How Vagal Toning Transforms Stress into Stillness
Step into a forward fold, I heard the instructor say and as I bent over placing my palm behind my head with a slight downward tug. I let out a huge sigh, that turned into a long moaning sound, as I let the stress, anxiety, and tension roll off my back like invisible waves crashing into the floor beneath. This is a practice I had grown accustomed to, so much so, that I hardly even realized that I was doing it. It wasn’t until the instructor, who was new to me, acknowledged my vocal toning, that I even realized other might notice. Similar to the oceanic breath of Ujjayi, this humming, signing, and vibrating of the vocal cords, known as vocal toning, had become a regular practice for me. While this may seem a very ‘natural’ thing to do and indeed is, many of us have become too self-conscious to allow this innate healing mechanism to come up and out! You may worry that others will look over at you, or that this momentary auditory vocalization has no purpose, but what if I told you this simple act could help you regulate the autonomic nervous system and get you out of fight-or-flight? Come with me and learn the science of vocal toning and Polyvagal Theory.
What’s the Vagas Nerve?
The Vagus nerve IS the essence of what we consider the mind-body connection. It is the second longest nerve in the body and responsible for the body’s digestive, circulatory, respiratory and immune systems. It is considered a “wandering” nerve as it is located from the face, eyes, inner ear, vocal cords, heart, lungs and all organs of the abdomen. Essentially this nerve sends information from the brain to the body and is very sensitive to stress and danger. These signals can instruct the body into a fight, flight or freeze response based on the automatic responses of the nerve. While the brain as part of the central nervous system (thinks, plans, rationalizes) may tell your body to relax, it is ultimately the response of the autonomic nervous system (responds, reacts, feels and senses), which does not reason, that ultimately determine the body’s response. Important to note here, the autonomic nervous system isn’t just responding to perceived threats in the outside environment but responding to our THOUGHTS and MEMORIES. This is one reason, why what we tell ourselves matters deeply. Ultimately the autonomic nervous system is at the heart of emotional regulation, balance and mental wellness. In other words, it regulates our experience of life and in large part our perceptions.
Three Paths
The autonomic nervous system has three branches or pathways called: ventral vagal, sympathetic mobilization and dorsal vagal branches. Understanding the functions of these branches and where you hangout most of the time can help you unlock ways to increase the amount of peace, clarity and calm you feel EVERYDAY! While you may spend some time in each of these branches, the majority of time we are experiencing a hybrid state. Learning to identify each state can help you stay there or take steps to turn down the volume so to speak, calm the mind and body and put you back into a flow state. Alternatively extended time spent in sympathetic mobilization or dorsal vagal branch can lead to or enhance autoimmune issues and mental health issues. Refer to the chart below to begin to identify your current state and triggers that may lead you into a more sympathetic response.
The Three Autonomic Pathways
Remember to keep in mind we are often existing in a hybrid state.
What Is Vagal Toning?
Vagal tone is a measure of how well these pathway function. The better your vagal tone, the easier it becomes to self-regulate: to return to balance after stress, to soothe anxiety, to feel at home in your own skin. Your vagal tone determines how well you are able to adapt and deal with the stressors of life and requires us to have a continual practice to enhance its function – much like a muscle needing exercise. Some of the common ways to increase vagal tone include slow, deep breathing (either extended exhales or box breathing), cold exposure therapies, yin and restorative yoga, social interaction, humming or chanting and of course my favorite – vibe sessions.
The Sacred Hum
In a world that quite often feels chaotic, our bodies were designed to helps us return to a calm, clear state. Perhaps that’s why the simple ritual of songs around the fire have been a practiced across cultures since ancient times. Chants, mantras, lullabies, sacred vowels—they were never just words, they were tools of resonance and regulation. These simply practices just help you to feel good and now we have the science to back what our ancestors intuitively felt.That these vocalizations are powerful alignments, moving energy and creating coherence. When you hum, sing or chant, you create a resonant vibration that stimulates the vagus nerve. It’s like giving your nervous system a loving nudge— a sonic massage that reminds the body: “You are safe now. You can soften.” It is in these vocalizations that you can feel your body begin to melt, muscles relax and bring you powerful back to peace and presence.
Key Scientific Facts about Vocal Toning:
- Humming increases nitric oxide in your nasal passages by up to 15x, enhancing oxygen flow and immunity (Weitzberg & Lundberg, 2003).
- It slows the breath, extending exhalation—the very pattern that activates your parasympathetic system.
- OM chanting and toning have been shown to calm the amygdala (fear center) and stimulate the vagal network (Kalyani et al., 2011).
- A strong vagal tone correlates with emotional resilience, improved digestion, and heart-brain coherence(Porges, 2011; Lehrer & Gevirtz, 2014).
The Practice
You don’t need a anyone or anything to start the powerful practice of deep sighs, vibrating hums or load moans if you choose! All you need is a willingness to use your voice and let out the tension you’ve been feeling inside. You may choose to do this at home alone first or in moments of stress to see how it feels and works, but before you know it you may be like me, letting it all go, even when you don’t know it!
Here’s a simple way to practice on your own!
Take a moment of stillness—and find your breath.
🌬️ Try This Now:
- Sit or lie down. Let the spine lengthen.
- Inhale gently through the nose.
- On the exhale, hum—any note, any tone.
- Let the vibration fill your chest, your face, your belly.
- Repeat for 3–5 minutes, or longer if your body says yes.
Feel the shift.
The way your heartbeat slows.
The way your thoughts soften.
The way you return to the altar of your own body.
Nervous system regulation and health is paramount to living a deeply nourishing and fulfilling life. It’s easy to get distracted by the to-do list and the endless digital distractions stealing our attention and often our harmony. Removing distraction and taking space to engage in practices that lead to a more grounded, clear and calm existence isn’t selfish its essential. I can’t tell you how often (and sometimes I’m the culprit) I see people unable to entertain themselves and enjoy a moment of pause in the grocery line, in the sauna or waiting for an appointment. Quickly whipping out their phone to fill every moment of every day, often with notifications and news further stealing their calm. But what if you regained control of your attention? What if you took these moments to be present, to take a deep breath and check in with yourself, maybe even hum a tune to yourself? In the symphony of stress, you have the opportunity to hum your way back to harmony.
Simple, free and readily available.
🧬 Sources for the Curious Mind:
- Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory
- Kalyani, B. G. et al. (2011). Neurohemodynamic correlates of ‘OM’ chanting
- Weitzberg, E., & Lundberg, J. (2003). Humming increases nasal nitric oxide
- Lehrer, P. & Gevirtz, R. (2014). Heart rate variability biofeedback