Whether it’s an anxiety-inducing work meeting or a particularly intense day with your child(ren) sometimes, no matter how many calming breaths you take, you just can’t override those moments of stress.
Well, thank God for TikTok and it’s never-ending supply of life hacks. Dr Karan Raj has gone viral with his “instant tool for calmness” and it couldn’t be easier. According to Dr Raj, all youhabe to do is hum for ten seconds, gargle water in your throat or just sing. The hack works by activating the muscles at the back of the throat and vocal cords, which are connected to the all-important vagus nerve. Running from the brain through the thorax and down to the abdomen, the vagus nerve is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, aka our “rest and digest” mode. Humming, singing or gargling will increase vagal tone and in term, promote a state of relaxation.
According to Dr Raj, this trick has the added bonus of “increasing your heart rate variability, which means your body is more capable of adapting to stressful situations.”
The viral vid has racked up 22.4k likes, 2232 saves and 281 comments, with plenty of Dr Raj’s followers saying they often sing when they’re stressed or anxious. So, whether it’s a nostalgic 00s banger or the Paw Patrol theme tune (hey, we’ve all been there) you know what to do next time you feel those stress levels rising.
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