Safe and Sound Protocol UK

Vagus nerve stimulation based on Polyvagal Theory

Yawning

Stimulate the part of your brain that supports self-reflection and memory retrieval.

To trigger a deep yawn, do six or seven fake yawns and eventually a real yawn will emerge.
Keep going, and by the 10th or 12th yawn, you may feel changes.

Do you feel relaxed, highly alert and completely present in your body? (Your eyes might start watering and your nose might run — that’s normal.)

Rationale

Yawning stimulates a part of the brain called the precuneus. This part of the brain plays a key role in self-reflection and memory retrieval. Yawning supports our sense of being more self-aware and decreases anxiety. It also supports regulation of the brain’s temperature and metabolism, bringing a sense of increased cognitive awareness and relaxation.

Newberg, A., & Waldman, M. R. (2006). Why we believe what we believe: Uncovering our biological need for meaning, spirituality, and truth. Simon and Schuster.