4 Ways Stimulating the Vagus Nerve Can Flatten Your Bloat

Ever feel like your stomach is inflated like a balloon after a meal, even when you haven’t overeaten? While we often blame what we eat, the real culprit might be how your brain and body are communicating. The secret often lies in the vagus nerve — the longest nerve in your body, acting as a bidirectional “information highway” between your brain and your gut. When your vagus nerve is sluggish, or low in vagal tone, digestion stalls and bloating moves in.

Here are four ways stimulating the vagus nerve can flatten the bloat, and the science behind why it works.

Kickstarts Peristalsis (Gut Motility)

Bloating is often caused by food sitting too long in the digestive tract, where it ferments and creates gas. The vagus nerve acts like a “remote control” for peristalsis — the wave-like muscle contractions that move food through your intestines. Stimulating the nerve signals your gut muscles to get moving, ensuring food and waste transit efficiently and preventing the backup that leads to that heavy, bloated feeling.

Boosts Digestive Enzymes and Stomach Acid

If your stomach doesn’t produce enough acid or enzymes, food isn’t broken down properly, leaving large particles for gas-producing bacteria. The vagus nerve triggers the release of gastric secretions, “waking up” the stomach to dismantle food efficiently. Activating the nerve before a meal primes your digestion and reduces the fuel available for bacteria that cause gas.

Flips the “Rest & Digest” Switch

Your body has two main modes: sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest). When stressed, blood flow diverts away from the gut and digestion slows, often leading to instant bloating. The vagus nerve drives the parasympathetic nervous system. Stimulating it acts like a reset button, telling your brain the threat is over and it’s safe to prioritize digestion again.

Reduces Low-Grade Gut Inflammation

Chronic bloating can also result from minor inflammation in the intestinal lining. Inflammation can cause the gut wall to swell and become hypersensitive to gas. The vagus nerve governs the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. When active, it releases acetylcholine, signaling immune cells to dial down inflammation. A calmer gut environment equals a flatter, more comfortable belly.

Simple Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve

You don’t need a medical device to start. You can tone your vagus nerve at home with simple practices like deep diaphragmatic breathing, splashing ice-cold water on your face, humming or gargling to vibrate the nerve, and slowing down to chew mindfully.

For a structured routine, try Lisa’s 5-Minute “Pre-Digest” Protocol, designed to shift your nervous system from stressed to digestive mode, ideally 5 to 10 minutes before your largest meal.

Minute 1: The Cold Reset

Splash ice-cold water on your face or press a cold compress to your neck for 30 seconds. This triggers the “mammalian dive reflex,” slowing your heart rate and increasing vagal activity — a perfect reset for your nervous system.

Minute 2: Vocal Vibration

Take a deep breath and hum a low, steady tone on the exhale, or gargle a few sips of water. The vagus nerve runs near the vocal cords, and the vibration provides direct mechanical stimulation.

Minutes 3–4: The “Box” Breath

Use a long exhale pattern to signal safety to your brain. Inhale through the nose for four seconds, hold for four, and exhale through pursed lips for six to eight seconds. Repeat. The long, slow exhale quickly activates the parasympathetic nervous system.

Minute 5: Mindful Intention and Posture

Sit up straight with feet flat on the floor, relax your jaw, and take a moment to smell and observe your food. Saliva and stomach acid production begin in the brain, and this simple mindfulness primes your digestive system for optimal function.

Lisa’s Physio Tip: The “Left Side” Lounge

If you feel bloated after eating, lie on your left side for 10 minutes. The stomach’s shape allows gravity to help food move more easily through the pyloric valve and into the small intestine, supporting natural digestion and easing discomfort.