Everyone is looking for new ways to relax, whether it's box breathing, weighted blankets, or watching ASMR videos. Many of these methods work by engaging your parasympathetic nervous system, also known as your "rest and digest" mode. A major player in this system is the vagus nerve, which isn't just one nerve but a network of fibers stretching from your brain all the way down to your large intestine.

The Food and Drug Administration has already approved implanted devices that stimulate the vagus nerve to treat epilepsy and depression (via the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research ). Some implanted vagus nerve devices may help with weight loss . Now, companies are developing non-invasive devices that target the vagus nerve through the ear. A branch of the vagus nerve lies close to

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