The Vagus & Nature Connection: Take a Walk, Calm Your Nerves

Your vagus nerve—essentially your body's emotional thermostat—responds remarkably well to green spaces. When you step outside mindfully, cortisol levels drop, heart rate variability improves, and your body receives the safety signals it needs to shift into healing mode. The beautiful truth is that you don't need elaborate protocols or expensive supplements to support vagal tone; sometimes the medicine is right outside your door.

Chapters

• 0:00 Invitation to reconnect with nature
• 1:09 How nature supports vagal tone
• 2:34 Making nature accessible anywhere
• 4:01 Personal nature ritual for nervous system
• 6:21 Episode wrap and invitation

Transcript

Emily Feist: 0:00

Hello, hello. Let's start today with an honest moment. When was the last time you went for a walk? Not on a treadmill, not while scrolling your phone, not speedwalking to Target, but just to walk outside in nature, with zero agenda besides just being? If your brain just whispered, I can't remember. Don't worry, you're not alone.

Emily Feist: 0:24

Hi, I'm Emily and you're listening to 'It Starts at Vagus', the place where burnout and anxiety goes to chill and your nervous system learns to take a deep breath. This episode is your gentle invitation to take your nervous system on a walk, because movement plus nature is the nervous system's reset that your body has been begging Begging . .Nature Nature

Emily Feist: 0:46

is not just a vibe, it's healing. Here's the truth that no one wants to put on a t-shirt. Healing isn't always found in a supplement bottle or a yoga pose. Sometimes it's in a cracked sidewalk with grass growing through it. When we talk about improving vagal tone, we often talk about breath work, humming or laughing and hey, those are great options, I use them often. But guess what else works? And it's available almost everywhere and is able to regulate your nervous system Nature, those green spaces with the trees, the sound of the wind, even your local park with that chattering squirrel. Your nervous system loves green spaces. Your vagus nerve is like your body's emotional thermostat. It helps control your heart rate, digestion, mood and more, and when it's toned and happy, you feel calmer, sleep better and snap less at the people who slightly annoy you. One way to support your vagal tone is by engaging your parasympathetic nervous system, aka your rest and digest mode. And nature is a parasympathetic powerhouse. Here's what happens when you combine gentle movement, like walking, with exposure to green space. First, your cortisol, which is a stress hormone, that level drops, your heart rate variability improves, which is a big vagal tone win, and your body feels safe, which is the cue it needs to shift into healing mode. You are literally telling your nervous system hey friend, we're good, no tigers here, no threat, we can relax.

Emily Feist: 2:26

Now some things you might have to overcome is the thought of that I don't have time or my neighborhood is just concrete. First of all, it doesn't have to be long to be effective. Any time is better than no time. On busier than normal days, I just spend a few more moments outside while I take my dogs out. It's about being still and present, versus multitasking each waking moment. Second, if you're walking your dog, pushing a stroller or just stepping outside with a cup of tea. You're halfway there. Let's bust the myth that has to be a hike in the mountains, because it doesn't. Here's what counts A walk around your block, sitting on your porch or under a tree, staring at a plant while doing some deep breathing, because even that little green will help.

Emily Feist: 3:13

And then we can even listen to nature sounds. Those sounds can have a calming response. And even if you don't have time to sneak outside, you can always YouTube a forest video so that you can have that background while folding laundry. And if your only green space is a tiny patch of grass near a strip mall, guess what that works too. And if you live in a concrete, heavy area, try to look up the trees, the skies, the birds those count too. And there seems to be something magical about looking up, just looking up at the clouds and the leaves. It kind of takes you away from what the hustle and bustle is around us and lets us be present, because the point is in perfection is to be present in the moment.

Emily Feist: 4:01

Now for me personally, I like it to make it a goal to be outside a minimum of 10 minutes. Now, I'd really like 30, but 10 works. Most often for me it's moments of just listening and being around nature. I like to kick my shoes off and feel the grass. I especially love it when there's that morning dew and I can feel those tiny little drops of water on my feet. I love that, and on days where I don't work right away in the morning, even my kids sometimes come outside and we enjoy it together and that warms my heart and that they can really enjoy a healthy habit and have that connection with me. Then we all start our morning slower and happier. It is one of my favorites.

Emily Feist: 4:42

So let's build your own Vegas walk ritual. There's no rules, just intention. So here's how. First, you wanna set a timer. Now again, most often I'm a 10 minute at a time person, but if that's too extreme for you, even start with two. You can work your way up. Just let your family know that you're gonna be out and about doing something for a little bit and they might ask questions and come too. Next, leave the phone in your pocket, put it on airplane mode or, even better, leave it in the house or your car.

Emily Feist: 5:14

We don't want to accidentally start scrolling in those moments of pausing. We want to just notice what's going on around us and we're going to start using your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? How many different birds are there in your area? Next, you can go into. What do you smell.

Emily Feist: 5:39

Even one deep breath in nature has more benefits than a 10-minute doom scroll, and you can add breath work if you want. You can inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for six, Do that a few times or until you feel like your body is just calm and peaceful. Bonus that that breath work is a vagus nerve support on the go. So now I ask you will you give your nervous system 10 quiet minutes under a tree or laying in the grass?

Emily Feist: 6:12

You don't need to rearrange your entire day, but your nervous system does need a break, so why not give it one? All right, friends, thanks for hanging out with me today. If this episode sparked something for you, just share it with a friend or leave a quick review. It helps more than you know, so remember to soothe your nervous system and reclaim who you are Thanks for listening to. It Starts at Vagus. New episodes are released every Tuesday. Make sure you're subscribed and share this with someone who you know could benefit. And until next time, remember wellness starts at Vagus.