• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Flourishing Center

Empowering Today’s Change Agents for a More Positive Tomorrow.

header_img
Menu
  • Start Here
  • About
      • About The Flourishing Center
        • About The Flourishing Center
            • Flourishing-Center-megamenu-Emiliya-zhivotovskaya

              Emiliya
              Zhivotovskaya

              CEO & Founder

            • About Us
            • CAPP Faculty
            • Advanced Program Faculty
            • TFC Team
            • Guest Speakers
            • C.A.P.P. FAQs
            • Contact
      • About Positive Psychology
        • About Positive Psychology
          • introduction-positive-psychology-the-flourishing-centerFree Course
            • Overview
            • Free EBook
            • Podcast
            • Blog
            • Weekly Research Digest
        • Putting it into Practice
          • For Coaches
          • For Educators
          • For Parents
          • For Wellness
          • For Work
  • Programs
      • Flourishing-Center-megamenu-courses@2xFree Stuff
        • Free Stuff!
          • icons-courses-5i-agent-quizWhat Type of Change Agent are You?
          • icons-courses-lrg-b3QuizTake the Quiz
          • b3-icons-6-00Intro to Bounce Back Better
          • icon-ebook-languishing-to-flourishingDownload your FREE ebook
          • the-flourishing-center-covid-19-pandemic-free-workshops4Making Zoom Fun
          • the-flourishing-center-covid-19-pandemic-free-workshops1Kick-Ass Online Trainings
          • the-flourishing-center-covid-19-pandemic-free-workshops2Tools to Overcome Anxiety
          • introduction-positive-psychology-the-flourishing-centerIntro to Positive Psychology
          • capp-12th-anniversary-logo_v1Intro to CAPP
      • new-icon-01Bounce Back Better® Resilience Self-Study Courses
        • Bounce Back Better Overview
          • b3-icons-all-squareView All
          • icons-courses-lrg-b3QuizResilience Skills Quiz
          • b3-icons-6-00Free Course
        • Mental Skills
          • 01 – Growth Mindset
          • 05 – Reframing Thoughts
          • 09 – Working With Worry
          • 13 – Mind Over ChatterTM
        • Emotional Skills
          • 02 – Leveraging Positivity
          • 06 – Emotional Intelligence
          • 10 – Energy Management
          • 14 – Emotional Alchemy
        • Physical Skills
          • 03 – Physical Activity
          • 07 – Breathing For Regulation
          • 11 – Nutrition For Resilience
          • 15 – Mind-Body Fitness
        • Spiritual Skills
          • 04 – Meaning And Purpose
          • 08 – Science Of The Hive
          • 12 – Pronoia And Benevolence
          • 16 – Intuition And Miracles
      • capp-12th-anniversary-logo_v1Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) – Registration is Now Open for May 2025!
        • Overview
            • icons-courses-capp-signature-10th-anniversaryRegistration is Now Open for May 2025!
            • icons-menu-CAPP_CAPP-webinarIntro Webinar
            • icons-menu-CAPP_CAPP-syllabusSyllabus
            • icons-menu-CAPP_CAPP-dataImpact Data
            • icons-menu-CAPP_CAPP-testionialsTestimonials
      • Flourishing-Center-megamenu-courses-capp-gradAdvanced Programs For CAPP Students & Graduates
        • Advanced Programs For CAPP Students & Graduates
          • tfc-courses-logos_appcApplied Positive Psychology Coaching (APPC) Certification – Registration Coming Soon for September 2025!
          • tfc-courses-logos_b3rtBounce Back Better® (B3) Resilience Trainer Certification – Enroll Now – Program Starts on March 22, 2025!
          • tfc-courses-logos_cppcCertificate in Positive Psychology Consulting (CPPC) – Registration is Now Closed
          • tfc-courses-logos_fsgFlourishing Skills Group® (FSG) Self-Study Certification Program – Always Enrolling!
          • tfc-courses-logos_gtcGroup & Team Coaching Certification (GTC) – Enroll Now for April 2025!
      • Flourishing-Center-megamenu-courses-otherOther Programs
        • Other courses offered by The Flourishing Center and our partners.
          • icons-courses-research-vaultPositive Psychology Research Vault
          • science-of-coaching-1The Science of Coaching Webinar
          • tfc-courses-logos_PECPositive Educator Certification (PEC)
          • tfc-courses-logos_gmcGroup Mentor Coaching (GMC)
  • Events
  • Podcast
  • Find a Grad
  • Shop
  • Ask AI 💡
  • Login
  • Dashboard

Episode 89: Why the Vagus Nerve is Trending on TikTok & 9 Ways to Work Yours – Flourishing Friday

September 14, 2022 by Emily Felt

Heart and brain connecting

Episode 89: WHY THE VAGUS NERVE IS TRENDING ON TIKTOK & 9 WAYS TO WORK YOURS – Flourishing Friday

In today’s Flourishing Friday episode, listen in as Emiliya explains the latest TikTok sensation, the vagus nerve. #vagusnerve has been viewed over 64 million times, with over 70,000 posts, according to a NY Times article published in June, 2022. Emiliya shares her take on why the fascination with the vagus nerve is spreading, what you should know about yours and how you can use it to feel greater mastery over your body.

What is the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve of the body. It’s a bundle of thousands of nerve fibers that enables communication between the brain, the heart and other organs throughout the body, through the brain stem. It’s the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system (or the relaxation response).

Stimulating the vagus nerve is like having a super power!

Imagine that you had a button you could press to calm yourself down whenever you’re stressed. With training, this is what the vagus nerve can do. Most people think they need to use their minds to calm their bodies, but with 80 percent of the fibers of the vagus nerve consisting of communication between your body (such as your gut and your heart), it’s easier to create calm by using the body to impact the mind. Vagal tone training helps build your vagal muscle, just like any other muscle of the body. Having high vagal tone means your body can relax faster after being exposed to stress.

The most popular TikTok videos feature simple hacks to tone the vagus nerve

A recent NY Times, titled: This Nerve Influences Nearly Every Internal Organ. Can It Improve Our Mental State, Too? suggests that the most popular TikTok videos feature simple ways to reset the vagus nerve. Of course the key is practice – you have to  “work out your vagus nerve” the same way you would any muscle you want to strengthen.

Vagus Nerve Bootcamp: 9 activities you can use to train your vagus nerve

The University of Ottawa* has provided a list of nine activities you can use to stimulate your vagus nerve for better mental health. Some of these we practice every day in The Flourishing Center’s Lift program. The U of O list includes a range of activities, including cold exposure, deep and slow breathing, singing or using your vocal cords, taking probiotics, meditation, consuming foods with omega-3 fatty acids, exercise, massage, and socializing and laughing. Listen in as Emiliya describes how each of these activities can help strengthen the vagus nerve, and with it, your capacity to deal with stress.

Key links:

The NY Times article on the Vagus Nerve

How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve for Better Mental Health, University of Ottawa

*As with anything pertaining to your health, please consult a physician or health provider before trying these activities.

Sponsored by Lift

This episode is sponsored by Lift, a powerful daily learning experience designed to enhance and promote your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. With Lift, you get skills for life.  Discover more about Lift at https://theflourishingcenter.com/lift


Welcome to Flourishing Fridays (FF), where every Friday we bring you a Positive Psychology-based life hack that will help you flourish.  In these episodes, we look at the real-life application of Positive Psychology while giving you tips and strategies to put Positive Psychology into use in all areas of your life.
For more information on our programs, visit The Flourishing Center at www.theflourishingcenter.com

Filed Under: Flourishing Friday, Podcast Tagged With: life hack, mind-body connection, stress relief, vagus nerve

Primary Sidebar

What type of Change Agent are you?

What type of change agent are you?

Curious about how people turn their passion for helping people into a career?

Take the Quiz

Learn to Coach, Teach, Facilitate or Consult

Learn to Coach, Teach, Facilitate or Consult

The Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology Program (CAPP) is a comprehensive training program in the factors that enable individuals and organizations to thrive, and the world’s leading certification program in the field today.


Send me the syllabus, I'd love to learn more!

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Payment & Refund Policies

Sign up to receive the TFC Newsletter to get the latest news, updates, and special offers.

By entering your email address, you agree to receive our emails in accordance with our privacy policy.

Follow Us

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Payment & Refund Policies

The Flourishing Center, Inc.
178 Columbus Ave,
P.0. Box 230910,
New York, NY 10023, USA
844-356-8747
info@theflourishingcenter.com

© 2025 THE FLOURISHING CENTER, INC.

×