For years, exercise aficionados and scientists held that our “fight-or-flight” system took center stage during a workout. But fresh insights from the University of Auckland are challenging this narrative. A recent study found that the vagus nerve—typically linked to the “rest-and-digest” state—is active during exercise and significantly aids in our heart’s pumping power.
“Our study finds the activity in these ‘rest and digest’ vagal nerves actually increases during exercise,” study co-author Rohit Ramchandra, an associate professor with a doctorate in physiology, said in a recent statement on the university’s website.
