02 March 2026 · Dr. Lara Pajk · 8 min read · science
Vagal Tone: The Quiet Superpower Hiding in Your Exhale
Heart rate variability is the cleanest biomarker we have for nervous-system resilience — and slow breathing moves it more than almost any other intervention.
If you only learn one piece of physiology this year, make it this one: the longer your exhale relative to your inhale, the more vagal brake you apply to your heart, and the more resilient your entire nervous system becomes over time. What is vagal tone? The vagus nerve is the body's longest cranial nerve. It threads from the brainstem through the heart, lungs, and gut, and it is the dominant path…
Tags: vagus nerve, HRV, breathing