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Vagal Stimulation Techniques

Meaning

Vagal Stimulation Techniques are a set of clinical or self-administered practices designed to enhance the activity, or tone, of the vagus nerve, the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system. These techniques, which include controlled breathing, cold exposure, and specific gargling or humming exercises, are employed to rapidly shift the autonomic nervous system from a sympathetic-dominant stress state toward a parasympathetic-dominant rest-and-digest state. Improving vagal tone is a key strategy for reducing allostatic load and normalizing HPA axis function.