Breathing Techniques for a Vagus Nerve Reset | Vitruvian

Video·Dr. Jon Saunders·8 min read·December 14, 2025

A simple three-part reset for moving out of fight-or-flight and into a calmer state, using breath, gentle neck movement, and ear stimulation to support recovery.

Why The Reset Starts With The Nervous System

Tension is rarely only tension. A tight neck, clenched jaw, lifted shoulders, or heavy head can reflect a body that has not received the signal that it is safe to soften. You can stretch the same area again and again, but if the nervous system remains on alert, the tissue often returns to its guarded state. The reset begins deeper than the muscle. It begins with the message underneath.

Fight-or-flight is built to protect you. It sharpens attention, raises readiness, and keeps the body prepared to respond. The problem begins when that state stays active after the moment has passed. Rest no longer feels restful. Sleep becomes harder to enter. Focus scatters. The body keeps running at speed while standing still.

This is why recovery requires more than effort. When the system stays revved, the body has less access to the calm processes that support healing, digestion, sleep, and repair. The parasympathetic nervous system is the state of rest-and-digest; when it comes online, breathing slows, the mind quiets, and recovery has room to begin. Calm is not passive. It is a biological condition for restoration.

The vagus nerve offers one pathway into that state. It is described here as a main switch into parasympathetic calm, connecting the brain with functions that influence breathing, digestion, and the felt sense of safety. When you stimulate this pathway with precision, you do not force relaxation. You give the body a clear cue that it can come down.

The source also connects this reset with lower cortisol, reduced inflammatory signals, and serotonin pathways, all in service of feeling calmer and more settled. Those terms matter only because of what you experience from them: less pressure in the body, clearer attention, and a steadier mood. Science becomes useful when it returns you to presence.

We approach this protocol as a quiet sequence, not a performance. The goal is safety, stillness, and recovery. You are not trying to dominate the nervous system or chase an instant cure. You are creating the conditions for equilibrium, one deliberate signal at a time.

▶ Watch on YouTube

View transcript

Most people are trying to loosen tension in their neck, their shoulders, in their in their neck, their shoulders, in their head, without addressing the cause, your head, without addressing the cause, your nervous system. In this video, I'm going nervous system. In this video, I'm going to show you a simple 3inut nerve reset to show you a simple 3inut nerve reset that's going to help calm your mind and that's going to help calm your mind and calm your body. The Vegas nerve is the main switch to your parasympathetic nervous system. the your parasympathetic nervous system. the part of the nervous system that is part of the nervous system that is responsible for calmness, resting, responsible for calmness, resting, healing, digestion, everything that we healing, digestion, everything that we need in order to achieve good health. We need in order to achieve good health. We want to send a message directly to the want to send a message directly to the brain to calm ourselves down. Here's the brain to calm ourselves down. Here's the thing. In clinical practice, in the last thing. In clinical practice, in the last 23 years of clinical practice, I've 23 years of clinical practice, I've never seen so much tension, anxiety, never seen so much tension, anxiety, stress. [snorts] stress. [snorts] Patients and people just like you are Patients and people just like you are stuck in flight or flight mode. It's stuck in flight or flight mode. It's that sensation that you can never really that sensation that you can never really truly calm down. You put your head down truly calm down. You put your head down at night. Your brain is racing. You

at night. Your brain is racing. You can't focus. You can't sleep. It's like can't focus. You can't sleep. It's like running your car in park and putting the running your car in park and putting the metal to the floor and revving that metal to the floor and revving that engine. Without taking your foot off the engine. Without taking your foot off the gas pedal, your body is unable to feel gas pedal, your body is unable to feel good and most importantly heal. If you good and most importantly heal. If you cannot turn down or turn off your fight cannot turn down or turn off your fight orflight mode, your body will never orflight mode, your body will never achieve its full capacity to heal and achieve its full capacity to heal and express good health. This threeinut express good health. This threeinut nerve reset is going to turn your nerve reset is going to turn your parasympathetic nervous system on. This parasympathetic nervous system on. This will allow you to relax the tension in will allow you to relax the tension in your neck, your jaw, your head, your your neck, your jaw, your head, your shoulders, and calm down. Your breathing shoulders, and calm down. Your breathing will slow. Your digestion will improve. will slow. Your digestion will improve. This can even shift the chemistry in This can even shift the chemistry in your brain. lowers cortisol, reduces your brain. lowers cortisol, reduces inflammatory signals, and improves inflammatory signals, and improves serotonin pathways. All to make you feel serotonin pathways. All to make you feel calmer and more relaxed. Simply put, calmer and more relaxed. Simply put, stimulating this nerve is going to tell stimulating this nerve is going to tell your body it's safe. It's time to relax your body it's safe. It's time to relax and increase your healing. This Vegas

and increase your healing. This Vegas nerve reset will involve three parts. nerve reset will involve three parts. The first, a very simple breathing The first, a very simple breathing technique. The second, I'm going to show technique. The second, I'm going to show you an upper cervical or a Vegas nerve you an upper cervical or a Vegas nerve glide or floss. And finally, in the glide or floss. And finally, in the third part, I'll show you a technique on third part, I'll show you a technique on how you can stimulate the uricular how you can stimulate the uricular branch of your vagus nerve. All to help branch of your vagus nerve. All to help get you out of fight orflight into rest, get you out of fight orflight into rest, digest, and in healing mode. Let's get digest, and in healing mode. Let's get to it. Breathing. I've spoken about this to it. Breathing. I've spoken about this in other videos. The fightlight in other videos. The fightlight breathing that we all tend to do and not breathing that we all tend to do and not even know it is through our chest. The even know it is through our chest. The Vegas nerve comes down and supplies our Vegas nerve comes down and supplies our diaphragm. And we need to stimulate the diaphragm. And we need to stimulate the vagus nerve through the appropriate way vagus nerve through the appropriate way to breathe. We want to breathe in a to breathe. We want to breathe in a safe, comfortable way. Very simply, safe, comfortable way. Very simply, we're going to extend up, sit tall, one we're going to extend up, sit tall, one hand on your abdomen or belly, the other hand on your abdomen or belly, the other hand on your chest. When we breathe, a hand on your chest. When we breathe, a normal, relaxed, healthy breathing is normal, relaxed, healthy breathing is through our belly, not through our

through our belly, not through our [sighs] fight and flight up here. So, [sighs] fight and flight up here. So, what we want to do is very simply sit what we want to do is very simply sit tall. We want to breathe in for three tall. We want to breathe in for three seconds through our nose. holding for two seconds. But the breath has to come from below. If your chest has to come from below. If your chest moves, it's not the right breath. Focus moves, it's not the right breath. Focus on pushing it through your belly for 3 on pushing it through your belly for 3 seconds. seconds. I did it wrong there. Watch. Watch what I did it wrong there. Watch. Watch what hand moves hand moves through the nose. Hold for two seconds through the nose. Hold for two seconds and then blow out for double the time. and then blow out for double the time. Six seconds through pursed lips. I'm Six seconds through pursed lips. I'm going to start again and watch. going to start again and watch. It takes some concentration because It takes some concentration because we're so used to expanding our ribs. we're so used to expanding our ribs. We're in fight flight. We're in a rush. We're in fight flight. We're in a rush. We're in a hurry. Calm. Focus on 3 We're in a hurry. Calm. Focus on 3 seconds in through your nose. Hold for 2 seconds in through your nose. Hold for 2 seconds. And then breathe out through

seconds. And then breathe out through ped lips for double or 6 seconds. If you ped lips for double or 6 seconds. If you want to take a deeper breath, you can do want to take a deeper breath, you can do 4 seconds in through the belly, through 4 seconds in through the belly, through your nose. Hold for two and blow out your nose. Hold for two and blow out through your lips or purse lips for 8 through your lips or purse lips for 8 seconds. So, let's try this again. Sit seconds. So, let's try this again. Sit tall. This hand doesn't move. The rib tall. This hand doesn't move. The rib cage doesn't move. The belly moves cage doesn't move. The belly moves through your nose. Do this for four to five sets or rounds. Right away from the breathing technique, Right away from the breathing technique, you've already started to stimulate your you've already started to stimulate your vagus nerve. Your calmness should be vagus nerve. Your calmness should be setting in and your rest mode should setting in and your rest mode should begin. But next, we're going to get to begin. But next, we're going to get to the nerve glide. the Vegas nerve glide

the nerve glide. the Vegas nerve glide or stretch. This if you suffer from neck or stretch. This if you suffer from neck pain, jaw pain, tightness, headaches pain, jaw pain, tightness, headaches will be gamechanging for you. The next will be gamechanging for you. The next thing I'm going to go through with you thing I'm going to go through with you is the upper cervical vagus nerve glide, is the upper cervical vagus nerve glide, vagus nerve decompression, whatever you vagus nerve decompression, whatever you want to call it, that's going to help want to call it, that's going to help reduce your fight or flight. The veus reduce your fight or flight. The veus nerve comes out through your jugular nerve comes out through your jugular fammen in your skull and it sits in fammen in your skull and it sits in close proximity to your upper cervical close proximity to your upper cervical spine your CO which is your skull C1 and spine your CO which is your skull C1 and C2. So if we can glide the nerve open C2. So if we can glide the nerve open this area up it's going to switch off or this area up it's going to switch off or help switch off your fight orflight mode help switch off your fight orflight mode and it's something that can break it and it's something that can break it almost instantly. The nerve glide or the almost instantly. The nerve glide or the veagal pathway release has subtle veagal pathway release has subtle movements. We're going to do it on both movements. We're going to do it on both sides, holding each position for five to sides, holding each position for five to six seconds. First thing we're going to six seconds. First thing we're going to do is we're going to sit up tall, do is we're going to sit up tall, shoulder blades engaged. We're going to shoulder blades engaged. We're going to extend slightly, rotate until you feel a

extend slightly, rotate until you feel a slight extension, and you're going to slight extension, and you're going to laterally flex the opposite way. You'll laterally flex the opposite way. You'll feel it in the upper cervical spine. And feel it in the upper cervical spine. And we're going to hold this for five to six we're going to hold this for five to six seconds, and we'll come back to neutral. seconds, and we'll come back to neutral. up. Rotate laterally flex up. Rotate laterally flex and hold back to neutral. Extend. Rotate till you feel tension and then Rotate till you feel tension and then come back come back with a lateral flexion. Again, subtle with a lateral flexion. Again, subtle but really effective. but really effective. Extend, rotate, lateral flex. the Extend, rotate, lateral flex. the opposite way of rotation and hold. opposite way of rotation and hold. You're really trying to open up this You're really trying to open up this part of the spine where that vagus nerve part of the spine where that vagus nerve comes down through and it can create comes down through and it can create tension there. If there's tension up tension there. If there's tension up here and it's translated to those

here and it's translated to those segments which can help when you get segments which can help when you get this moving or you open it up or you this moving or you open it up or you glide it, it can help turn off that glide it, it can help turn off that flight or fight which is exactly what we flight or fight which is exactly what we want to do. If stress lives in your neck want to do. If stress lives in your neck and shoulders, that glide will probably and shoulders, that glide will probably give you the quickest immediate relief. give you the quickest immediate relief. Let me show you from behind so you Let me show you from behind so you understand the movements. They're very understand the movements. They're very subtle. subtle. So, shoulder blades engaged, So, shoulder blades engaged, slight extension. We'll rotate to your slight extension. We'll rotate to your right and then later flex to your left. right and then later flex to your left. Hold for 5 seconds and then come back to Hold for 5 seconds and then come back to neutral. Extend. neutral. Extend. Rotate. Rotate. and lateral flex. and lateral flex. Really decompressing the sub oipital Really decompressing the sub oipital area, all the nerves there that helps area, all the nerves there that helps take tension out of the area in the take tension out of the area in the vicinity of the Vegas nerve. This last vicinity of the Vegas nerve. This last method to stimulate your vag nerve might method to stimulate your vag nerve might seem a little bit odd, but for some seem a little bit odd, but for some people, you're going to find that the people, you're going to find that the breathing method worked and that's all

breathing method worked and that's all you need to do. Others might find that you need to do. Others might find that the nerve glide, the open decompression, the nerve glide, the open decompression, that area of the Vegas nerve, that's all that area of the Vegas nerve, that's all you need to do. Or some people need to you need to do. Or some people need to do both. This is for the people that do both. This is for the people that maybe didn't get relief from the first maybe didn't get relief from the first two or that need to do all three two or that need to do all three together. But I love this one because together. But I love this one because it's simple, it's easy, and it can be it's simple, it's easy, and it can be done anywhere. Take your fingers, grab done anywhere. Take your fingers, grab the inside of your ears. Why this seems the inside of your ears. Why this seems to help for people is because it to help for people is because it stimulates the uricular branch of the stimulates the uricular branch of the Vegas nerve. All you're going to do is Vegas nerve. All you're going to do is grab Let me take my glasses off. Grab grab Let me take my glasses off. Grab them like this. Not too hard, but we're them like this. Not too hard, but we're going to just rotate circles. Need three going to just rotate circles. Need three to five front and then three to five to five front and then three to five backwards. backwards. Like I said, it's simple. It's Like I said, it's simple. It's stimulating the vagus nerve through the stimulating the vagus nerve through the uricular branch. Just trying to break uricular branch. Just trying to break the fight or flight. Turn your the fight or flight. Turn your parasympathetic nervous system on so parasympathetic nervous system on so things can calm. You can heal better.

things can calm. You can heal better. You have less inflammation. You have less inflammation. You can turn that racing mind off and You can turn that racing mind off and break the cycle of that stress. Once break the cycle of that stress. Once you've done this, you might feel, you you've done this, you might feel, you know, a little more calm in the know, a little more calm in the shoulders. Your swallowing might become shoulders. Your swallowing might become easier. You're blinking freer. little easier. You're blinking freer. little subtle cue cues, sorry, that you've been subtle cue cues, sorry, that you've been successful in breaking that fight or successful in breaking that fight or flight mode. This video was motivated by flight mode. This video was motivated by the tension I feel in my patients on the the tension I feel in my patients on the day-to-day that I feel right now that day-to-day that I feel right now that I'm hoping that most people can use I'm hoping that most people can use these techniques to break the cycle of these techniques to break the cycle of their fight flight. We live in a busy their fight flight. We live in a busy world, a stressed world. And if we can't world, a stressed world. And if we can't change the environment around us, I'm change the environment around us, I'm hoping that we can change the hoping that we can change the environment and how our body is better environment and how our body is better able to deal with stress. When you're able to deal with stress. When you're stressree or when you break the cycle of stressree or when you break the cycle of stress, your body works better, it heals

stress, your body works better, it heals better, you sleep better, and life better, you sleep better, and life becomes better. I really hope you becomes better. I really hope you enjoyed this video. I hope that you use enjoyed this video. I hope that you use the breathing technique, the nerve glide the breathing technique, the nerve glide technique, or the ear stimulation technique, or the ear stimulation technique to give you some tools that technique to give you some tools that can help your body adapt better to the can help your body adapt better to the environment you're in. If you have a environment you're in. If you have a question about this video, please leave question about this video, please leave it below. I'll do my best to answer it it below. I'll do my best to answer it as soon as possible. And if you enjoy as soon as possible. And if you enjoy videos like this, maybe you'll show some videos like this, maybe you'll show some support by giving me the thumbs up. And support by giving me the thumbs up. And if you're new to my channel, maybe if you're new to my channel, maybe you'll consider subscribing so you can you'll consider subscribing so you can be informed when I upload a new video. I be informed when I upload a new video. I really appreciate you tuning in with me. really appreciate you tuning in with me. I hope you found value here and I can't I hope you found value here and I can't wait to see you in my next video.

Transcript auto-generated by YouTube. Verbatim — duplicates intentionally preserved.

Step One: Prime Calm With Belly Breathing

Breath is the first layer because it is always available. It gives you a direct way to shift the pace of the body without equipment, space, or preparation. Sit tall and let the spine lengthen. Place one hand on the belly and one hand on the chest. This simple contact helps you feel where the breath is actually moving.

Stimulating this nerve is going to tell your body it's safe.

In a stressed state, many people breathe high into the chest and ribs. The breath becomes shallow, quick, and braced. For this reset, guide the inhale lower. Breathe through the nose and allow the belly hand to move while the chest hand stays quiet. The body reads that pattern differently. It feels less like alarm and more like safety.

The diaphragm is part of the source’s explanation because the vagus nerve supplies it, and belly-led breathing uses that connection to support calm. The point is not to take the biggest breath possible. The point is to take a precise breath that slows the system. You are training the body to recognize stillness again.

Begin with a three-second inhale through the nose. Hold for two seconds. Then exhale for six seconds through gently pursed lips. The longer exhale is the anchor. It tells the body that the moment does not require urgency, and it begins to move you toward rest with clarity.

If you want a deeper version, use four seconds in, a two-second hold, and eight seconds out. Keep the breath below the ribs. If the chest rises first, pause and return to the belly. Precision matters more than intensity. Four to five rounds are enough to start the protocol with intention.

This first step often reveals how quickly the body wants to rush. Let that be information, not a problem. Slow the count, soften the shoulders, and give the exhale its full time. Calm is built through repetition. Each round is a small return to balance.

Step Two: Release The Upper Neck

The neck is one of the places where stress becomes visible. It carries vigilance in the jaw, shoulders, base of the skull, and the space behind the head. When that region stays guarded, the body can feel alert even when you are trying to rest. Gentle movement gives the area a different signal. It invites release without force.

The vagus nerve passes near the upper cervical spine, close to the base of the skull and the first two cervical segments. This is why the protocol uses a subtle glide through the upper neck. The aim is not a deep stretch. The aim is to open space with control, so the body can move toward calm and recovery.

Start seated tall, with the shoulder blades lightly engaged. Extend the head and neck slightly, as though lifting through the crown without collapsing backward. Rotate gently to one side until you feel light tension. Then side bend in the opposite direction. Hold the position for five to six seconds, breathing steadily, and return to neutral.

Repeat the same movement on the other side. Slight extension, gentle rotation, opposite side bend, then a quiet hold. Keep the movement small enough that you remain in control. The nervous system does not need force to listen. It responds best to clarity, consistency, and a sense of safety.

This step is especially relevant when stress settles into the neck, jaw, shoulders, and head. Those areas often carry the residue of long concentration, poor sleep, emotional load, or the sense that you cannot fully switch off. The glide gives that stored tension a new pattern. It restores motion where the body has been holding.

If stress lives in your neck and shoulders, that glide will probably give you the quickest immediate relief.

Move slowly enough to notice the difference between effort and release. If the position creates strain, reduce the range and return to the breath. A reset is not something you win. It is something you allow. The upper neck softens when the whole system believes it can.

Step Three: Add Ear Stimulation And Notice The Shift

The final layer is simple enough to use almost anywhere. The inside of the ear connects with the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which gives this small movement a meaningful role in the reset. You are not chasing sensation. You are adding another gentle cue that supports calm, recovery, and a quieter mind.

Place your fingers at the inside of the ears with light pressure. Make three to five gentle circles forward. Then make three to five gentle circles backward. Keep the touch comfortable and deliberate. The movement should feel controlled, not aggressive. It is a precise stimulus, not a massage to overpower the area.

You can use this ear stimulation on its own when you need a brief reset. You can also combine it with the belly breathing and the upper neck glide when the day has left you more activated. The three steps work as a sequence: breath first, neck second, ear stimulation third. Each layer reinforces the same message. You are safe enough to settle.

After the sequence, look for subtle cues rather than dramatic change. Swallowing can feel easier. The shoulders can drop without being commanded. Blinking can feel freer. The mind can become less crowded. These small shifts matter because they show the body has started to leave the stress cycle.

This is the value of a short resilience ritual. It does not ask you to change the entire environment before you can recover. It gives you a way to change how the body meets the environment you are in. That distinction is powerful. You build capacity from the inside out.

Use the full protocol on stressful days, before sleep, after a long session at a desk, or when your jaw and neck begin to carry the weight of attention. Keep it brief, calm, and repeatable. Breath, glide, stimulate, notice. Recovery becomes more accessible when the body learns the path back to equilibrium.

Your body works better, it heals better, you sleep better, and life becomes better.

Wim's Wise Words

A second take, from someone who's lived it.

If you take one thing from this, make it this: do the smallest version first. One hand on the belly. One longer exhale. One slow neck glide. Then stop and listen.

The nervous system does not trust drama. It trusts consistency. When you are already braced, more intensity can become another demand on a body that is asking for safety. I would rather see you practise this for two quiet minutes every evening than turn it into a full protocol you only remember when stress has already taken over.

My own rule is simple. If the breath feels forced, I have missed the point. If the neck movement creates strain, I have gone too far. If the ear stimulation becomes aggressive, I am trying to control something that needs reassurance. This work is precise because it is gentle.

Where I'd Start

Start with the exhale. Not the neck. Not the ears. The exhale tells you the truth quickly. If you can lengthen it without tension, your system has enough room to begin downshifting. If you cannot, shorten the count and keep the rhythm clean. Three in, two hold, six out is useful only when it feels steady. A smaller breath done well beats a bigger breath done under pressure.

Use this before sleep, after a long drive, between meetings, or after cold exposure when you want the body to return to equilibrium. Breath is the bridge between deliberate stress and deliberate recovery. If you want to understand that bridge more deeply, read Breath, Stress, Stillness next. It gives this practice a wider frame without making it complicated.

The caveat matters. This is a reset, not a replacement for the fundamentals. It does not cancel poor sleep, endless scrolling, too much caffeine, or a calendar with no pause in it. It gives you a way back to stillness when the system has started to run ahead of the moment.

What I like about this sequence is that it restores agency without asking for performance. You do not need a sanctuary, a device, or a perfect morning. You need enough attention to feel whether your shoulders have softened, whether swallowing comes easier, whether the mind has a little more space around it.

That is the signal I would trust. Not a dramatic shift. Not a promise. A quiet change in tone. The body stops guarding so hard. The breath finds its floor. You return, deliberately, to balance.