Yoga for Nervous System Regulation: A Guide for Yoga Teachers

Last year, I moved back to my hometown of London and started teaching yoga again in the city.

Suddenly, I found myself in front of groups of exhausted people, struggling with the relentless stress of living in a fast-paced, expensive, and sometimes unsafe urban environment. As someone who has studied the nervous system in depth, one thing became immediately apparent: most of my students had severely disregulated nervous systems due to chronic stress.

But this isn't just a big-city problem.  Across the Western world, life is becoming increasingly fast-paced and financially demanding. Many people are stuck in survival mode, just trying to keep their heads above water. 

On top of that, most of us have experienced or witnessed some form of trauma that has unknowingly left an imprint on our nervous system. As yoga teachers, we must recognize that the majority of students walking into our classes are carrying stress or trauma in some form. We can create a space that fosters healing, relaxation, and restoration - offering an antidote to the detrimental effects of stress and trauma. To do that effectively, we need to understand how the nervous system functions and how yoga can support its regulation…

Understanding the Nervous System 

Our nervous system is constantly working behind the scenes, shifting between two key states: sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS). These systems function like our body's gas and brake pedals, determining how we respond to stress and relaxation. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activates the fight-or-flight response. When we perceive a threat, whether an unexpected work email or traffic jam, our body floods with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Our heart rate spikes, blood pressure rises, and muscles tense up. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) counterbalances this by activating the rest-and-digest response. Controlled primarily by the vagus nerve, it slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and promotes relaxation and digestion.

When our nervous system is functioning well, we effortlessly shift between these two states as needed. However, chronic stress and unresolved trauma disrupt the nervous system's balance, keeping us stuck in fight-or-flight mode. This leads to:

- Anxiety and burnout

- Immune dysfunction

- Digestive issues

- Cardiovascular problems

Yoga helps reverse this process by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing cortisol levels, and fostering mindfulness. With regular practice, yoga can help override SNS overdrive and guide us out of survival mode, allowing us to respond to stress with greater resilience rather than being overwhelmed by it.

The Vagus Nerve & Its Connection to Yoga

The vagus nerve is a key player in the parasympathetic nervous system. It makes up 75% of the PNS and acts as the body's ultimate regulator of balance and resilience.When stimulated, the vagus nerve lowers heart rate and blood pressure and sends relaxation signals throughout your body and mind.The strength of the vagus nerve is measured in vagal tone:

- Low vagal tone correlates with poor functioning of the vagus nerve and dysregulation of the nervous system

- High vagal tone reflects a well-regulated nervous system and greater resilience to stress.

Negative past experiences, like trauma or chronic stress, lower our vagal tone. However, yoga provides powerful tools to strengthen it. Slow movements and mindful breathing help activate the vagus nerve, switching the nervous system from the stress response to the relaxation response. As we improve our vagal tone, we become better at responding to stressors and regulating our emotions.

Yoga Techniques for Nervous System Regulation

As yoga teachers, we have the power to help our students take control of their wellbeing. If you have students who lead fast-paced lives or work in high-stress settings, making a few adjustments to your yoga classes could significantly improve their ability to deal with and bounce back from the many stressors they encounter in daily life. Here are some science-backed yogic techniques you can include in your classes to promote nervous system regulation.

Belly Breathing

Deep diaphragmatic breathing directly stimulates the vagus nerve, signaling the brain to shift into a restorative, energy-efficient state. In addition to a slow breathing rate, extending the exhalation activates the relaxation response of the PNS. Studies show that a slow breathing rate of 5.5 breaths per minute enhances heart rate variability (HRV), which is associated with high vagal tone.

Neck Stretches

The vagus nerve runs through the neck, making this area particularly important for vagal tone regulation. Simple neck stretches promote better vagal function and activate the body's "rest and digest" state.

Cat Cow Pose

The spine is a primary channel for nervous system communication, and stiffness in the back can correlate with emotional stagnation and stress accumulation. Spinal movements like cat-cow mobilize the vertebrae and engage the core muscles to promote nervous system regulation and help to release emotional stress stored in the body.

Humming Bee Breath (Bhramari)

Humming is a quick and simple way to stimulate the vagus nerve and cultivate emotional balance. As you hum, the sound vibrations activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce cortisol levels, promoting a sense of calm and ease.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation 

Adding a short progressive muscle relaxation practice to savasana promotes deep relaxation and healing. By consciously tensing and releasing different muscle groups, our body learns to recognize the contrast between tension and relaxation, making it easier to release unconscious holding patterns.

How to Integrate Nervous System Regulation into Your Yoga Classes

Aside from the practices and postures explained above, here are some additional tips for teaching yoga for nervous system regulation:

1. Create a safe, trauma-informed space by encouraging your yogis to listen to their bodies and practice in a way that feels supportive rather than forceful.

2. Use invitational language, such as "If it feels good for you, try..." instead of "Do this" to foster a sense of autonomy.

3. Offer multiple options for poses to give your students the freedom to choose what feels best for their body and nervous system.

4. Normalize rest by letting your yogis know they can pause in Child's Pose or Savasana whenever they want.

5. Balance stimulation and relaxation by weaving in both sympathetic-activating poses (gentle backbends) and parasympathetic-activating postures (forward folds, restorative poses).

6. Regularly cue breath awareness and emphasize slow, deep exhalations to help activate the vagus nerve and encourage interoception.

Final Thoughts

As yoga instructors, we can help our yogis move beyond just stretching or building physical strength. We can offer tools that regulate their nervous system, making a tangible difference in their ability to handle stress and find balance.

By incorporating nervous system regulation techniques into our classes, we can provide a powerful antidote to modern life's stressors, helping our students cultivate greater resilience and emotional wellbeing.