Send a text

Nurses experience chronic stress in ways most professions never will.

Long shifts.
Emotional trauma exposure.
Sleep disruption.
Skipped meals.
Constant pressure to perform.

Over time, this level of stress can deeply impact the nervous system — and one of the most important regulators of that system is the vagus nerve.

In this episode of Proactive Wellness for Nurses, Jessica Veloza, APRN and functional medicine coach, explains how the vagus nerve acts as a communication highway between the brain and body and why it plays such an important role in stress recovery, digestion, metabolism, and emotional regulation.

When vagal tone is low, the body can become stuck in fight-or-flight mode, which may contribute to symptoms many nurses experience every day:

• feeling wired but exhausted
• chronic fatigue
• digestive issues
• sugar cravings
• anxiety and overwhelm
• difficulty losing weight
• sleep disruption

Jessica breaks down the science behind the vagus nerve in a way nurses can understand and shares simple, practical strategies that can help support nervous system healing.

In This Episode You'll Learn

• What the vagus nerve is and where it runs in the body
• Why nurses are especially vulnerable to nervous system dysregulation
• How chronic stress affects metabolism and weight regulation
• The connection between vagal tone, digestion, and blood sugar
• Signs your nervous system may be stuck in fight-or-flight mode
• Simple vagus nerve exercises nurses can practice daily
• Why nervous system healing is essential for burnout recovery

Simple Vagus Nerve Practices Mentioned

• slow breathing with extended exhales
• humming
• gargling
• cold face exposure
• safe social connection
• brief nervous system reset moments during shifts

These small practices can help signal safety to the nervous system and gradually improve vagal tone.

A Message for Nurses

If you’re feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or frustrated with your health, you are not broken.

Your body has adapted to a very demanding environment.

When the nervous system begins to feel safe again, the body can start to recover.

Digestion improves.
Energy stabilizes.
Inflammation decreases.
Metabolism often follows.

Listen & Connect

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to the Proactive Wellness for Nurses Podcast and share it with another nurse who might need this conversation.

Because nurses deserve support too.

You can also explore additional resources and programs through Proactive Wellness for Nurses, where Jessica helps nurses restore metabolic health, regulate their nervous systems, and recover from burnout.

Intro

outro

Support the show

www.proactivewellness.net

info@proactivewellness.net