Feeling Stressed? Here’s Why You Should Start Humming (Seriously)

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, are often the antidote for dealing with stress—and for good reason: there are loads of studies about the benefits of being present. But for some, meditation can be a hard practice to develop. You may not realize that other habits that may come naturally, like humming, can help you relax as well.

That’s because both meditation and humming stimulate something called the vagus nerve, which plays an important role in relaxation and mood. Here’s what you need to know about this important nerve and how you can make it work when you need it.

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is one of the longest and most complex nerves in your body, and it contains both sensory and motor fibers, says Ruchir P. Patel, M.D., FACP, founder of The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona. 

It starts in the brain and interacts with every major organ system in the body, so the vagus nerve acts as a pathway that can turn on and off the various functions of the nervous system, explains Stephanie Wijkstrom, licensed professional counselor (LPC) and founder of the Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh. And that includes the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of your nervous system that puts you in the state of rest and digest, she explains. 

Stimulating the vagus nerve activates the parasympathetic nervous system, so you’ll experience effects such as a decreased heart rate, lower blood pressure, and regulated breathing, Dr. Patel explains. 

How to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

Sing or Hum Your Favorite Song

“In the throat, there are muscles that help us sing and help us hum that are actually activated by the vagus nerve,” Dr. Patel says. “So by virtue of activating the vagus nerve to activate those muscles, it also activates the sensory component of the vagus nerve to help induce a state of relaxation,” he explains.

Gargle With Water

Gargling can help stimulate the vagus nerve for similar reasons to singing and humming, Dr. Patel says. 

Massage Your Ear

If you’re in public and need a subtle option, you can try this: “If you pull on the tragus and kind of massage it for 30 seconds, that also stimulates your vagus nerve,” says Wijkstrom. That’s because the vagus nerve wraps around your ear bundle, she explains.