The Simple Training Hack Runners Call the 'Holy Grail' for Better Sleep and Faster Recovery
To become a stronger runner, most people focus on the obvious, like logging more miles and fueling properly. But a recent athletic training study from Pulsetto, a wearable vagus nerve stimulation company, found that runners who incorporated vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) into their training routine appeared to sleep better, recover faster, and feel more refreshed.
The vagal nerves are the main nerves of the parasympathetic nervous system, which help regulate functions such as heart rate, digestion, and immune response. Often referred to as the body's "rest and digest" system, it plays an important role in recovery and stress management alike. To test its impact on endurance training, Pulsetto tracked a group of recreational and competitive runners as they prepared for the HOKA Hackney Half Marathon in London.
Participants were given a neck-worn device that delivers gentle electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve and followed personalized VNS protocols throughout their training. Researchers monitored participants using wearable data, including heart rate variability and sleep scores, while also collecting weekly survey responses about recovery, stress, and overall well-being.
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Among the participants was elite runner Nicholas Bester, who logged upwards of 80 miles per week. Over the course of the study, his self-reported morning freshness score increased from 4 out of 10 to 9 out of 10, while his HRV measurements also became more balanced.
On the other end of the spectrum was recreational runner Michael Adeniran, a father of two young children who struggled to balance training with the demands of work and family life. As he became more consistent with the protocol, his self-reported scores for evening relaxation and morning freshness improved from 3 out of 10 to 8 out of 10. Wearable data also showed more frequent higher sleep scores later in the training block. Adeniran even went on to run his fastest half-marathon of the year at HOKA Hackney.
"What this study reinforces is that recovery is just as much neurological as it is physical," says Jone Pukėnaitė, MD, Medical and Science Lead at Pulsetto. "The nervous system is the foundation that every other aspect of training is built on, and when athletes learn to train it intentionally, the results show up across sleep, readiness, and resilience. These runners showed what it looks like to prepare the nervous system the same way you'd prepare your muscles."
According to Pulsetto, VNS works by delivering gentle electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, helping the body shift into a parasympathetic state. This response may lower heart rate, reduce inflammation, and promote relaxation, which can better support recovery efforts between workouts.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 12:17 PM.