Calming the Chaos Within

Michelle Castle
Oct 30
3 min read

How Understanding My Vagus Nerve Helped Me Heal

For years, my body was in distress. My joints were hot and stiff, my skin flared with rashes, and my digestion constantly reminded me that something was off. I didn’t know it then, but my body wasn’t broken — it was overwhelmed.

Everything began to change when I learned about the vagus nerve — the body’s internal communication line between the brain and major organs. It regulates heart rate, digestion, and emotional balance. When calm, it releases feel-good hormones like serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. When stressed, it floods the body with cortisol, keeping us in fight-or-flight mode.

That was where I lived for years — wired, restless, and unaware that my nervous system was leading the charge.

The Turning Point

Once I understood the vagus nerve’s role, I stopped treating symptoms as random. They were signals. My body was asking for calm. Awareness became my first step toward healing.

Today, I no longer live with progressive autoimmune disease. My body has healed in ways I never thought possible. But when I drift off balance — when my digestion falters or a rash appears — it’s a reminder that I need a reset.

The Practices That Changed Everything

My healing didn’t come from one solution but from consistent, small shifts that told my body it was safe again.

Acupuncture and Reiki quiet my system and restore balance.
Meditation — even just a few minutes — creates stillness and resets my mind.
Floating has become a surprising favorite, offering deep relaxation despite my dislike of being wet.
Breathwork and short mid-day naps help me regulate when life feels full.
Movement breaks or mid-day workouts keep energy flowing and prevent burnout.
I also once loved cryotherapy; though it’s no longer available locally, I still find brief cold exposure beneficial.

Each practice reminds me I don’t have to push through pain. I can listen, pause, and reset.

PLAY: My Simply Morning Reset

I start each day with a practice I created called PLAY — a quick way to calm my nervous system and ground in the present moment:

P — Pause

L — Look around without judgment

A — Awareness through your five senses

Y — Yawn and take a deep breath to naturally activate the vagus nerve

It takes less than a minute and resets my day before it begins.

Listening as Healing

Understanding the vagus nerve taught me that healing is about awareness and regulation, not control. My body isn’t my enemy — it’s my guide. When I pause and listen, I can feel peace returning.

I’ll be sharing more about vagus nerve regulation, nervous system healing, and daily reset practices at my next Living LIT retreat, where we’ll explore practical ways to bring calm back to body and mind.

Because when we learn to regulate from within, the world around us begins to change too.

Hats off,

🔥 Keep Living LIT.

P.S. Excited to learn more about nervous system healing and daily reset practices? Check out the newly designed Living LIT website for resources, inspiration, and updates. If you want details about the next Living LIT Retreat, just send me a message — I’d love to share how you can join us! Hurry — the retreat is only a few weeks away, and only 14 spots are available!

Boost your mood and calm your nervous system with this simple, daily PLAY method guide!

Download your free cheat sheet below to learn how to pause, notice, and activate the happiness chemicals that keep you feeling balanced, energized, and LIT.