What is Vagus Nerve Stimulation – Could It Be the Secret to Feeling Better?

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From stress overload to chronic inflammation, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) might be the breakthrough your body’s been craving.

Inspired by neuroscience and backed by science, this mind-body pathway could transform your wellness journey – especially if nothing else has worked.

Have you ever felt like your body was stuck in stress mode? Like no matter how many deep breaths you take or how many supplements you try, your system just won’t settle?

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone – and you might be missing one important piece of the puzzle: your vagus nerve.

Let’s dive into what the vagus nerve is, why it matters, and how vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) could be the breakthrough your body’s been waiting for.

What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the unsung hero of your nervous system. It’s the longest cranial nerve in your body and acts like a two-way highway, connecting your brainstem to your heart, lungs, gut, and just about every major organ in between. It’s constantly sending signals to help your body know whether it’s safe to relax or if it needs to brace for danger.

The word “vagus” comes from Latin, meaning “wandering,” which makes sense considering how far this nerve travels in your body. But it’s not just about anatomy – it’s about balance. The vagus nerve helps regulate your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls rest, digestion, immune responses, and even inflammation.

So, when this nerve becomes sluggish or overwhelmed by chronic stress, your body can start to spiral. Think: anxiety, poor sleep, gut issues, brain fog, and autoimmune flare-ups. Sound familiar?

How Does Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Work?

VNS is exactly what it sounds like: using specific techniques or tools to stimulate the vagus nerve so it can do its job better. Traditionally, VNS involved implanting a device under the skin, near the collarbone. This approach, used mostly for epilepsy and depression, delivers electrical impulses to the vagus nerve.

But here’s the exciting part: you don’t need surgery or a prescription to start activating this powerful nerve. Thanks to advances in wearable tech, like Apollo Neuro, you can now stimulate your vagus nerve non-invasively – anytime, anywhere.

Apollo uses gentle, scientifically-calibrated vibrations to signal safety to the brain. These vibrations help shift your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode and into rest-and-digest mode. That’s the sweet spot for healing, immune balance, and emotional regulation.

Why Does Stimulating the Vagus Nerve Matter So Much?

Let’s look at what happens when the vagus nerve is underactive – or worse, stuck in a dysfunctional loop. According to Dr. Kevin Tracey, a pioneering neurosurgeon and author of The Great Nerve, inflammation is often the root of chronic illness. And guess what regulates inflammation in the body? The vagus nerve (or the great nerve).

In his research, Dr. Tracey discovered that stimulating the vagus nerve sends anti-inflammatory signals throughout the body, especially to organs involved in immune function like the spleen. This is part of what he calls the “inflammatory reflex,” a biological safety circuit controlled by – you guessed it – the vagus nerve.

He writes that this built-in mechanism allows the nervous system to keep inflammation in check without flooding the body with drugs or chemicals. And when this reflex isn’t working right, inflammation can go unchecked, leading to everything from Crohn’s disease to rheumatoid arthritis.

Conditions that May Improve with Vagus Nerve Stimulation

At Mitchell Medical Group, we specialize in helping patients find relief from complex, often misunderstood conditions – many of which show signs of vagus nerve dysfunction. These include:

• chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• fibromyalgia
• mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)
• autoimmune conditions like lupus or Hashimoto’s
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• long-COVID symptoms
• anxiety and depression
• migraines and tension headaches

Stimulating the vagus nerve may not be a miracle cure, but it’s a foundation step that can help your body regain regulation – and resilience.

“You can’t heal in fight-or-flight mode. You heal in rest-and-digest-mode.” – Dr. Dean Mitchell

What Does It Feel Like to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve with Apollo Neuro?

Here’s where things get exciting. Using Apollo Neuro feels like a soft, rhythmic humming sensation against your skin. Most users wear it on their wrist or ankle. You just tap the app, choose a mode – like “unwind,” “sleep,” or “clear and focused” – and the device starts doing its thing.

Think of it like a remote control for your nervous system.

Within minutes, most people report feeling:

• calmer, but not sedated
• more mentally focused
• physically less tense
• able to breathe more deeply

Over time, these effects compound. In fact, clinical trials show Apollo users experience up to 40% better sleep, 25% improvement in focus, and 29% reduction in stress.

Is There Science Behind This?

Yes. And it’s growing. Apollo Neuro’s effects have been validated in multiple peer-reviewed studies from institutions like the University of Pittsburgh and the U.S. Department of Defense. These studies show how vibration patterns can entrain the nervous system into healthier rhythms. This type of wearable VNS doesn’t just “distract” the brain – it retrains it.

Dr. Tracey’s book reinforces this concept from a neurological perspective. He discovered that inflammation and stress are not just chemical processes, but also electrical ones – governed by the vagus nerve’s signals. That’s a major shift in how we think about healing.

Everyday Ways to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve (Beyond Devices)

We’re big believers in giving the vagus nerve multiple nudges throughout the day. In addition to tools like Apollo, here are other effective (and free) ways to boost vagal tone:

• Deep breathing: try exhaling longer than you inhale
• Cold exposure: splash cold water on your face or take a cold shower
• Humming, chanting, or singing: activates the vocal cords and the nerve
• Laughter and social connection: yep, joy is vagus-activating
• Yoga and gentle movement: especially twists and slow flows

Want to go deeper? Harvard Health has a helpful article on easing anxiety and stress by stimulating the vagus nerve.

Who is Apollo Neuro for?

If you’re navigating chronic stress, burnout, insomnia, gut issues, or just feel like your body’s stuck in overdrive. Apollo Neuro might be exactly what your nervous system has been craving. It’s especially helpful for:

• women juggling work, caregiving, and midlife hormonal shifts
• anyone healing from long-haul illness
• people with autoimmunity or inflammatory conditions
• high achievers who need to focus without crashing later

The best part? There are no pills, patches, or side effects. Just you, your breath, and a wearable the reminds your brain it’s safe to relax.

Final Thoughts: Your Nervous System Wants to Feel Safe

Here’s the truth: healing doesn’t happen when your body thinks it’s under siege. And in today’s hyper-connected, overstimulated world, many of us are walking around in a state of constant low-level alarm.

That’s where vagus nerve stimulation – and tools like Apollo – come in. They help turn down the volume on fear and inflammation, so your body can return to balance. Dr. Tracey’s groundbreaking research proves the vagus nerve is not just a passive player – it’s the conductor of the healing orchestra.

So if you’ve been trying to get better and nothing seems to stick, maybe it’s time to shift the foundation. Support your nervous system. Signal safety. Let your body remember how to heal.

Ready to Try Apollo Neuro?

Click here to explore Apollo Neuro (and get $65 off) and start your journey to a more resilient nervous system. Use your HSA/FSA dollars, try it risk-free for 30 days and see the difference for yourself.

About  Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D.

Dr. Dean Mitchell M.D. is a Board-Certified Immunologist and Allergist based out of NYC. He graduated from the Sackler School of Medicine and completed training at the Robert Cooke Allergy Institute in New York City. He is also a Professor of Clinical Immunology at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, and the author of Allergy and Asthma Solution: The Ultimate Program for Reversing Your Symptoms One Drop at a Time. Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D. has also been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Fitness Magazine, Dr. Oz, and News NY 1. Dr. Mitchell also hosts the podcast The Smartest Doctor in the Room – a combination of lively, personal, and in-depth interviews with top healthcare specialists.

RESOURCES

• Apollo Neuro research studies
• Evaluating the Impact of Apollo Neuro™ Wearable on Wellbeing in Medical and Pharmacy Students: A Preliminary Prospective Randomized Controlled Study, The American Journal of Medicine
• Cleveland Clinic, Vagus Nerve
• The Great Nerve, author Dr. Kevin Tracey
• S87. Toward Emotion Prosthetics: Emotion Regulation Through Wearable Vibroacoustic Stimulation, Biological Psychiatry
• Apollo Wearable for Improving Pain and Fatigue in Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Patients, National Library of Medicine, Clinicaltrials.gov
• Acute Nerve Stimulation for Enhancing Human and Cognitive Performance, University of South Carolina