Untamed & Unfiltered Wellness
When stress, sleep, focus, or energy start shifting—and the strategies you used to rely on stop working—this podcast helps you understand why and shows you what to do next without spinning your wheels.
Untamed and Unfiltered Wellness is a grounded, no-nonsense podcast for people who want to live well in the real world, busy schedules, demanding jobs, aging bodies and all.
Each episode explores the foundations of holistic living, including:
-Nervous system regulation and stress resilience
-Sleep patterns, recovery, and daily rhythms
-Blood sugar, hydration, and energy stability
-Environmental and lifestyle stressors most people overlook
-Herbal support and somatic practices for sustainable change
This is practical, integrative wellness for real lif, not trends, not hacks and not one-size-fits-all advice.
You’ll walk away with clear insights, usable tools, and realistic shifts you can apply immediately—so your body and mind feel steadier, more supported, and easier to live in.
Hosted by Jo Swensson, Herbalist and Founder of Olivia Bell.
Olivia Bell Co., where education, herbal support and somatic practices meet everyday life.
Untamed & Unfiltered Wellness
Why Can’t I Sleep When I’m Stressed Out? (Ep. 19)
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Stress and sleep are like a toxic duo, one feeds the other, leaving you staring at the ceiling at 2 a.m. wondering why your brain won’t shut up. In this episode of Untamed and Unfiltered Wellness, we’re breaking down the science of the stress-sleep cycle:
- How your HPA axis flips the switch and pumps out cortisol
- Why cortisol blocks melatonin and messes with your circadian rhythm
- The role your amygdala and nervous system play in racing thoughts and 3 a.m. wake-ups
- How poor sleep makes you more reactive and stressed the next day (it’s a vicious cycle, but not a hopeless one)
By the end, you’ll finally get why stress hijacks your nights and what awareness can do to crack the cycle open.
This is Part 1 of my three part Stress + Sleep series. In Episode 20, we’ll talk about what you can actually do at night to calm your system and get some rest.
Substack blog: https://oliviabellwellness.substack.com
Website: https://oliviabell.co
I hope you find some time today for some peace, some plants and some paws!
☮️🌿🐾
Jo
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