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Humming for Vagal Calm
Use humming as a calming breathing-and-vibration practice, often by emphasizing the "h" sound so the vibration feels more in the back of the throat than the lips. The idea is that the sound mechanically engages vagal branches around the larynx, which may help downshift the nervous system and promote relaxation; some discussions also note a vasodilating effect.
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“This stuff that you hear... about humming and activation of the vagus nerve and calming down by way of humming because of the way it impacts the vagus nerve turns out to be true. However... the way to hum correctly is actually to extend the H part, not the M.”
huberman · Control Your Vagus Nerve to Improve Mood, Alertness & Neuroplasticity · Jun 23, 2025 · 1:42:18 · open ↗
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