Vagus Nerve Breathing
Three Science-Backed Breathing Exercises to Increase Vagal Tone
In our work at keur, we begin almost every practice the same way: by gently activating the vagus nerve through breathing.
It is one of the most efficient tools we know to regulate the nervous system.
With just a few minutes of conscious breathing, the body can shift from tension to safety. From stress to balance. From reactivity to awareness.
You can increase your vagal tone through breathing alone. And when vagal tone increases, the body immediately begins to feel safer.
This is the starting point of nervous system regulation.
The Vagus Nerve: The Body’s Information Highway
The vagus nerve is the largest and most important nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system.
It acts as the main communication highway between the body and the brain. Through our collaboration with the University Hospital Basel, we learned that around 80% of its fibers carry information from the body to the brain. The remaining 20% send signals from the brain back to the body, including powerful regulatory and anti-inflammatory signals that are relevant for conditions such as allergies or rheumatism.
Through this constant flow of information, the brain is able to create a picture of what is happening inside the body. This includes signals about:
breathing patterns and blood gases
heartbeat and blood pressure
digestive activity and stomach stretch (for example the feeling of satiety)
chemical changes in the blood such as oxygen or pH
The brain’s ability to sense and regulate these internal signals is called interoception.
Interoception is not just perception. It also triggers regulatory responses that keep the body in balance — a process known as homeostasis.
Your body is constantly adjusting to stress, movement, food, emotions, and environmental changes. The vagus nerve plays a central role in coordinating this process.
Why Increasing Vagal Tone Matters
When vagal tone increases, the body receives a powerful signal: you are safe.
This shift has profound effects.
You begin to feel calmer in your body.
Your awareness increases — both internally and in the world around you.
And you gain the clarity needed to navigate daily challenges such as stress, anxiety, or even moments of panic.
In many ways, activating the vagus nerve brings you home to yourself.
It creates the conditions for balance.
And from that place, the body can better sense what is happening internally and adjust accordingly.
Think of it as a check-in with yourself throughout the day.
A moment to return.
Three Simple Breathing Exercises to Increase Vagal Tone
These simple practices can be done almost anywhere. Even a few minutes can make a noticeable difference.
1. Mini Breath Holds
This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to gently stimulate the vagus nerve.
How to practice
Breathe naturally through the nose for about 10 seconds
Exhale fully through the nose
Hold the breath out for around 7-10 seconds (pinch the nose if helpful)
Resume normal breathing and repeat
Position: Lying down, seated, or standing
Time: 5 rounds (or more)
2. Humming
The gentle vibration created by humming stimulates branches of the vagus nerve around the throat and vocal cords.
How to practice
Close your mouth and gently separate your teeth
Place the tongue against the roof of the mouth behind the upper teeth
Optional: cover the ear canals with your index fingers and close your eyes
Inhale slowly through the nose
Exhale through the nose while making a humming sound, similar to “om” or the buzzing of a bee
Position: Lying down, seated, or standing
Time: 5 minutes
3. Coherent Breathing
Coherent breathing creates a steady rhythm between inhale and exhale, helping regulate the nervous system.
How to practice
Inhale through the nose for 6 seconds
Exhale through the nose for 6 seconds
Continue in a smooth, steady rhythm
Position: Lying down, seated, or standing
Time: 5 minutes
Why Vagus Nerve Breathing Is More Relevant Than Ever
In a world of constant stimulation and stress, tools that help regulate the nervous system are more important than ever.
Vagus nerve breathing can:
immediately calm the body and mind
help regulate emotions
support performance and recovery
improve sleep
prepare the mind before important moments or performances
support immune function and overall wellbeing
And perhaps the most powerful part: it is always available to you.
You could do mini breath holds hundreds of times a day: before a meeting, before answering a message, before reacting to stress.
Imagine how you would think, feel, and act if you regularly returned to that state of calm and balance.
A Simple Invitation
Try to come home to yourself often.
Use these breathing practices as small check-ins throughout your day.
Each time you do, you increase your vagal tone.
You improve your ability to regulate your nervous system.
And you create the conditions for clarity, resilience, and balance.
Sometimes the most powerful tools are also the simplest.
And breathing is always with you.
