Your Body’s Hidden Superpower: How the Vagus Nerve Can Help You Heal from Burnout and Long COVID
Ever feel like stress is hijacking your body—racing heart, knotted stomach, total brain fog? Turns out, there’s one nerve that could be the answer to calming it all down.
Meet the vagus nerve, your body’s secret weapon for relaxation, resilience, and even reducing inflammation. New research even links vagus nerve dysfunction to Long COVID symptoms, showing just how vital this nerve is for overall health.
What is the Vagus Nerve? (And Why Should You Care?)
The vagus nerve is one of the longest and most far-reaching nerves in your body, acting as a two-way communication highway between your brain and organs. It helps regulate heart rate, digestion, breathing, and mood—essentially everything that stress (or illness) can throw off balance. It also activates the “inflammatory reflex,” signaling your immune system to calm down and prevent excessive inflammation, which is especially important for conditions like asthma, autoimmune diseases, and chronic pain.
Think of it as your body's stress thermostat—when it’s functioning well, you feel calm, balanced, and physically at ease. But for many people, and for many reasons, that thermostat can go haywire, leading to a cascade of symptoms that often get overlooked by doctors. These can include chronic fatigue, widespread inflammation, abnormal heart rate (tachycardia), chronic pain, IBS, and brain fog. But vagus nerve dysfunction doesn’t just manifest in obvious physical symptoms—it can also contribute to burnout, malaise, and that frustrating "just feel off" sensation.
Signs Your Vagus Nerve Might Be Struggling
Feeling constantly on edge or anxious.
Digestive issues (bloating, IBS, nausea).
Trouble sleeping or chronic fatigue.
Brain fog and trouble focusing (hello, burnout).
Frequent inflammation-related issues (joint pain, autoimmune flare-ups, skin problems).
Post-COVID symptoms like dizziness, shortness of breath, or heart rate fluctuations.
What Causes the Vagus Nerve to Go Haywire?
There are three predominant reasons that the vagus nerve can stop working well: chronic stress, neck trauma, and infections.
Chronic Stress
Stress can feel so elusive. I know for me when someone says stress causes xyz, I tend to roll my eyes and zone out. However, whether we like it or not, chronic stress does tax the body and brain significantly. Unfortunately, the body and brain have a really hard time distinguishing between real and perceived threats. Those threats can be anything from relational issues, financial concerns, economic fluctuations, housing difficulties, job stress, having kids, political unrest, and global uncertainties. When those threats go on for a long time, and, when you start to pile the stressors on top of each other without finding a resolution, the vagus nerve just cannot keep up. The Catch-22 is, then you start experiencing vagus nerve dysregulation symptoms which usually add to the stress, especially if you and your doctor cannot find the root cause to address it. And, the way most people try to relieve stress, drinking a little too much, isolating themselves to binge Netflix, smoking, overeating junk food, etc., also worsens the vagus nerve function. It’s really quite the pickle! But keep reading, there is a solution!
Neck Trauma
When we start talking anatomy, like the vagus nerve, it can be hard for a lot of people to conceptualize that this is a very tangible thing. The vagus nerve lives just behind the bottom part of your ear, nicely protected by your upper neck vertebrae, on either side of your head. The reason this is important is because when we have injuries to the neck, especially the upper neck, it can affect the vagus nerve. This does not have to be major injuries, either: whiplash from being rear-ended can cause stress to the area, or chronic neck pain from poor posture or frequent computer work can strain the area and irritate the nerve. These are just two examples - there are so many ways that the upper neck can get out of whack.
Infections and Illness
There are more and more research studies coming out that Long Covid Syndrome is related to vagus nerve dysfunction. Studies are now showing thickening of the nerve and the presence of inflammatory markers in the nerve in both live and post-mortem examinations of people who have/had Long Covid. This is similar to what is seen in a rare condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome which is exciting because similarities of mechanism could suggest similarities in treatment. While there are no current studies to say for sure, I have anecdotally seen so many clients who report weird, unexplainable symptoms after an infection or illness that usually follow a pattern similar to vagus nerve dysfunction, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and POTS.
Measuring Regulation
It’s usually obvious when our vagus nerve is struggling—when symptoms are at their worst, burnout has set in, or we just feel off. But the key to long-term regulation is recognizing the subtle signs before things spiral. One helpful tool I personally like is the Window of Tolerance.
The Window of Tolerance refers to the optimal state where our nervous system is regulated, and we can handle everyday stressors without becoming overwhelmed. When we’re inside the window, things that might normally irritate us—like traffic or a mild headache—feel manageable. But when the vagus nerve isn’t functioning well, we can slip into dysregulation:
Hyperarousal: Anxiety, irritability, racing thoughts, hypervigilance, increased heart rate, sweating.
Hypoarousal: Fatigue, brain fog, dissociation, procrastination, and depression.
The longer we stay outside of our window, the harder it is to recover, and physical symptoms tend to worsen. The key is to catch early warning signs—like becoming unusually irritable or noticing a slight headache—so we can use regulation tools (keep reading!) before things escalate. The ultimate goal? Spending more time inside the window, reducing stress, and improving vagus nerve function for long-term well-being.
Here is an excellent graphic of the Window of Tolerance from Brisbane Counseling for those who benefit from a visual: Window of Tolerance PDF
What We Can Do About It?
There is actually a lot we can do about it! There is something called vagal toning which is like working out your vagus nerve, just like you would work out a muscle. There are many ways to do it and none of them take too long.
1. Deep Breathing
Believe it or not, there are so many ways you can breathe. Here are a few of my favorite techniques for vagal toning and stress relief:
Double Inhale: Take a normal inhale, then a second quick inhale, hold briefly, then slowly exhale.
I love this one because there’s no strict counting involved (#ADHD-friendly), and it doesn’t require long breath holds.
Alternating Nostril Breathing: Pinch one nostril closed, inhale through the open nostril, switch, and exhale through the other side. Repeat.
This one keeps my brain engaged, so I’m less likely to get distracted or start worrying about random things.
Prolonged Exhale: Inhale for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 6. Repeat at least six times.
My go-to for years! Six breath cycles equal one minute, which makes it easy to track.
Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.
Not my personal favorite (holding the breath can make me anxious), but many people find it helpful.
2. Cold Exposure
No need for a polar plunge (unless that’s your thing, then go off! 😆). Here are some accessible ways to use cold for vagal stimulation:
Ice pack on the back of the neck: The vagus nerve runs through this area, and cold exposure can help activate it.
Splash cold water on your face: A quick, easy reset—especially when you're out and about.
Wash your hands with cold water: This can be easier to tolerate than the other suggestisons and is something that be easily built in throughout the day.
Cold showers: No need for a full 10-minute ice bath! Just finishing with 10 seconds of cooler water can do the trick.
Ice cold drinks: Since part of the vagus nerve is in your stomach, drinking something cold can have a similar effect.
3. Humming & Singing
How often do we feel better after singing along in the car or shower? There’s a reason! The vagus nerve has significant innervations in the throat and when we sing, etc., we vibrate the vocal cords and muscles in the throat which activate the vagus nerve.
Sing in the car or shower: Ever noticed how much better you feel afterward? There’s a reason!
Chanting or saying “OM”: Focus on vibrating the back of your throat as much as possible.
Play a wind or brass instrument: The reed or embouchure vibration has the same effect as humming or singing (plus, breath control!).
Scream into a pillow: Yep, really. Great for stress release too! 😊
Gargling water: Another strange but effective trick to activate the vagus nerve.
4. Gentle Movement
No gym membership required! Gentle movement is one of the best and most researched ways to regulate your nervous system and tone the vagus nerve.
Gentle Yoga or Chair Yoga: Tons of free YouTube videos are available for beginners and those needing modifications.
Gentle Cardio: My personal favorite is Lesley Sansone’s Walk at Home—simple, effective, and surprisingly fun!
Walking Around the Block: Getting outside is great for stress relief and vagus nerve activation. (Pro tip: If you have pets or kids, a solo walk might be more restorative).
Gentle Chair Stretches: Great for pain relief and nervous system regulation.
5. Gut Health Support
I’m not talking about trendy diets (but if that’s your thing, go for it!). Since the vagus nerve is closely tied to digestion, keeping your gut happy can improve vagal tone.
Probiotics: Over-the-counter options are great—I personally love the gummy ones.
Fermented Foods: Kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, and similar foods support a healthy gut microbiome.
Fiber: Simple additions like apples or spinach can help digestion. A fiber supplement is also an easy way to ensure you're getting enough!
Why This Matters for High Achievers and Burnout Recovery
If I had told myself this information 10 years ago before my leg paralyzed, I know I would have found all the excuses in the book to disregard it: “I’m too busy”, “that takes too long”, “I’m not that stressed”, “that sounds woo-woo”, ad infinatum. But the thing about it is that none of these strategies take more than 15 minutes to complete and most of them take just a few minutes. The benefit of investing those 15 minutes is that you will be more resilient to stressors, have more energy, and have a calmer mind. Your chronic conditions, like IBS and asthma, will improve. You will focus better and work more efficiently. Fifteen minutes now may save you 30 minutes later.
Extra Thoughts for Neurodiverse Peeps
I know for myself and many neurodiverse clients I have worked with that dysregulation does not even need to be related to a stressful event. Going back to the Window of Tolerance, people who are neurodiverse (and those who have a history of trauma), I have noticed, tend to have a smaller window in general. This means it is harder to stay in it because it takes less to push us out of it. Sometimes something as minor as an itchy shirt or a loud environment can be enough to pop out of the window. We just have to be gentle on ourselves and practice self-compassion as we navigate the world around us. We can find accommodations for ourselves to reduce the dysregulating triggers (headphones, weighted blankets, etc.) and just do our best to practice vagal toning to reduce the effects of burnout and dysregulation as much as possible.
Final Thoughts
Your vagus nerve is like your body's reset button, and the good news is—you can train it to work for you instead of against you. But let’s be real: knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things. That’s where coaching comes in.
When you’re burned out, overwhelmed, or just not feeling like yourself, it’s hard to figure out what actually helps. Coaching gives you a clear plan, support, and accountability so you’re not just throwing random self-care tricks at the wall and hoping something sticks. Together, we’ll build sustainable habits that actually fit your life—so you can feel better, focus more, and have more energy without adding another stressor to your plate.
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing real change, book a coaching call with me today. Your body (and your future self) will thank you.
