Experiencing occasional pain is common while recovering from an injury. However, sometimes the discomfort can be debilitating and hamper you from doing your usual activities. This can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Breathwork practices that activate the vagus nerve can provide relief. Discover how to reduce pain post-injury with these tips.

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the main nerve of your parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates various bodily functions like your heart rate, immune system and digestion. It’s also the system in charge of your “rest and digest” operations, as opposed to your sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight” mode. 

This nerve delivers information from the brain to the body and vice versa. The good news is that you can stimulate it on purpose by using breathwork. 

What Is Vagal Tone?

Vagal tone indicates how well your vagus nerve is functioning, which is measured by heart rate variability (HRV) or the amount of time between heartbeats. High vagal tone is associated with a lower resting heart rate, reduced blood pressure and increased HRV. This indicates that your body is balanced, while a lower HRV may indicate poor physical and mental health. Use a smartwatch or a fitness tracker to track it.

How Can Vagus Nerve Stimulation Help Reduce Pain Post-Injury?

Vagus nerve stimulation produces analgesic effects, providing pain relief, especially after injury. Post-traumatic arthritis is common among people with joint injuries due to sports, automobile accidents, falls and work. It causes painful symptoms, such as swelling, joint pain, fluid accumulation and decreased tolerance for physical activities, even the easy ones like walking and using the stairs.

Activating the vagus nerve allows your body to find balance, enabling you to return to your usual daily activities. Breath and movement can help reset the vagus nerve, helping you restore a sense of safety and healing from trauma.

While breathwork helps, it’s not the only pain relief option. Pairing mind-body therapies with physical therapy can significantly help improve your motion and mobility, boosting your quality of life. It can also reduce the likelihood of reinjury in the future, allowing you to enjoy physical activities with peace of mind.

4 Breathwork Methods to Activate the Vagus Nerve

Several breathing practices can help you reset your body from “fight and flight” mode to “rest and digest.” Here’s how to use breathwork to activate the vagus nerve.

1. Box Breathing Technique

This breathing method is popular among Navy SEALs and athletes for its ability to regulate the nervous system. Here’s how to do it:

• Breathe in air through your nose for four seconds.
• Hold your breath for four seconds.
• Exhale via mouth for a count of four.
• Hold it again for another four seconds.
• Repeat as many times as you wish.

2. Wim Hof Method Breathing Method

Wim Hof is a Dutch extreme athlete known as “The Iceman” for running a half marathon in the Arctic Circle barefoot and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts. He developed a breathing technique that helps reduce stress and stimulate the vagus nerve. This practice is best performed after waking up, before a meal or when you have an empty stomach.

• Get in a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Avoid wearing constrictive clothing so your belly can expand properly.
• Close your eyes and stay in the present moment. Breathe in deeply, pushing your belly outward. 
• Once your lungs feel full, exhale through the mouth gently.
• Do the two previous steps 30 times.
• After exhaling for the last time, hold your breath for as long as you can.
• Do a recovery breath and draw one giant breath, letting your belly expand fully. Hold it for 15 seconds, then exhale through your mouth.

3. 4-7-8 Breathing Method

The 4-7-8 breathing practice can also help stimulate the vagus nerve and relieve pain. Simply breathe through your nose for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds and exhale through the mouth for eight seconds. Repeat the steps until you feel calm.

You may feel a bit lightheaded after a few rounds. Perform this technique while lying or sitting down to prevent falls.

4. Valsalva Maneuver

The Valsalva maneuver is a breathwork that activates the vagus nerve and restores normal heart rate when you’re feeling anxious or in pain. It has calming effects, making it effective for vagus nerve stimulation. Here’s how to do it:

• Find a comfortable position, whether sitting or lying down.
• Inhale and hold your breath in your throat. 
• Bear down hard as if having a bowel movement or equalizing ear pressure during diving.
• Strain hard for 10 to 5 seconds.
• Exhale when you’re done.
• Rest for a minute before doing it again.

Breathe Away Pain Using These Breathwork Exercises

Breathwork practices that activate the vagus nerve can help reduce pain post-injury and lower the stress associated with it. Whenever you feel discomfort, try doing these exercises and see which one works best for you.