Vagus Nerve Stimulation.

What it is

The vagus nerve links your brain with your heart, lungs and gut and drives the body's rest-and-digest response. It also helps regulate inflammation and heart rate variability (HRV), a common marker of stress resilience. Long stretches of stress can leave the body stuck in fight-or-flight.

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation sends gentle electrical pulses through the skin, most often at the ear or neck, to activate the nerve. It builds on decades of research with implanted devices for epilepsy and depression. People use it for stress, anxiety, sleep and gut-brain symptoms, and early research is encouraging.

What happens at a visit

1. A check of your stress response, often with a baseline HRV reading.
2. An introduction to the device and where the electrodes go.
3. A 20 to 30 minute session with gentle tingling at the site.
4. Tracking of heart rate, HRV and how relaxed you feel.
5. Slow adjustments to find a comfortable, effective intensity.
6. Guidance on home use, often paired with breathwork or meditation.

Who it is for

• People with chronic stress, anxiety or burnout
• People with low heart rate variability
• People with gut-brain symptoms such as IBS
• Trauma survivors working on nervous system regulation, alongside therapy
• People focused on recovery and resilience
• People who feel stuck in fight-or-flight

Evidence and safety

Implanted vagus nerve stimulators have long been used for epilepsy and depression. Research on non-invasive stimulation at the ear or neck is growing and promising for mood, anxiety and inflammation, but most trials are small and results vary. Side effects are minor, most often skin irritation under the electrode. Avoid it if you have a pacemaker or certain heart rhythm problems, and check with a doctor if you are pregnant.

How Gabriel helps