Daily stimulation of the vagus nerve using micro electrical pulses has been shown to have a positive effect on health and wellbeing.

Decline in the activity of the nerve, particularly as we age, is linked to many minor health issues, such as mood changes, disruption of sleep patterns, problems with digestion and immune system strength, and reduced capacity for exercise.

Nerves are your body’s sensing and control system. They are formed from long chains of neurons, the same cells that make up your brain. Some nerves pass down your spinal column, but others exit the brain directly into parts of the body; these are called cranial nerves, of which your vagus nerve is the longest and most complex.

Parts of your nervous system are responsible for voluntary control, such as the moving of an arm. But other parts are responsible for controlling involuntary functions, such as the heart beating. Medics refer to the voluntary networks as the somatic nervous system (SNS) and involuntary networks as the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The ANS is split into two branches, the sympathetic branch and parasympathetic branch, which work in opposition to one another acting as an accelerator and a brake to shift the body between states of excitation and relaxation. The vagus nerve is part of the braking system -- the parasympathetic branch. It attempts to slow your body down and promote relaxation and healing.

Vagal tone refers to the health and activity of the vagus nerve. Vagal tone has been shown to decline greatly in the over 55s and correlates with a marked increase in age related problems.

Vagal tone can be improved using a range of techniques such as meditation, massages and mindfulness as well as good eating and exercise regimes. But recent studies have shown that direct stimulation of the vagus nerve can both improve vagal tone directly and make it easier to follow the exercise and mindful regimes which also aid in the strengthening of tone.

Scientists and medics are increasingly recommending the use of vagal nerve stimulation as a path to healthier ageing.