A gentle transcutaneous stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, to support parasympathetic tone — the "recovery" side of the autonomic nervous system.
The vagus nerve is the main pathway of the parasympathetic nervous system — the one that governs recovery, digestion and the return to calm after effort or stress. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) applies a gentle, painless current to the concha of the ear, an area innervated by the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.
In healthy volunteers, this stimulation has been associated with reduced sympathetic nerve activity and increased heart-rate variability (HRV), a marker of a better-balanced autonomic nervous system (Clancy et al., Brain Stimulation, 2014).
Functional imaging has helped identify the auricular sites most effective at activating the central projections of the vagus nerve (Yakunina et al., Neuromodulation, 2017). At Superhuman Wellness, the session is calibrated to your profile and often paired with an HRV measurement to make the response objective.
During sustained pressure, the session aims to favour the shift toward the parasympathetic mode and better autonomic balance, measured through HRV.
After intense effort or a phase of fatigue, it fits into a logic of recovery and a return to baseline.
Better-supported parasympathetic tone in the evening helps prepare for sleep onset, alongside good sleep hygiene.
Preventive wellness service, non-medical. Please tell us before the session about: a cardiac pacemaker, a known heart-rhythm disorder, pregnancy. If in doubt, seek a doctor's advice.