Tame your heart, master your mind

We often feel powerless to our thoughts and feelings, but more is within our control than we believe. According to Polyvagal theory, your ventral vagal nerve connects with your sinoatrial node (the heart’s pacemaker), and so it has been given the nickname the "vagal brake".

Without the vagal nerve, the heart would beat faster and faster. The ventral vagus nerve slows down or speeds up the heart depending on the circumstances, and so the more familiar you are with how you can use this nerve, the more flexible you can become in response to life’s events.

Studies show that if we can slow our heart rate down, for example with some simply breathing exercises (such as box breathing), we can slow down our mind and reduce the intensity of stressful events. This has an impact on our physical health because less stress means less of the harmful stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine. Increased levels of epinephrine damage blood vessels and arteries and raise blood pressure, and excessive cortisol levels result in increased fat tissue.

One easy next step you can take is to make a list of all the moments where you notice that you feel safe and calm (in other words, when you are in your ventral vagal state). This could be a calming walk in nature, a comforting rest in front of a good book, or cuddling your pets or children. Bring back an image that represents the best part of that safe and calming moment, and breathe it in, trying to reduce the speed of your heart rate.

If you manage to do this, you will have taken your first step towards exercising control over your "vagal brake".

Learn more about this by talking to me, an experienced psychotherapist in New Jersey, or having a read of Beyond Your Confines and the accompanying workbook.

Chris Warren-Dickins
Psychotherapist in Ridgewood, New Jersey