THE VAGUS NERVE & CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

The vagus nerve is the body’s main calming pathway.

It’s the longest cranial nerve, running from the brainstem down through the neck, chest, and abdomen, regulating heart rate, digestion, breathing, immune response, and emotional regulation. When it’s functioning well, the body feels grounded, calm, and resilient. Craniosacral therapy works directly around the vagus nerve’s origin.

CST uses gentle, precise touch at the skull, spine, and sacrum—especially near the occiput and cranial base, where the vagus nerve exits the brainstem. Tension, compression, or restriction in these areas can interfere with vagal signaling. By easing these restrictions, CST helps restore clearer communication between the brain and body.

What CST does for vagal tone

Craniosacral therapy supports the vagus nerve by:

1. Activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, repair)

2. Reducing sympathetic overdrive (fight-or-flight)

3. Improving vagal tone, which supports emotional regulation and stress resilience

4. Helping the body feel safe, which is essential for healing

This is why people often experience:

1. Slower, deeper breathing

2. A drop in heart rate and blood pressure

3. Improved digestion

4. Emotional release or clarity

5. A deep sense of calm or “reset”

Trauma, stress, and the nervous system

The vagus nerve plays a major role in trauma response. When the body has been under chronic stress, injury, illness, or emotional overload, vagal signaling can become blunted or dysregulated. Craniosacral therapy is subtle, non-invasive, and non-threatening—making it especially supportive for people who:

1. Feel stuck in fight-or-flight

2. Experience anxiety or overwhelm

3. Have difficulty relaxing or sleeping

4. Carry stress in the jaw, neck, head, or pelvis

5. Are healing from trauma or burnout

In simple terms

If the vagus nerve is the communication highway of calm, craniosacral therapy helps clear the traffic so messages of safety, balance, and regulation can move freely again. That’s why CST often feels less like a “treatment” and more like the body remembering how to exhale.