The Science of Stress: The Vagus Nerve
Understanding the Fight-or-Flight Response
In this episode of the Victory Club Podcast, sports and pelvic floor physical therapist Rebecca Troulliet and co-host Jeremy Troulliet discuss how chronic stress affects the body and why many people live in a constant state of fight-or-flight. The conversation breaks down the basics of the nervous system, explaining the difference between the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).
When the body perceives a threat—whether it’s physical danger, work pressure, or emotional stress—it activates fight-or-flight to increase heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure so the body can react quickly. While this response is essential for survival in short bursts, staying in this state for long periods can lead to chronic stress, fatigue, burnout, and increased risk for long-term health issues.
A major player in this process is the vagus nerve, one of the longest and most important nerves in the body. The vagus nerve connects the brain to several major systems, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, and digestive systems, helping regulate heart rate, breathing patterns, inflammation, and digestion. Because much of the vagus nerve’s job is to send signals from the body back to the brain, it constantly monitors what is happening internally and helps determine whether the body should stay in a stress response or return to a calm, regulated state.
When people experience chronic stress from work, lack of sleep, demanding schedules, or emotional pressures, the body can become conditioned to stay in a fight-or-flight mode, keeping heart rate and stress hormones elevated for longer than the body is designed to handle.
The good news is that there are simple, effective strategies that can help regulate the nervous system and reduce chronic stress naturally. Techniques such as box breathing and intentional breathwork help slow the respiratory system and send calming signals through the vagus nerve. Gentle movement practices like yoga or stretching, cold exposure, consistent sleep routines, and positive social connection can also help activate the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” response. Over time, consistently practicing these habits trains the body to move more easily out of a stress response and into a calmer state.
By learning how to support the nervous system and care for the body’s natural stress-regulation systems, individuals can improve recovery, protect long-term health, and continue showing up stronger in both fitness and everyday life.
Want the longer version of this conversation? Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Youtube🎙️
