Our feet have more nerve endings than any other part of our bodies. There are some 7000 nerve endings in each foot, which make them incredibly sensitive to touch. If you've ever had a reflexology session, or if you've ever just given yourself a foot massage, then you know how pleasantly relaxing it can be! But did you know stimulation of the nerves in our feet also has some pretty impressive health benefits?

The nerves in our feet

The feet are the most sensitive part of your body. They contain more nerve endings than any other part of you, including your fingertips, tongue and lips. These nerve endings can be stimulated by a variety of factors such as heat or coldness; pressure applied by massage tools like stones and rollers; vibration (think: foot massager); even colours that catch your eye!

For most of the time, our feet are wrapped up in socks and shoes, so the nerve endings can go unstimulated. Reflexology unleashes the healing power of your nervous system by stimulating the nerves in your feet to promote health and wellbeing.

What is the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve is one of the 12 cranial nerves. It's the longest of these nerves and responsible for regulating heart rate, digestion and other involuntary bodily functions. The vagus has two branches: one connects to your heart; another connects to your lungs and stomach. When it comes to reflexology treatment, we only focus on how this nerve affects your digestive system because it plays such a crucial role in our overall health and well-being.

Reflexology stimulates the vagus nerve, which sends information between your brain and various organs in the body. This can lead to improved digestion, heart rate regulation and hormone production.

Foot reflexology stimulates neural pathways

Reflexology stimulates neural pathways to your brain, which can help you relax and feel better.

It also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which calms down our bodies when we're stressed out. It does this by decreasing our heart rate, blood pressure and even breathing patterns so we feel more relaxed overall--and it's great for reducing anxiety!

Stimulating these pathways also your increases energy levels by prompting an increase of adrenalin during activity periods throughout the day and night. This could be beneficial if you have low energy levels but still wants a high output from your workouts each day without having much time available outside their normal schedule beforehand due to time constraints.

We've covered a lot in this article, but the main takeaway is that reflexology is a powerful tool for stress relief. It can be used to treat many different conditions and disorders, including depression and anxiety. If you're interested in learning more about how reflexology can help you with your particular symptoms or concerns, please contact us today!

For more information about reflexology or any of the treatments I offer, please get in touch with me at Bodyworks Reflexology.