Sleep and the nervous system is a collection of materials on Union Beauty about how stress, hormones, gadgets, nutrition and evening habits affect falling asleep, sleep depth and the feeling of restoration. We explain why the brain gets “stuck” in stress mode even at night, how cortisol and melatonin govern the sleep–wake rhythm, and what to do if you go to bed already exhausted but still wake up feeling shattered. In this selection you will find science-based advice, simple evening rituals, breathing and body practices that gently calm the nervous system and help you regain the feeling of deep, restorative sleep.
#Sleep and the nervous system
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How cortisol and melatonin shape your sleep: what happens to your body clock
What cortisol and melatonin do to your sleep and why your body clock goes off.
Sleep diary and anxiety: how writing helps the brain calm down
How a simple sleep diary reduces night anxiety and teaches the brain to unwind.
Grounding and breathing exercises: gentle practices for better sleep
Simple grounding and breathing exercises that calm the nervous system and help you fall asleep.
Why you feel unbearably sleepy during the day: daytime sleepiness, microsleep and anxiety
Why your eyes close during the day even after a seemingly full night’s sleep.
Screens and social media before sleep: how blue light disrupts biorhythms
How evening screens, endless feeds and blue light quietly steal deep, restorative sleep.
Evening habits that steal your sleep: how to gently change your evenings without strict bans
Evening habits can either calm your nervous system or slowly sabotage your night’s sleep.
How to restore your sleep and calm your nervous system: evening habits, night rest and morning rituals
This article helps you spot evening habits that steal your sleep and offers gentle ways to change them.
Quiet fatigue: how a woman’s body responds to constant stress and why rest no longer helps
Chronic female fatigue often comes from physiology — hormones, stress load and the nervous system.
The body’s favourite hobbies: how gentle activities reduce stress and restore the nervous system
The body’s favourite hobbies: how water, touch, rhythm and light calm the nervous system and gently reduce stress.
How Much Touch Does the Body Need: The Neurophysiology of Tenderness
Touch is not just sensation — it’s the body’s language of safety and healing.
Morning rituals without panic: how to start the day gently and mindfully
A calm morning — how to give your nervous system a gentle start and reboot energy for the brain.
Sunday rituals: how to restore energy
Science-backed Sunday rituals to restore calm, lower cortisol, and recharge your nervous system.