10 steps to inner calm from the gut

• Use breathing exercises to stimulate the vagus nerve

Deep, calm breaths lower blood pressure and heart rate, relax muscles and support digestion. Take 2-5 minutes several times a day for mindful, slow breathing.

• Box breathing for acute stress moments

Practical instruction: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds. This simple structure helps you find calm quickly in stressful situations.

• Self-massage of the neck to relax

Place both palms on the sides of your neck and stroke with gentle, circular movements between the ear and the shoulder. This touch stimulates the vagus nerve running through the neck and can feel noticeably relaxing.

• Head rotation exercise with gaze fixation

Turn your head slowly to the left and fix your gaze on something nearby. Then turn your head slowly to the right. Repeat several times. This combination of neck movement and eye focus activates vagal pathways and has a calming effect.

• Gargling as a simple vagus stimulation

Take a glass of water and gargle vigorously. The throat and laryngeal muscles are closely connected to the vagus nerve. A few rounds of gargling a day are a quick and uncomplicated practice.

• Use vocal vibrations and singing

Sing consciously, especially vowels (A, O, U), or hum 'Ooommmm'. The vibration in the throat stimulates vagal components and can have a calming effect on body and mind.

• Train eye accommodation deliberately

Hold a finger from your right and left hand alternately at different distances and focus on it with your eyes. This eye-muscle training calms the system via nerve connections to the vagus nerve.

• Activate facial muscles – playful and effective

Raise your eyebrows and try at the same time to move your ears (if possible). Tension in the temporal muscle activates the seventh cranial nerve, which in turn influences vagal functions.

• Balanced diet for a stable microbiome

Pay attention to a healthy, balanced diet to create an environment where beneficial gut bacteria can thrive. Eat regular meals with varied ingredients instead of one-sided diets. This helps mitigate the effects of stress on the gut flora.

• Recognise the protective function of the enteric nervous system

Diarrhoea or vomiting can be protective reactions to expel potentially harmful substances. Be alert for persistent or severe symptoms and seek medical advice for fever, blood in the stool or long-lasting complaints.