other in a safe space, thereby bringing you closer together.

In fact, research suggests that sleeping next to a partner helps improve emotional intimacy and relationship satisfaction.

Spiritual Intimacy 

Sleeping in the same bed can be a spiritual experience for many couples. Apart from feeling closer to your partner, the shared experience can also help you be more in sync with each other on a physiological and spiritual level.

Tips for Getting Better Sleep Together

Sleeping next to a partner doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll all be smooth sailing. For instance, your partner may snore loudly, kick or fidget, talk in their sleep, experience nightmares, hog the covers, move often during the night, watch television until late, keep their phone on loud, or prefer different sleeping temperatures, says Dr. Romanoff.

If you’re struggling to get a good night’s rest next to your partner, here are a few ways to make your nights more comfortable and soothing.

• Upgrade your bedding: Consider a larger bed, a cooling mattress, or even separate blankets to ensure each person’s comfort.
• Use a white noise machine: Some soothing background sound can block out disruptive sounds.
• Create a bedtime routine: Even if you have different sleep schedules, look for ways to wind down from the day together to help synchronize your rhythms.
• Try an (occasional) sleep divorce: If you’re struggling to get used to co-sleeping, consider sleeping separately once in a while or on rough nights.
• Talk about sleep issues: It’s normal to have some challenges, especially at the beginning. Discussing your concerns and needs ensures that you can find a solution that works for both of you.