The vagus nerve is a highway from the brain to the stomach, the fight-or-flight response, the lungs, the heart, and the other organ systems controlled by it. Stress can affect your breathing, heart rate, and digestion and can be devastating to your well-being if not kept in check. The chiropractic adjustment affects this nerve causing a reduction in blood pressure often immediately after a cervical adjustment. When I was in the clinic years ago, I had one patient who requested I check his blood pressure before and afterward, recheck his blood pressure. The blood pressure returned to normal after the adjustment. Massaging the neck anteriorly which is where the vagus nerve lies can actually cause you to relax and in some cases, it will normalize heart rate. Deep breathing can relax you and affect many of the other things affected by an overstimulated Vagus nerve as well. A recent article I found suggests that chronic overstimulation due to chronic stress can cause a condition called vagal dysfunction. This can cause systemic inflammation, burnout, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety, as well as GI disorders, research shows. The article offers ways that you can improve or reverse vagal dysfunction through breathing techniques, listening to soothing things, and exposing yourself to cold and even fresh air by spending time outdoors and experiencing what mother nature has to offer. Check out the article below How To Stimulate The Vagus Nerve To De-Stress And Find Calm