[Talitha] Charlotte had a great list of ways to stimulate the vagus nerve that were pleasant. Laughing and singing…far superior to stimulating your gag reflex or sticking your head in cold water.

[Charlotte] Gargling…ashwaganda…music…face to face conversation…singing …deep breathing for down regulation, shallow for up regulation…the key is to attend to the direction of your vagal ‘tone’… where are you from a calm, poised center…in a state of hyper activation with SNS response or in a state of hypo activation with lassitude, collapse, PNS dominance…’tonic’ means move you back toward the center (like ashwaganda, gargling, Gregorian chant) then other approaches either up regulate (like panting, martial music, rhythmic beat, peppermint) or down regulate (like a warm bath, the music of Mozart, deep breathing).