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This nerve influences nearly every internal organ. Can it improve our mental state too?
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The activity of the vagus nerve is difficult to measure directly, especially given how complex it is.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
NEW YORK (NYTIMES) - In recent years, the vagus nerve has become an object of fascination, especially on social media. The vagal nerve fibres, which run from the brain to the abdomen, have been anointed by some influencers as the key to reducing anxiety, regulating the nervous system and helping the body to relax.
TikTok videos with the hashtag #vagusnerve have been viewed more than 72 million times and there are over 70,000 posts with the hashtag on Instagram. Some of the most popular ones feature simple hacks to "tone" or "reset" the vagus nerve, in which people plunge their faces into ice water or lie on their backs with ice packs on their chests.
