The vagus nerve is the longest autonomic nerve in the human body. The autonomic nervous system regulates largely unconscious processes like heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, sexual arousal, urination, and pupillary response.
The vagus nerve is the prime component of the parasympathetic nervous system, or the system that oversees the resting body (colloquially called the "rest and digest" or "feed and breed" response). The countering autonomic nervous system is the sympathetic nervous system which regulates the body's response when it is under threat (the "fight or flight" response).
Some suggestions for stimulating the vagus nerve and along with it the parasympathetic nervous system include humming or singing, meditation, laughing, being around people you enjoy, deep breathing, yoga, physical activity, massage, cold water, probiotics, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and so on.
The vagus nerve sends signals among many body systems; a branch of the nerve even controls muscles of the larynx and thus effects speech.
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