Polyvagal Theory & the Future of Nervous System Healing (Part 3)

“Three States of the Nervous System – Ventral, Sympathetic, Dorsal”

In Part 1, we explored everyday vagus nerve stimulation practices like humming, gargling, and slow breathing. In Part 2, we went deeper with saunas, cold plunges, breathwork, and meditation.

Now, in this final post, we’ll tie it all together with the science of Polyvagal Theory — a groundbreaking model developed by Dr. Stephen Porges that explains why these practices work, how your nervous system shifts between states, and what it means for healing, resilience, and long-term health.

What Is Polyvagal Theory?

“Polyvagal Hierarchy – Social, Mobilization, Immobilization”

The Polyvagal Theory describes how the vagus nerve regulates not just physical states but also emotional and social experience. Instead of a simple “on/off” switch between stress and relaxation, the theory identifies three main states of the autonomic nervous system:

1. Ventral Vagal State (Safe & Social)

   • Parasympathetic activation through the ventral vagal complex

   • You feel calm, connected, creative, and able to engage with others

   • Heart rate variability (HRV) is high, showing flexibility and resilience

2. Sympathetic State (Fight or Flight)

   • Mobilization system kicks in for danger, stress, or performance

   • Increased heart rate, adrenaline, cortisol

   • Helpful short term, but damaging if chronic

3. Dorsal Vagal State (Freeze or Shutdown)

   • Parasympathetic activation through the dorsal vagal complex

   • Leads to immobilization, disconnection, fatigue, or collapse

   • Seen in trauma responses, depression, or burnout

Key Insight: These states are adaptive — they’re how humans survived threats. But in modern life, many of us get stuck in sympathetic overdrive or dorsal shutdown. Polyvagal Theory helps us understand how to return to the safe, social state.

Why Polyvagal Theory Matters for Health

“Polyvagal Benefits – Healing, Safety, Connection”

Understanding Polyvagal Theory has transformed psychology, trauma therapy, and now wellness and fitness coaching.

• Mental Health: Explains anxiety, depression, PTSD, and why “just relax” doesn’t work without nervous system regulation.

• Physical Health: Chronic sympathetic activation drives inflammation, digestive issues, and cardiovascular risk.

• Social Health: Connection, trust, and relationships depend on vagal tone and ventral vagal activation.

When you learn to intentionally stimulate the vagus nerve and shift states, you unlock new levels of healing — both physically and emotionally.

Science Behind Polyvagal Theory

• Heart Rate Variability (HRV): The most reliable biomarker of vagal tone. High HRV = flexibility and resilience; low HRV = stress and disease risk.

• Social Engagement System: The ventral vagal complex links the vagus nerve to facial expressions, vocal tone, and listening — why humming, chanting, and laughter work so well.

• Trauma Research: Studies show trauma survivors often default to dorsal vagal shutdown or sympathetic overdrive, and vagus nerve stimulation can help re-regulate.

Science spotlight: A review in Frontiers in Psychology confirms vagus nerve stimulation (both natural and medical) improves mood disorders, gut function, and inflammatory regulation — aligning perfectly with Polyvagal Theory.

Everyday Applications of Polyvagal Theory

“How to Shift Nervous System States”

Here are practical ways to apply Polyvagal insights in your daily life:

1. Identify Your State

   • Ventral Vagal: Calm, connected, engaged

   • Sympathetic: Anxious, restless, hypervigilant

   • Dorsal Vagal: Shut down, disconnected, fatigued

2. Shift Into Ventral Vagal with Practices:

   • Breathwork: Long exhalations, resonance breathing

   • Cold/Heat: Short bursts of stress followed by recovery (contrast therapy)

   • Meditation: Especially loving-kindness or guided mindfulness

   • Social Engagement: Eye contact, laughter, safe connection

   • Movement: Yoga, tai chi, gentle stretching

3. Support Your Nervous System Biochemically:

   • Magnesium & Omega-3s: Support HRV and vagal tone

   • Adaptogens (Ashwagandha, Rhodiola): Improve stress resilience

   • Probiotics & Prebiotics: Improve gut-vagus signaling

(You can find clinical-grade supplements at my Thorne store).

Coaching & Healing Through a Polyvagal Lens

As a therapist, trainer, or coach, understanding Polyvagal Theory shifts the approach:

• Instead of just focusing on behavior, you work with the nervous system state first.

• A client in sympathetic overdrive may need breathwork or gentle yoga before tackling strength training.

• Someone in dorsal vagal shutdown may need social connection and safe co-regulation before addressing nutrition or exercise goals.

This is where EQuipoise Wellness Retreats™ and programs like mine integrate movement, breathwork, sauna, meditation, and coaching — to help people regulate at the nervous system level first, then build lasting health strategies.

Final Thoughts

Polyvagal Theory bridges ancient practices with modern science, showing us that healing is not just about the body or mind, but about the state of the nervous system that connects them.

From humming and breathing, to sauna and meditation, to trauma-informed coaching, the goal is the same: strengthen the vagus nerve, build resilience, and return to the safe and social ventral vagal state.

This completes our three-part series on the vagus nerve and nervous system healing:

• Part 1: Everyday Vagus Nerve Stimulation

• Part 2: Sauna, Cold Plunge, Breathwork, Meditation

• Part 3: Polyvagal Theory & Nervous System Healing

To learn more, explore my site Health and Exercise Prescriptions and visit my Thorne supplement store for science-backed tools that support nervous system balance.

 Thank you for your time and energy... Be well.

Author: Jaime Hernandez LMT, MES, CPT