The reasearch aims to improve quality of life, mood and sleep by stimulating the vagus nerve which is also known as the ‘wandering nerve’.
The ear is said to be the gateway to our body’s nervous system and a new research suggests that tickling the ear with a small electric current can control the ageing process by 55 seconds by balancing the nervous system.
This research, which was conducted by The University of Leeds had about 29 participants aged over 55 years. Th experiment involved delivering a short daily therapy of a small, painless electrical current to the ear for over two weeks.
The results of this study showcased that this might help people grow old in a more healthy manner and may slow down the adverse effects of aging which includes diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and atrial fibrillation.
It also mentioned that it may equalize and balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the body.
A sympathetic branch of the nervous system which is responsible for the body’s ‘fight or flight’ activity becomes dominant during the old age as compared to the parasympathetic branch which takes care of body’s digestion and resting activities.
When this balance is disturbed, people are more prone to new diseases. With old age, this imbalance can ruin healthy bodily functions.
The scientists behind the research added,
We are excited to investigate further into the effects and potential long-term benefits of daily ear stimulation, as we have seen a great response to the treatment so far. These results are just the tip of the iceberg.
The study also showed that people who displayed immense imbalance at the start of the study experienced the most amount of improvement after the therapy was over.
