Brake Your Own Heart

Living with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can often feel like your body is receiving "emergency" signals even when you’re just trying to stand up or go about your day. If you’ve ever felt like your internal thermostat or cruise control is a bit glitchy, you aren't alone—and there is a biological reason for it.

Understanding the "Manual" Override

Think of your body like a high-tech computer. In POTS, the hardware (your heart and blood vessels) is usually doing its best, but the software (your Autonomic Nervous System) is having a bit of a communication breakdown.

While things like salt, fluids, and medications help support the hardware, somatic therapies act like a software update. They allw you to step in and manually tell your nervous system that you are safe.

Your Internal Brake Pedal: The Vagus Nerve

To understand how we calm a racing heart, we have to meet the Vagus Nerve.

The Vagus Nerve is the longest nerve in your body, acting as a direct "superhighway" between your brain and your heart. Its most important job is to act as a brake. Just like you tap the brakes to slow a car going downhill, the vagus nerve releases signals that tell your heart rate to slow down and settle.

In POTS, that brake can sometimes feel a little weak or slow to respond. By practicing specific exercises, we are essentially pumping the brakes manually, teaching your body how to return to a state of Rest and Digest rather than staying stuck in Fight or Flight.

Gentle Exercises to Tone Your Nervous System

We move slowly and gently because the goal isn't to fix yourself perfectly in one go—it’s about expanding your Window of Tolerance. This is the space where you feel regulated, calm, and clear in your body and mind.

1. The Vagal Sigh (Pursed Lip Breathing)

This is one of the simplest ways to engage that "vagal brake."

• The Move: Inhale through your nose for a count of 4.

• The Magic: Exhale through pursed lips (like you’re blowing through a straw) for a count of 8.

• Why it works: Science shows that making your exhale twice as long as your inhale sends an immediate all clear signal to your brain, naturally slowing your heart rate.

2. The Physiological Sigh

If you feel a sudden spike in anxiety or heart rate, this is your biological reset button.

• The Move: Take a sharp inhale through the nose, followed by a second, shorter "sip" of air at the very top to fully inflate the lungs. Then, let out one long, effortless exhale through the mouth.

• Why it works: This specific pattern pops open the tiny air sacs in your lungs and helps your body offload carbon dioxide rapidly, which lowers your physical arousal levels almost instantly.

3. Sensory Safety Signals (The "Voo" Sound)

The vagus nerve passes right through your throat, which means we can tickle (sorry, we couldn’t think of a more apt word) it using sound and vibration.

• The Move: Take a comfortable breath in. As you exhale, make a low-frequency humming sound or say the word "Voo" (like a foghorn). Focus on feeling the vibration in your chest and throat.

• Why it works: These gentle vibrations stimulate the branches of the vagus nerve in your ear and throat. It’s a physical way to signal your brainstem to turn down the "fight-or-flight" response and move back into a state of safety.

Building a Foundation

By practicing these small moments of manual regulation, you are providing a stable foundation.

You aren't just managing symptoms; you are teaching your body that it is okay to rest. When your body and nervous system feels safer, your medical treatments—like your salt intake, exercises, compression and medications—can do their jobs even more effectively.

If you want us to help you brake your heart, please reach out to Book a Telehealth Consultation