On the Vagus Nerve, Nervous System Care & Why This Work Matters So Deeply
On the Vagus Nerve, Nervous System Care & Why This Work Matters So Deeply
If you saw the recent BBC News Online piece on the vagus nerve, you might have spotted a little glimpse of my work tucked inside it — a candlelit room, gentle humming, soft rocking, and a group slowly returning to themselves through somatic movement and breath.
It felt humbling to be included, not because of the spotlight, but because it reflects something I’ve been witnessing for years:
so many of us are exhausted, overstimulated, burnt out, and longing for a way to actually switch off.
And while social media is full of “vagus hacks” and quick fixes, the truth is far quieter, deeper, and much more human.
Polyvagal Theory: Why Nervous System Care Isn’t a Quick Fix
The article touched briefly on breathwork, eye movements, humming and tapping — but the heart of my work is rooted in Polyvagal Theory, which helps us understand:
why we shut down when overwhelmed
why rest feels impossible when we’re wired
why stress lives in the body, not the mind alone
how safety, not force, creates change
The vagus nerve isn’t a switch you flick.
It’s part of a relational system shaped by your environment, your history, your hormones, your seasons — and your daily rhythm.
Through slow movement, breath pacing, rocking, orienting, and noticing sensations, we gradually build nervous system capacity — the ability to meet life without collapsing or spiralling.
This is the work I believe in.
Not hacks. Not extremes.
Just consistent, compassionate, body-led practice.
Client Reflections
One of the most moving pieces of the article was hearing students share their own experiences.
When Sarah said it felt like “the first time her brain ever switched off,”
and described the practice as “flossing her brain,”
it honestly brought a lump to my throat.
Xander’s reflection — that understanding his nervous system helped him soften, feel, and respond differently — felt just as powerful.
These moments remind me why this work matters so deeply.
Why community regulation matters.
Why slow, supportive spaces matter.
Why what we do together is more than movement; it’s a remembering.
My Own Path: Burnout, Insomnia & Now Perimenopause
My commitment to nervous system care didn’t come from theory alone.
It came from years of:
pushing through burnout
navigating long stretches of stress-related insomnia
and now riding the hormonal waves of perimenopause
This work saved me, steadied me, and gave me tools I didn’t have in my twenties.
It’s why I teach the way I teach, and why my classes feel the way they do — slow, grounded, rhythmic, rooted in the body rather than the performance of yoga.
Looking Ahead: Making My Work More Accessible (Online in 2026)
This moment also felt like the right time to share something I’ve been building quietly behind the scenes.
Not everyone can get to a weekly class.
Not everyone feels regulated in a studio.
And nervous system care needs to meet you exactly where you are.
So in 2026, I’ll be expanding into online offerings — short, doable home-based practices designed to support stress, sleep, overwhelm, and the shifting inner seasons of midlife.
To celebrate the beginning of this new phase…
✨ A Season to Soften: Your FREE Weekend Home Retreat 5th - 7th December
If you haven’t joined yet, I’m gifting a cozy weekend retreat of small but powerful 10–15 minute practices — grounding movement, rhythmic release, breath and rest — along with seasonal reflections and simple rituals.
Everything arrives gently to your inbox, and you can begin whenever you need a moment of softness.
Because rhythm, not intensity, is what restores us.
And your nervous system deserves gentleness — especially at this time of year.