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The vagus nerve connects the brain to the organs. Stimulating it can be beneficial - but some social media hacks lack science to back them up. Plus: Forest or city walk — which is more relaxing?
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00:06Reset your vagus nerve to feel calmer and more focused?
00:10TikTok videos make it look so easy.
00:13The vagus nerve connects your brain to your heart, gut, and lungs, but it doesn't have
00:17a switch.
00:18Take your digestive system.
00:20It's constantly communicating via the vagus nerve, sending status updates to the brain.
00:25The problem with a lot of these hacks is that there's no strong evidence to back them up.
00:31Massaging, meditation, or humming though could have a calming effect, and that can benefit
00:36the whole body.
00:38And breathing makes use of the same system.
00:41It's the one hack actually backed up by hundreds of studies.
00:45But watch out with videos telling you to press around here.
00:48That could do more harm than good.
00:50Let's explore what really happens inside your body and uncover the science behind
00:55relaxation, focus, and flow.
01:11The name vagus nerve comes from the Latin verb vagari, which means to wander.
01:16That's fitting because the nerve runs from the brain all the way to the abdominal cavity,
01:21linking numerous organs to our nervous system.
01:24This makes it useful for some therapies.
01:27An electrical stimulator for the vagus nerve can be used to treat epilepsy or depression,
01:32and can sometimes even replace medication.
01:36A special vagus nerve stimulator helps Judith control her epileptic seizures.
01:42A high fever in childhood left a scar on her brain that causes abnormal electrical activity.
01:48The seizures can happen at any moment.
01:53It starts with a sense of déjà vu, like, I've experienced this before, then I get a tingling
01:59sensation in my stomach that rises upwards.
02:02If it goes on and isn't stopped, I collapse and my body starts going into convulsions.
02:11To control the seizures she took certain medications at increasingly high doses.
02:16Often they caused severe side effects that put a major strain on both her and those around
02:21her, and they still didn't prevent the seizures.
02:26I had constant mood swings, I always seemed to be angry about something.
02:31And then there was the extreme fatigue.
02:37Judith has been receiving treatment at this epilepsy centre in Hamburg since 2012.
02:44Neurologist Berthold Fogers explored the full spectrum of treatment options with her, from
02:49numerous medications to brain surgery, but nothing really helped.
02:55Then two years ago he suggested trying an electrical vagus nerve stimulator.
03:03The small device was surgically implanted in Judith's chest.
03:07A wire runs from the stimulator to the vagus nerve.
03:13Every few minutes the device stimulates the nerve for about 30 seconds.
03:18The intensity can be adjusted individually.
03:25In roughly two-thirds of patients we see a clear benefit.
03:29That means that either the number of seizures is cut by 50% or more, or the seizures become
03:34shorter or change in character.
03:37Patients may stop having seizure-related falls or full-body convulsions.
03:41They have to go into hospital less often and recover more quickly afterwards.
03:45The challenge is that we still can't predict in advance which patients will benefit and which
03:50won't.
03:52Judith has been doing much better since receiving the stimulator.
03:56Initial side effects, such as changes to her voice, disappeared quickly.
04:01And she now has very few seizures.
04:05I haven't had any major seizures at all since the operation.
04:09The smaller ones still happen occasionally, but I can tell when the device detects them
04:13and steps in.
04:14I feel much more secure because I no longer fear that I'm going to have a major seizure.
04:20She can now even take long-distance trips with her husband, something that used to be unsinkable.
04:26She's also far more balanced emotionally and no longer suffers from mood swings.
04:32We've been using VNS therapy for more than 30 years.
04:37Very early on, we noticed that for many patients, the first positive effect was an improvement
04:41in mood, even before seizure reduction set in.
04:45In some cases, accompanying depression improved so much that antidepressant medication could
04:50be reduced or even discontinued.
04:55Simon suffers from depression.
04:57Even after a stay in a psychiatric clinic and treatment with medication, he still regularly
05:02feels unwell.
05:05I lack drive, I'm tired, low on energy, I have more negative thoughts.
05:10That also affects my sleep.
05:13Sometimes I lie awake for hours and can't fall asleep because my thoughts keep spinning.
05:19When he heard about a study at the University of Bonn investigating whether vagus nerve stimulation
05:25delivered through an external device could help treat depression, he immediately signed
05:30up.
05:31For their study, Nils Krömer and his team use small stimulators that don't have to be implanted.
05:37They're certified medical devices that stimulate the vagus nerve through the ear.
05:43That's because a branch of the vagus nerve runs very close to the skin in the ear, allowing
05:49stimulation of the nerve externally via an electrode.
05:53The electrical impulses then travel along the nerve to the brain.
06:00With MRI scans, the neuroscientists are able to check whether the stimulation is actually
06:05reaching Simon's brain.
06:07The images show that it does in fact change activity there, particularly in the brain stem.
06:17The brain stem regulates basic bodily functions such as digestion and breathing, but also how
06:23we perceive our heartbeat.
06:24This suggests that by influencing the body's own signals, we may be able to produce lasting
06:29improvements in motivation and drive.
06:33Simon used the stimulator at home every day for two separate two-week periods, for an hour
06:38and a half each evening.
06:40He noticed an immediate positive effect.
06:46Even while I was using it, I could feel myself relaxing.
06:49Since I usually did it in the evenings and the calming effect lasted beyond the sessions,
06:54I definitely felt that I was falling asleep more easily.
06:57Most of the time the quality of my sleep improved noticeably too.
07:06Researchers still can't predict exactly who will benefit from vagus nerve stimulation
07:10for depression, nor how factors such as electrical frequency, intensity, timing and duration
07:16influence its effectiveness.
07:18More detailed research is needed.
07:21The goal now is to make the most of this potential by optimizing how we use the stimulation
07:26and tailoring it more closely to each individual.
07:30So there are still many unanswered questions.
07:32That's why Nils Krömer also advises against using over-the-counter stimulators that have not
07:38been approved as medical devices.
07:42I tend to be cautious about these devices.
07:45Some of them make claims about healing benefits that aren't currently supported by research.
07:49In many cases, it's also unclear whether they even actually stimulate the vagus nerve.
07:55Instead, he suggests trying deep exhalation or cold water dousing instead.
08:03He warns that other techniques, however, like massaging the nerve, have yet to be proven effective.
08:15Ah, a walk in the woods.
08:18Wonderful.
08:19The air is mild, the birds are singing, and a gentle breeze rustles through the trees.
08:25There are smells of earth and fresh forest.
08:28But this amble is part of an experiment.
08:31Alex is walking for science.
08:35Is it really true that being in forests is good for us?
08:40That's what these two researchers want to find out by pursuing walks in the woods.
08:48Everyone seems to know instinctively that nature feels good and that going into the forest is healthy.
08:53Scientifically, however, we still don't really know exactly how this works or what happens in the brain.
08:58And that's what we're investigating.
09:01To find out, the researchers sent 30 people into the forest for an hour each along a predefined route.
09:08No phones, no conversations, just walking.
09:13To provide a comparison, another 30 participants were sent into a busy city shopping mile.
09:22The common assumption is that cities are stressful.
09:25That's what we usually hear.
09:26And we actually expected to find that an hour walking along that street would lead to increased stress.
09:34Today, Alex and Helena have agreed to be the guinea pigs.
09:37For the first time, the study is directly examining how forests and cities influence stress response in the brain.
09:45To measure it reliably, the researchers take MRI scans of the participants' brains.
09:51Once before the walk, then again after.
09:53Both times, they ask the same question.
09:56How does the brain respond to stress?
09:58The researchers first induce stress with specific tasks.
10:02That allows the results to be compared directly.
10:04We give them a limited amount of time, so only five seconds to answer this.
10:11And they're constantly receiving the feedback that they are way below the mean
10:16and that they're not good enough and that this is wrong and they're very slow.
10:20So in this way, we are inducing stress to them.
10:24Then comes the next stress stimulus.
10:26Helena and Alex are shown photographs of people who appear frightened.
10:30We know from previous research that when participants see other people in fear,
10:36automatically their amygdala activity gets activated.
10:40And this is because through empathy, we are automatically in fear when other people are in fear.
10:47And that's exactly what happens to Alex and Helena.
10:55Fear and stress activate the amygdala.
10:57It reacts almost instantly to perceived threats and can't be consciously controlled.
11:02The greater the stress, the stronger the response.
11:08The frontal cortex also grows active as it evaluates the situation.
11:13How serious are things?
11:14What should happen next?
11:15Fight or flight?
11:16Fight.
11:18The hypothalamus then triggers physical responses such as faster breathing,
11:23elevated blood pressure and a quicker heartbeat.
11:28The researchers now know how strongly Helena and Alex normally react to stress.
11:34Now things get interesting.
11:36What happens after their walks?
11:39Has the forest actually made Alex more relaxed?
11:45And does Helena's brain react more strongly to stress after her walk through the city?
11:52I would never choose this as a walk.
11:55It feels a bit too hectic, with all the buses and the construction work.
12:01I didn't really enjoy it.
12:07Everything feels a bit slower and I feel more connected to myself.
12:12Things just seem more relaxed and calmer right now.
12:16Not so great versus deeply relaxed.
12:18Do those patterns show up in the brain?
12:22What we found, interestingly, is that a one-hour walk in the forest
12:26reduces stress-related activity in the brain.
12:29We now have direct evidence that it is genuinely beneficial to send people into the woods
12:34and tell them, this is good for you.
12:37It lowers your stress levels.
12:42And by around 50%.
12:46The researchers were surprised by how powerful the effect proved to be.
12:51And there was another surprise in store.
12:54Contrary to expectations, the walk in the city did not increase the participants' stress levels.
13:00The stress response remained almost unchanged after the shopping mile walk.
13:04With their research, the scientists hope to better understand how our immediate surroundings affect our brains.
13:12Neuroscience has traditionally focused on human behavior.
13:15Does someone eat healthily?
13:17Do they avoid alcohol?
13:18Do they refrain from smoking?
13:19We know a great deal about how those factors affect the brain.
13:23But how our living environment, the place where we spend 24 hours a day,
13:27influences the brain, has hardly been studied at all.
13:31But what exactly is it about the forest that is so restorative?
13:35Is it what we hear there?
13:38What we smell?
13:41Or what we see?
13:44In a VR lab, participants in a follow-up study are first exposed to these sensory impressions one at a
13:50time.
13:51They watch a forest video without sound.
13:53Then they listen only to forest sounds.
13:56Then they breathe in only forest-scented air.
13:59Finally, they experience all three together.
14:01How relaxed or stressed do they feel?
14:06When we ask people how they feel before and after,
14:09they actually feel best when all three sensory modalities are combined.
14:13When they've seen, smelled and heard the forest.
14:17But even individually, sensory impressions can have a positive effect on well-being.
14:22That's why trees and green spaces in cities are so important.
14:26Even fleeting encounters with nature can help you unwind.
14:36In fact, we observed positive effects even with reduced exposure.
14:41Something as simple as a screensaver showing a forest can have a beneficial effect.
14:46Even the view from a window matters.
14:48It makes a difference whether your office looks out onto a concrete wall or whether you can see some greenery
14:53outside.
14:56So, nature in general is simply good for you.
14:59It has a positive, relaxing effect on the brain.
15:06Switch off the mind and your focus sharpens.
15:10Educator Maria Montessori first observed this phenomenon in children at play.
15:15But it's familiar to many adults too.
15:19Psychologist Mikhail Csikszentmihalyi coined a term for it.
15:23Flow.
15:26We can slip into it at any moment while exercising, gaming or even reading.
15:33We enter a state known as flow.
15:35Do you know what flow is?
15:37No, we're too old for that.
15:39Not specifically, no.
15:42What is flow?
15:43What do you mean by that?
15:45Let's ask someone who knows.
15:49When I'm in a state of flow, I'm completely absorbed in an activity.
15:52I feel optimally challenged and it feels good.
15:57Corinna Peiffer is a professor of psychology at the University of Lübeck.
16:01Her research focuses on stress management, health and the experience of flow.
16:08Flow is especially likely to occur during activities where I have clear goals,
16:13clear feedback, where the demands match my abilities,
16:18where I personally see the task as meaningful and important,
16:22and where I also have a certain amount of freedom in how I carry it out.
16:28That could be drawing, playing the piano or working at my job.
16:34The theory was developed by Mikhail Csikszentmihalyi.
16:38His flow channel model suggests that flow exists exactly between being overstretched and not challenged enough.
16:45One example.
16:47Air traffic controllers are particularly likely to become fully immersed in their work.
16:52And that's because…
16:54First of all, there are very clear goals in this profession.
16:57It's all about safety, making sure no accidents happen and that everyone gets safely back to the ground and up
17:03into the air again.
17:05The job is also highly significant.
17:08Controllers have to stay focused to keep everything running smoothly.
17:12And that sense of importance can promote the experience of flow.
17:16But it's about more than just how demanding a task is.
17:22Imagine two hospital cleaners being asked, what do you do here?
17:26One says, I clean up the dirt.
17:29The other says, my job is to ensure hygiene.
17:32And hygiene is a basic requirement for successful patient recovery.
17:38You can see that they view the importance of their work very differently.
17:42And the person who sees greater significance in what they do is also more likely to experience flow.
17:53And what was your most recent flow experience?
17:58This morning, when I was on the rowing machine, I was thinking about the day ahead and how it would
18:02unfold and I thought, yes, I'm ready, let's do this.
18:06Then I forget everything around me and everything just feels right.
18:13I'm completely caught up in the moment and I don't want it to end.
18:18I'm simply there and there's nothing that doesn't belong in that moment.
18:23Flow, enjoyable and productive, but best in moderation.
18:29I definitely wouldn't describe it as ideal in the sense that you should experience it all the time.
18:34As with anything, too much can be a bad thing.
18:38Flow is often described as the joy of being fully engaged in what you're doing, but it's certainly not the
18:43only form of happiness.
18:44It should always be balanced with rest and relaxation.
18:48Clear goals, fulfilling tasks and meaningful feedback.
18:52Flow is highly enjoyable and in the right dose, it can feel like an even greater gift.
19:02Many people experience flow while doing sport.
19:05One way is through capoeira.
19:07My name's Anna Beck and I do capoeira.
19:09I do capoeira because I absolutely love it. It's not just a way to stay active.
19:14It incorporates music, dance, seeing friends, community, joy, and it's a great way to balance out life and work.
19:25Singing, clapping, and flowing movements. For Anna Beck, it's more than just a sport. It's a way of life.
19:32But what are the health benefits of this Brazilian martial art? And are there any risks?
19:36Joining us to offer insights are capoeira master, Maestra Princesa Viviani Oliveira.
19:43Coach Matthias Wiesmeyer.
19:46And sports medicine specialist Dr. Tom Buchermann.
19:51In the Hoda, the capoeira circle, it's now Anna Beck's turn to play with her training partner.
19:59It's a martial art, but it's also a martial dance, and it's really about interacting with each other.
20:05I show someone that I could hit them, but that I don't have to. The other person evades it. It's
20:10dynamic.
20:11There are kicks that do make contact and we do sometimes fall, but overall it's about working together.
20:17Anna Beck trains twice a week at her club, Gingando Sempre, led by Maestri Tamarindo.
20:23She also teaches classes herself and organizes workshops. She started capoeira 20 years ago.
20:31As a child and teenager, I did a lot of gymnastics, dancing and played musical instruments.
20:37When I started university, I thought I'd struggled to keep up so many hobbies.
20:41Then a friend told me, I know something that combines all of that.
20:45Acrobatics, dance, music, the challenge of learning a new culture and language.
20:50I tried it out and was fascinated.
20:58Capoeira was created by enslaved Africans in Brazil in the 18th century as a form of self-defense without weapons.
21:05Later, it evolved further and became associated with street fighting in Brazil.
21:09In 2014, UNESCO recognized it as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
21:16In Brazil, it's still an integral part of life, explains capoeira master Maestra Princesa.
21:26Capoeira emerged at a time when our people were still considered slaves.
21:29That's what gives it its deeper meaning as a practice of freedom.
21:38Capoeira consists of the simulated fight, the music, and the rhoda circle where the capoeira takes place.
21:45For Anna Beck, it's a chance to step into a different world.
21:51I usually come away feeling more energized, happier, more flexible and somehow more balanced.
22:01What looks easy when Anna does it is actually quite demanding.
22:05Capoeira combines acrobatics, dance, combat, rhythm, reaction speed and creativity.
22:10For coach Matthias Wiesmaier, it's an outstanding full body workout.
22:16You never stand still.
22:18There are high movements, low movements, fast and slow ones, agile movements and lots of static floor work.
22:23I don't think there's a single muscle that doesn't get trained.
22:27Many of the movements are performed in a squatting position or upside down.
22:32During the workshop, Maestra Princesa demonstrates the basic step known as the jinga.
22:39The rocking side step imitates the motion of a wave.
22:43A particularly powerful kick is the mea lua di compasso or compass crescent kick.
22:51Capoeira can also help prevent injuries, says Dr. Tom Uckermann.
22:58The complex exercises significantly strengthen core stability and improve flexibility.
23:04That can protect against slipped discs, for example, and other musculoskeletal problems affecting the spine.
23:15A small study from Brazil examined the effects of Capoeira on people with Parkinson's disease and found positive results.
23:25It trains coordination skills, which can help prevent someone stumbling.
23:30At the same time, it improves muscle strength, which similarly reduces the likelihood of falls or other incidents occurring.
23:39A bicycle accident revealed to Anna just how quickly her own reactions now work.
23:46I did a somersault over the handlebars. I rolled through it, got back up, and everyone thought it looked spectacular.
23:52I had no idea what my body had done.
23:57Matthias Wiesbauer is also a psychiatrist. He says Capoeira has a similar effect to mindfulness training.
24:05There's your partner in front of you, whom you always need to watch, and at the same time you're taking
24:10in the music and the group around you.
24:12That constant switching of focus makes it fascinating.
24:17For Anna, Capoeira is the perfect counterbalance to her work as a doctor.
24:22The wonderful thing is that my mind switches off, I can leave my worries behind with my shoes.
24:28We train barefoot and I'm fully in my body instead of focusing on problems.
24:37It's important to be open about any injuries or existing medical conditions.
24:42Many exercises eventually progress towards handstands and your body needs to be able to cope with that, so tell the
24:48coach about any issues you have.
24:51Falls and acrobatic exercises can lead to injuries.
24:57We mostly see injuries involving the upper extremities, meaning the wrists, elbows and shoulders.
25:02Occasionally there are also injuries to the cervical spine, if someone lands on their head, but that's relatively rare.
25:11Anna Beck once suffered a small fracture in her ankle from a kick.
25:17That took a while to heal, and then there are the odd minor strains or smaller injuries.
25:22In Capoeira we practice falling and we control our movements, but it is a martial art and injuries can happen.
25:33Capoeira scores highly for flexibility, coordination, body awareness and self-confidence.
25:39It is not suitable for people with joint problems.
25:43For Anna Beck, Capoeira will always be an important part of her life.
25:50Stimulation, taking a walk or working out.
25:54There are many ways to harmonize your body and spirit.
25:57What gets you into flow?
25:58Have fun finding out and see you next time on In Good Shape.
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