One of the most empowering aspects of polyvagal theory is that it doesn’t just explain why our nervous system responds the way it does—it also points toward practical ways we might support regulation and recovery.
Developed by Dr Stephen Porges, polyvagal theory describes how our autonomic nervous system moves between states of safety, mobilisation, and shutdown. For people navigating trauma, anxiety, or chronic stress, learning to work with these states—rather than against them—can be a meaningful part of the healing process.
This article offers a collection of exercises and practices that draw on polyvagal principles. While these approaches may be helpful for many people, they work best when tailored to individual needs, ideally with the guidance of a qualified therapist. What soothes one nervous system may activate another, so gentle experimentation and self-compassion are essential.
Understanding the goal: flexibility, not perfection
Before exploring specific exercises, it’s worth clarifying what we’re aiming for. The goal of polyvagal-informed work isn’t to eliminate stress responses or remain permanently calm. All three autonomic states—ventral vagal (safety), sympathetic (mobilisation), and dorsal vagal (shutdown)—serve important functions.
Rather, the aim is to develop what clinicians call “autonomic flexibility”: the capacity to move between states as appropriate and to return to a regulated baseline after periods of activation or shutdown. As Deb Dana describes in her clinical work, we want to build reliable pathways back to safety.
For people with trauma histories, the nervous system may have become “stuck” in protective states, or may move rapidly between extremes with little sense of control. The exercises below are designed to gently support the nervous system in recognising safety and building greater flexibility over time.
Breathing exercises for nervous system regulation
The breath is unique among autonomic functions because it operates automatically but can also be consciously influenced. This makes breathwork one of the most accessible entry points for affecting nervous system state.
Extended exhale breathing
The exhale is associated with parasympathetic activation, while the inhale is associated with sympathetic activation. By lengthening the exhale relative to the inhale, we may help shift the nervous system toward a more regulated state.
How to practise:
- Find a comfortable position, either seated or lying down
- Begin by simply noticing your natural breath without trying to change it
- Gradually begin to lengthen your exhale. You might inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of six or eight
- Some people find it helpful to exhale through pursed lips or with a soft sighing sound
- Continue for several minutes, adjusting the counts to what feels comfortable
Considerations: If counting feels stressful or you notice yourself becoming more activated, simply return to natural breathing. The goal is ease, not perfection. Some people find that focusing on breath increases anxiety—if this is your experience, other regulation strategies may be more helpful.
The physiological sigh
Research by neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman has examined a natural breathing pattern called the physiological sigh—something humans (and other mammals) do spontaneously when transitioning from stress to calm, such as during sleep or after crying.
How to practise:
- Take a deep breath in through your nose
- At the top of the inhale, take a second, shorter inhale to fully expand the lungs
- Follow with a long, slow exhale through the mouth
- Repeat one to three times as needed
Considerations: This technique appears to work relatively quickly for some people, potentially offering in-the-moment support during periods of heightened stress. However, individual responses vary.
Resonance breathing
Resonance breathing (sometimes called coherent breathing) involves breathing at a rate of approximately five to six breaths per minute, which some research suggests may optimise heart rate variability—a marker associated with autonomic flexibility.
How to practise:
- Inhale slowly for a count of five or six
- Exhale slowly for a count of five or six
- Continue this rhythm for five to ten minutes
- Some people find it helpful to use a pacing app or gentle audio guide
Considerations: This practice may feel unfamiliar at first. Starting with shorter sessions and gradually building duration can help the nervous system adapt.
Vagal toning exercises
The vagus nerve—central to polyvagal theory—passes through several areas of the body where we can potentially influence its activity. The following exercises are thought to stimulate vagal tone, though individual responses vary considerably.
Humming and vocalisation
The vagus nerve innervates the muscles of the larynx and pharynx. Vocalisation practices may help stimulate these vagal pathways, potentially supporting ventral vagal engagement.
How to practise:
- Take a comfortable breath in
- On the exhale, hum at a comfortable pitch, feeling the vibration in your throat and chest
- Continue for several breaths, experimenting with different pitches and volumes
- Variations include chanting “om” or “voo,” singing, or simply making extended vowel sounds
Considerations: Research on chanting practices suggests potential benefits for autonomic regulation, though more research is needed. Some people find these practices deeply calming; others feel self-conscious or activated. Honour your own response.
Cold water application
Brief exposure to cold water, particularly on the face, may activate the “dive reflex”—a parasympathetic response that slows heart rate and promotes calm. This response is thought to involve vagal activation.
How to practise:
- Splash cold water on your face, particularly around the forehead, eyes, and cheeks
- Alternatively, hold a cold, damp cloth or wrapped ice pack against your face for 30 seconds to a minute
- Some people find brief cold showers or ending a warm shower with cold water helpful
Considerations: This technique should be approached gently, particularly for people with heart conditions or blood pressure concerns. The cold should feel refreshing rather than shocking. Start with cool rather than very cold water and notice your response.
Gargling
Vigorous gargling activates the muscles at the back of the throat, which are innervated by the vagus nerve. Some clinicians suggest this as a simple daily practice for supporting vagal tone.
How to practise:
- Take a sip of water
- Tilt your head back and gargle vigorously for 30 seconds to a minute
- The goal is to gargle long enough that you feel some activation in the throat muscles
- Repeat once or twice daily
Considerations: This exercise is simple but can feel awkward initially. Some people notice a sense of relaxation afterward; others don’t notice much effect. Individual variation is normal.
Orienting and grounding exercises
Orienting practices help bring attention to the present moment and immediate environment, which may help signal safety to the nervous system. These exercises draw on the polyvagal understanding that our nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety and threat.
Slow orienting
This practice involves slowly and deliberately taking in the environment, allowing the nervous system to register that the present moment is safe.
How to practise:
- Begin by allowing your eyes to soften and your gaze to widen
- Slowly turn your head to look around the space you’re in
- Let your eyes rest on different objects, noticing colours, shapes, textures, and light
- Move at a pace that feels unhurried—slower than your habitual speed
- You might silently name what you see: “lamp,” “window,” “plant”
- Notice if any objects draw your attention or feel pleasant to look at
Considerations: This practice can be particularly helpful when the mind is racing or when you’re feeling disconnected. Some people find it helpful to do this when entering a new space.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique
This widely-used grounding exercise engages multiple senses to anchor attention in the present moment.
How to practise:
- Name five things you can see
- Name four things you can hear
- Name three things you can physically feel (the chair beneath you, your feet on the floor, air on your skin)
- Name two things you can smell
- Name one thing you can taste
Considerations: This exercise directs attention outward, which can be helpful when internal sensations feel overwhelming. It can be adapted—for example, focusing only on two or three senses if the full sequence feels like too much.
Grounding through the body
This practice brings attention to physical sensations of contact and support, helping to anchor awareness in the present.
How to practise:
- Notice the contact between your body and whatever is supporting you—chair, floor, bed
- Feel the weight of your body being held
- Notice your feet on the ground. Press them gently into the floor and feel the floor pressing back
- Bring attention to your hands. Notice what they’re touching and the temperature and texture of that contact
- Take a moment to notice that, right now, you are supported
Considerations: For some people, particularly those with histories of bodily trauma, internal body awareness can feel uncomfortable or activating. Moving slowly and maintaining the option to open eyes or shift attention outward can help.
Movement-based exercises
Movement can be particularly valuable for working with nervous system states. From a polyvagal perspective, the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state prepares the body for action; allowing that action to complete through movement may help the nervous system return to baseline.
Gentle shaking
Shaking is a natural discharge mechanism observed in animals after threat. Some somatic approaches incorporate intentional shaking as a way to release stored activation.
How to practise:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent
- Begin to gently bounce or shake, letting the movement ripple through your body
- You might start with your hands, then let the shaking spread to your arms, shoulders, and eventually your whole body
- Continue for one to five minutes, or as long as feels comfortable
- When you stop, stand still and notice any sensations
Considerations: Start gently and listen to your body. Some people experience emotional release during or after shaking; this is normal but can feel unexpected. Having support available (a therapist, trusted person, or safe environment) is advisable when first exploring this practice.
Pushing and pressing
These exercises engage the muscles used in “fight” responses, potentially helping to complete protective movements that may have been thwarted during threatening experiences.
How to practise:
- Stand facing a wall at arm’s length
- Place your palms flat against the wall at shoulder height
- Slowly push into the wall, engaging your arms, shoulders, and core
- Hold for several seconds, breathing naturally, then release
- Repeat several times, noticing any sensations
- Variations include pushing against a table, the floor (in a modified push-up position), or pressing your palms together in front of your chest
Considerations: These exercises can help when feeling anxious, irritable, or “stuck.” The key is moving slowly and mindfully, staying connected to the sensations rather than pushing through mechanically.
Slow, mindful walking
Walking at a deliberately slow pace can help shift the nervous system from sympathetic activation toward greater calm.
How to practise:
- Find a space where you can walk slowly without self-consciousness
- Begin walking at a much slower pace than usual
- Notice the sensation of each foot lifting, moving, and placing
- Feel the shift of weight from one leg to the other
- Continue for several minutes, maintaining awareness of physical sensations
Considerations: This practice combines gentle movement with present-moment awareness. Some people find it easier to regulate through slow movement than through stillness.
Social engagement exercises
Polyvagal theory emphasises that the ventral vagal system is deeply connected to social engagement. The muscles of the face, middle ear, and voice are part of what Porges calls the “social engagement system.” Exercises that engage these areas may help support ventral vagal activation.
Soft gaze and facial relaxation
Tension in the face can both reflect and reinforce nervous system activation. Consciously softening the face may help signal safety.
How to practise:
- Allow your jaw to relax and your mouth to soften, perhaps letting your lips part slightly
- Soften your eyes and let your eyelids feel heavy
- Release any tension in your forehead and brow
- Imagine your face becoming warm and soft
- You might gently massage your jaw, temples, or around your eyes
Considerations: Many people hold chronic tension in the jaw and face without realising it. Regular practice of facial softening can become a helpful cue for the nervous system.
Voice modulation
The vagus nerve influences the larynx and affects vocal tone. Deliberately using a warm, modulated voice—whether speaking to others or even to yourself—may help engage the social engagement system.
How to practise:
- Notice the tone of your voice when speaking
- Experiment with speaking more slowly, with more melody and variation in pitch
- Practice speaking in a warm, friendly tone—as you might to a child or beloved pet
- You might read aloud in this voice, or simply talk yourself through a task
Considerations: Research suggests that vocal prosody (the musical quality of speech) is connected to autonomic state. Both producing and hearing warm vocal tones may support regulation.
Listening to calming voices
Because the middle ear muscles are part of the social engagement system, listening to certain types of voices may help cue safety.
How to practise:
- Listen to recordings of calm, warm human voices (podcasts, audiobooks, guided meditations)
- Notice whether certain voices or speaking styles feel particularly soothing
- Consider calling or video-chatting with someone whose voice helps you feel calm
Considerations: The Safe and Sound Protocol, developed by Dr Porges, uses specially filtered music designed to stimulate the middle ear muscles and support nervous system regulation. This is typically delivered through trained providers.
Co-regulation practices
One of polyvagal theory’s key insights is that regulation often happens in relationship. As Deb Dana notes, we are wired to co-regulate—to help regulate each other’s nervous systems through our presence and attunement.
Being with regulated others
Simply spending time with people who feel safe and whose nervous systems are regulated can have a calming effect on our own.
How to practise:
- Notice which people in your life help you feel more settled
- Seek opportunities to be with those people, even for brief periods
- Pay attention to nonverbal cues—their tone of voice, facial expressions, pace of movement
- Allow yourself to “borrow” their regulation without needing to talk about what you’re experiencing
Considerations: For people with relational trauma, co-regulation can feel complicated. The presence of others may trigger protective responses rather than safety. Working with a therapist to gradually build capacity for safe connection can be valuable.
Compassionate self-talk
When co-regulation with others isn’t available, we can offer ourselves a version of the warm, attuned presence we might receive from a caring other.
How to practise:
- Place a hand on your heart or another comforting location
- Speak to yourself in a warm, gentle tone—as you might to a friend in distress
- Use phrases like “This is hard,” “It makes sense that you feel this way,” or “You’re okay”
- Imagine receiving these words from someone who cares about you
Considerations: Self-compassion practices can feel awkward or even activating for some people, particularly those who didn’t receive warm attunement in childhood. Starting small and being patient with yourself is important.
Creating a personal regulation toolkit
The exercises above offer a starting point, but effective nervous system support is highly individual. What helps one person may not help another, and what works in one moment may not work in another.
Building your own toolkit involves experimentation and noticing what actually shifts your state—even slightly. Consider:
- Which practices seem to help when you’re feeling activated (anxious, irritable, overwhelmed)?
- Which practices help when you’re feeling shut down (numb, disconnected, low energy)?
- Are there practices that feel neutral or even uncomfortable? These may not be right for you, or may need modification
- What helps in the moment versus what supports longer-term regulation?
Keep notes on your experiments. Over time, patterns will emerge that can guide you toward more personalised self-support.
Working with a therapist
While self-help practices can be valuable, working with a trained therapist often deepens and accelerates this work. A therapist can:
- Help you understand your unique patterns of activation and shutdown
- Offer co-regulation through their own regulated presence
- Guide you through exercises in a titrated way, helping you stay within your window of tolerance
- Support you in processing underlying trauma that may be driving dysregulation
- Help you adapt practices to your specific needs and history
Modalities that explicitly incorporate polyvagal principles include Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and polyvagal-informed approaches to EMDR. The EMDR Association of Australia can help you find trained practitioners in this country.
In Australia, psychologists registered with AHPRA have met national standards for education and practice. When seeking a therapist, asking about their approach to working with the body and nervous system can help you find a good fit.
Important considerations
These exercises are offered as general information and should not replace professional mental health support. Some important considerations:
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Trauma history: People with significant trauma histories may find that some exercises increase activation rather than calm. This is a normal protective response. Working with a trauma-informed therapist can help navigate these responses safely.
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Medical conditions: If you have cardiovascular conditions, respiratory issues, or other health concerns, consult with your healthcare provider before trying breathwork or cold exposure practices.
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Dissociation: For people who experience dissociation, some body-focused practices may feel uncomfortable or increase disconnection. Starting with externally-focused practices (orienting, 5-4-3-2-1) may be more accessible.
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Individual variation: There’s no “right” response to these exercises. Notice what happens for you without judgement, and adjust accordingly.
Conclusion
Polyvagal theory offers not just an explanation of why our nervous systems respond as they do, but also a framework for supporting change. Through practices that engage breath, body, senses, voice, and connection, we may be able to build greater nervous system flexibility over time.
The exercises in this toolkit are starting points—invitations to experiment with kindness and curiosity. What works for you will emerge through gentle exploration, ideally supported by a therapist who can help you navigate the process safely.
Healing isn’t about eliminating stress responses or achieving permanent calm. It’s about building a more flexible nervous system—one that can meet life’s challenges and return home to safety.
This article is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute medical or psychological advice. If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, please consult a qualified health professional.