Why Vagal Tone matters for emotional wellbeing

TANI DU TOIT
Oct 3
3 min read

Each emotion is a cue, shaped by past experience and our body’s survival wiring.

Why Do We Feel Emotions?

Emotions aren’t random - they’re the body’s intelligent way of interpreting life. They’re fast, unconscious assessments designed to keep us safe, connected, and moving forward.

For example:

Calm lets us rest and restore.
Curiosity draws us toward growth and learning.
Frustration signals that our boundaries or needs want attention.

Each emotion is a cue, shaped by past experience and our body’s survival wiring.

What Happens in the Brain?

Here’s the simplified neuroscience:

Vagus Nerve & autonomic nervous system - The Vagus Nerve is constantly scanning the body and environment.
- It carries sensory information from the body (like heart rate, breathing, gut sensations, tight chest, relaxed breath) up to the brainstem.
- This information first integrates in the brainstem nuclei (especially the nucleus tractus solitarius, NTS).
From there, signals are relayed to other brain regions, including the thalamus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and cortex - where they’re interpreted as cues of safety or threat.
Thalamus - the “relay station.” It routes incoming sensory information (not only vagal, but also vision, sound, touch and except for smell) to the Amygdala or the Cortex.
Amygdala - the “alarm bell.” It reacts fast, sending survival signals (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) before your rational mind can weigh in.
Cortex - the “storyteller.” It steps in a moment later to interpret: is this really a threat, or just a reminder of one?

Emotional Regulation is a Skill

Regulation doesn’t mean shutting emotions down - it means recognising them, understanding what they’re pointing to, and choosing a response instead of being swept away.

With practice, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) - your “wise leader/wizard brain” - learns to step in before the amygdala runs the whole show.

Grounding Tools That Work (and Why)

Grounding practices shift activity from the amygdala back to the PFC, giving you clarity and choice.

Embodied presence
Pausing to feel your feet on the ground or breath in your belly calms the survival system and restores balance.
Compassionate reframe
Instead of “I failed,” try: “This experience is teaching me.” It changes the emotional charge and keeps the heart open.
Writing it out
Journaling moves emotional energy into words, helping the rational brain digest what the body is holding.
Movement & breath
Walking, stretching, or deep breathing reduces stress hormones and supports your nervous system to reset.

In short

🌬️ The Vagus Nerve

Body’s messenger → sends signals of safety or unsafety to the brain
Example: tight chest = “not safe,” deep breath = “safe”

🧠 Thalamus

Relay station → sends sensory to the "High Road" = Cortex, or the "Low Road" - Amygdala

⚡ Amygdala

Alarm bell → reacts fast with survival responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn)

💭 Cortex

Storyteller → slower, rational interpretation (“Is this really a threat?”)

⚖️ Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)

Wise leader → regulates emotions, creates space to pause and choose a response

What about Fear?

When we feel “safe” with someone, it is usually because they support us in some way, and we will automatically move towards them because we believe they will benefit us in some way. At the same time, we fear to “lose” them. This is a stress response that can initiate infatuation, admiration, obsession and subsequent bouts of sadness and depression at the mere thought of the loss of them.

When we feel “unsafe” with someone, it is because they in some way challenge us, and we will automatically move away from them because we feel they won’t benefit us. We fear to “get” them, or something from them, even eye contact. This is a stress response and can initiate dislike, resentment, disgust, panic and anxiety even just thinking about them.

Why Vagal Tone Matters for Emotional Wellbeing

Your Vagus Nerve is like a built-in regulator between body and brain. When your Vagal Tone is strong, your system can more easily tell the difference between real danger and everyday stress.

This means you’re less likely to overreact or get “hijacked” by strong emotions. Instead of spiralling into anxiety, shutdown, or anger, your body recovers faster and your brain has more space to respond with clarity and calm.

Improving Vagal Tone through breathwork, gentle movement, humming, or other practices helps you stay steady, flexible, and resilient in the face of life’s challenges.

A Simple daily routine to support your Vagal Tone:

Morning: