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Your Vagus Nerve: The Social Compass

Your vagus nerve isn’t just managing your heart rate; it’s decoding every interaction. Dr. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory reveals how this nerve acts as a **social compass**, quietly deciding if you should connect or defend. It’s the referee of your relationships, tuning in even when you’re not.

The full breakdown — the context, the shift, and a question to sit with — opens in the Insights app.
The thinker
Neuroscientist and Polyvagal Theory Pioneer

Dr. Stephen Porges, the mind behind Polyvagal Theory, reshaped neuroscience by highlighting how the vagus nerve governs both safety and social connection. With over 300 scientific publications, his work bridges biology, emotion, and human interaction.

Based on Polyvagal Theory Explained by Dr. Stephen Porges, summarised and reframed by Insights.

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