VAGUS NERVE MASSAGE: The Best Way to Start Your Day
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- Chapters/key moments:
00:00 Introduction to the vagus nerve massage AKA polyvagal massage
00:40 Intro to the dorsal vagal/freeze response and ventral vagal/social engagement response
1:58 Why massaging the face helps the nervous system
3:02 Begin Vagus Nerve Massage exercise - Massage around the eyes
4:36 Massage eyes while orienting vision
5:26 Massage ears
6:02 Massage ears while orienting to sound
6:54 Massage face, forehead, cheeks, jaw and make facial expressions
7:48 Massage neck, throat, chest
8:22 Awaken voice box, throat and mouth through vocal expression
9:38 Pause and feel the effects of the vagus nerve massage on your body + mind
In this video we massage the areas the vagus nerve innervates the head, neck and face. This exercise is great to help you come out of the freeze response or to move through a shocked, stuck or blank facial expression. This is also a good tool for people with social anxiety, those who have a hard time feeling connected to other people, and those who experience shyness, masking, or dissociation.
The vagus nerve splits into two branches, dorsal and ventral. Dorsal controls our freeze response and organs below the diaphragm. Ventral is involved with the muscles of the face, eyes, ears, and voice box (larynx), and is known as our "social engagement system." When we stimulate the ventral vagal complex/face through massage, we can bring more sensation online and help our emotions move through us and release. We can start to "melt the freeze," self-soothe, and let our authentic selves shine through our face and voice.
The techniques in this video are based on the polyvagal theory developed by Dr. Stephen Porges. I originally learned this exercise via Dr. Diane Poole Heller and Alicen Halquist. - Krátké a kreslené filmy
I found you today and did your guided exercise. Thank you! It felt great, relieved tension and sinus pressure too. You are lovely and sweet. Have a wondrous day!
When I do this message the face the numbness eventually left (but came back when I stopped doing it every day and the drolling came back) totally amazing tht it takes away face numbness and drolling . Thank you so very much for posting this .
This facial massage was really amazing and I felt such relief in my whole body and my face felt so relaxed! It felt much easier to smile, I appreciate this share so much! 🙏❤️
I love this. Thank you. Just after I finished the exercise and was enjoying the relaxation and aliveness of my face, I realized that over the decades when I've gently rubbed vaious beloved cats under their ears and on their necks, I guess I might've unknowingly stimulated their vagus nerves and maybe that's one reason they've purred!
Thank you😊
It’s amazing how sometimes our bodies instinctively tells us what we need to do because I was doing some of these exercises without knowing what they specifically did all I knew was that it helped to relax me. Thank you Emily
That is so cool. The body holds so much wisdom!
Thanks so much fir this wonderful video. When I do t do this video I notice the face numbness and drilling starts to return.. thanks for sharing and Making a big difference in my life.
That was fantastic… I went as low as following along the bottom side of my collar bone, back and forth… I instantly felt stuck emotions and yawned a lot, and teared up. My face, jaw, and eyes feel much more relaxed with less pain. Thank you. I’m a subscriber to your channel now!😊
That’s so wonderful! Thank you for subscribing 🩵
Very interesting . I just learned about massaging the face to clear out the lymphatic system a few weeks ago it feels great thanks
This was so soothing, many thanks 🙏🏽
I really enjoyed this exercise! Thanks so much for sharing. My face seemed to be more relaxed after, which feels great💚🙏💚
Wonderful!
Thank you. I have had CPTSD since my birth mother died when I was 6 months old. That was the beginning. But I’m learning so much. I’m so grateful for all of this information. Blessed be. 🥺❤
I'm so glad you to hear it. Thank you so much. Best wishes on your journey.
this felt good. Thank you!
Thank you so much !
You’re a blessing. Thank you! 🙏🏽
You are so sweet. Thank you for your kind comment.
This was so good to wake myself up. I feel alert in a new way.
❤ thank you
You're welcome 😊thanks for watching!
I just discovered your channel and am so excited! Immediately subscribed. I'm studying to be a counselor, and want to focus on somatic work... Like another commenter said, i was touched to discover how many of these I've intuitively figured out on my own over the years. The natural nurturing impulse.
And I hope this isn't inappropriate, but this makes me think of how sensitive an erogenous zone the ears can be, and how stimulating them in an intimate setting must have that effect of helping to shift the receiver into a more parasympathetic vagal state.
Anyway, thanks for making these videos. I'll be binge-watching them now!
Thank you so much for your kind words, and for sharing your experience! It truly is amazing how much innate wisdom our bodies hold. 💖
Hi,
I found that my body was a bit more tense, at least in some areas. Should I take this to mean that I should be doing something else? If so, is there anything you recommend in its place? I struggle with social anxiety and would love to feel relief.
By the way, thanks for putting this content out to help people. I think I speak for everyone who has found your content when I say we're very grateful. 😊
Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm really glad you're enjoying some of this content. And, to answer your question: There are a few reasons the body could become more tense from this exercise, including the possibility that this exercise helps you notice your body more, so you might be feeling tension that was already there. Another reason is because you do experience social anxiety, waking up the "social engagement system" could be activating or arousing a little threat response in your nervous system, which can show up as bracing/tension. I would invite you to explore with curiosity. If this exercise always makes you feel worse, then I would suggest trying something else (maybe my video on "voo" would be better?).
Mmmmm this is lovely! Thank you for bringing some warmth, presence and relaxation to my day.
Thanks so much for your kindness 🥰
@@EmilyWinterSE You bring such good energy, presence and information into my life these days! It's very much appreciated❤
I’m so glad to hear it. Thanks for your engagement 😁
@@EmilyWinterSE Absolutely❤
My face still feels like it's in concrete. The voice part made me emotional. 😢
I am new to this technique and I have tried it and it is effective. I have a question. I am listening to therapeutic frequencies, but I have not benefited from them. Which one is best?
I think whatever tool works best for your nervous system is the best option for you!
As I followed the eye massage, it was very soothing and comforting. However, when you said there's no immediate danger, tears suddenly formed, began to stream and I felt confused.
Is this a release of stored or trapped fear? Trauma? Stuck energy?
Good question! I’d invite you to get curious about how it felt to have tears come out. Did it feel relieving or did it feel scary? My guess is that it was a little emotional release, which often happens when we connect mind+body in a safe/present way for the first time in a long time. It could also be that emotion only really moves thru and releases when we have a certain amount of safety, so perhaps acknowledging the safety was enough to open the floodgates a bit. A third possibility is that your environment wasn’t actually safe and that my words didn’t fit your actual situation; that would explain confusion as well.
Emily, I had a similar response! Within seconds of massaging around the eyes I felt tingling and then tears came without any thoughts tied to them, and then when you mentioned noticing the safety around me, the floodgates opened. How amazing, thank you 🥰
Awesome tracking of your sensations Monica and allowing that good release to occur 🥰 Yay! How wonderful.
@@EmilyWinterSE Thank you SO much for responding! Your possibilities definitely resonated.
I am immensely grateful to you, for your channel & others that graciously share their expertise. For some, it is the only exposure to modalities not covered by traditional western medicine or insurance.
In my 78th year, I am healing, rediscovering hope & have received more guidance & support through channels like your's than w/ my "managed care".
A true blessing!! May it return to you tenfold ❤️
Thank you so much. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my channel and finding these resources helpful. 🥰
Could POTS (specially hypovolemic type) be a result of freeze trauma response? 😮
To be transparent, I do not know the answer to this.
I just yawned a full yawn after many years😮😮😮. I'm serious. I had lost the ability to yawn all the way through. I literally can't stop yawning now. What the...
That’s great to be able to deeply yawn! Yawning is usually a sign of your nervous system down-regulating into parasympathetic (rest+digest). It’s also a way we discharge stress energy.
Made me yawn 🤓 quite a bit !
Seems like it helped you move into that parasympathetic state! Thanks so much for watching 😊
Do men have a vagus nerve?
Yes!
Just some information: Botox is not good for the vagus nerve.
There is no mention of Botox in this video, but thanks for this tip!