Be Inspired Mama

If you feel constantly overwhelmed, anxious, emotionally numb, or stuck in survival mode, your nervous system may be driving the cycle — not your mindset, motivation, or willpower.
In this episode, we dive into the vagus nerve, the primary nerve responsible for regulating stress, calm, emotional safety, digestion, and connection. When the vagus nerve isn’t supported, the body stays locked in fight-or-flight or shutdown, no matter how much self-care you try to add on.
This conversation breaks down why modern women feel chronically stressed and exhausted, why quick fixes don’t last, and how to work with your nervous system instead of overriding it. You’ll learn how simple, science-backed practices can shift your body out of survival mode and back into calm, clarity, and connection — in real life, not just on retreat.
I also share my personal experience with burnout: doing “all the right things” while still feeling reactive, disconnected, and depleted. What finally changed everything wasn’t more discipline — it was learning how to regulate my nervous system from the inside, in small moments throughout the day.
In this episode, we cover:
▶︎ What the vagus nerve is and why it controls stress, calm, and emotional regulation
▶︎ The difference between fight-or-flight, shutdown, and safety states
▶︎ Why chronic stress isn’t a mindset problem — it’s a nervous system pattern
▶︎ How posture, breath, and focus directly affect vagal tone
▶︎ The “2-3-4 regulation rule”: two minutes, three times a day, for real change
▶︎ Why narrow focus and screens keep the nervous system stuck in survival mode
▶︎ How expanded gaze instantly signals safety to the brain
▶︎ Why cold exposure activates the vagus nerve
▶︎ How long exhales calm anxiety and lower stress hormones
▶︎ Why play and laughter are powerful nervous system regulators
▶︎ How small, consistent regulation reps outperform one-hour self-care routines

Modern wellness culture has taught us to chase fixes: supplements, biohacks, protocols — without ever addressing the root. But real healing doesn’t happen downstream. It happens upstream, where the nervous system, circadian rhythm, and cellular signaling quietly determine how everything else functions.
In this episode, I sit down with Nathalie Niddam, a holistic nutritionist, longevity educator, and internationally recognized expert in peptides and bioregulators. Nathalie has spent decades studying how the body heals itself when we stop overriding it — and start working with its natural intelligence instead.
Together, we explore what peptides and bioregulators actually are, how they differ, and why they’re best understood as signals, not shortcuts. We talk about the concept of “going upstream,” nervous system regulation as the foundation of health, and why no advanced intervention works without basics like light exposure, circadian rhythm, nutrition, and stress recovery in place.
This conversation is not about doing more. It’s about doing things in the right order — and learning when the body needs support versus when it needs space to recalibrate on its own.
You’ll learn:
▶︎ What peptides and bioregulators really are — and how they differ in the body
▶︎ Why bioregulators are considered epigenetic switches rather than stimulants
▶︎ The “upstream vs downstream” model of healing — and why symptoms are not the problem
▶︎ How nervous system regulation sits at the top of the health hierarchy
▶︎ Why circadian rhythm, light exposure, and melatonin influence aging, hormones, and immunity
▶︎ The role of peptides like BPC-157 and copper peptides in repair and regeneration
▶︎ Why peptides are tools — not replacements — for lifestyle foundations
▶︎ When advanced interventions help move the needle, and when they can backfire
▶︎ How to approach peptides and bioregulators safely, intelligently, and ethically
▶︎ Why healing works best when we trust the body’s design instead of constantly overriding it
Resources:
▶︎ The Connection Code by Melissa Sonners
The Connection Code Book: Reset & Realign Your Nervous System
▶︎ Follow Nathalie: Longevity Biohacker and Peptide Expert (@nathalieniddam) • Instagram profile
▶︎ Nathalie’s website: https://natniddam.com
▶︎ Peptide Pro App: PeptidePro - Your all-in-one peptide tool
▶︎ PEMF Mat (Use the code MELISSAS for 15% off): HigherDOSE PEMF Pro Mat

Most nervous system dysregulation doesn’t come from trauma, burnout, or “doing life wrong.” It comes from small, everyday habits we repeat without realizing how deeply they affect our brain, body, and emotional state.
In this episode, I break down three common patterns that quietly keep the nervous system stuck in survival mode — even for women who are doing all the “right” things. These habits are especially common for busy women juggling work, family, and mental load, and they often show up as irritability, anxiety, brain fog, exhaustion, or snapping at the people we love most.
Rather than adding more routines or self-care to your plate, this episode focuses on simple, realistic nervous system resets you can use in real life. We explore how brainwaves, device use, stress repair, and visual focus shape regulation — and how small, consistent shifts can help you return to calm, clarity, and connection throughout the day.
What You’ll Learn
▶︎ Why starting your day on your phone pushes your brain straight into stress mode
▶︎ How theta, alpha, and beta brainwaves affect mood, focus, and emotional regulation
▶︎ Why snapping at loved ones is often a nervous system signal — not a personal failure
▶︎ Simple repair tools to reset after emotional reactions, especially with children
▶︎ How chronic narrow focus keeps the nervous system locked in survival
▶︎ What “expanded gaze” is and why it instantly signals safety to the brain
▶︎ Why short, consistent regulation reps are more effective than long self-care routines
▶︎ How to rewire your nervous system in minutes, not hours

Resources:

▶︎ The Connection Code by Melissa Sonners:
https://beehive.drmelissasonners.com/the-connection-code
▶︎ FREE Circadian Reset Resource: Circadian Rhythm Reset https://beehive.drmelissasonners.com/circadian-rhythm-reset

Modern life quietly disrupts the circadian rhythms that regulate sleep, hormones, energy, mood, and nervous system health. Artificial light, screens, and indoor living keep the brain in a constant “daytime” state — leaving the body overstimulated, anxious, and stuck in survival mode.In this episode, I sit down with circadian biology expert and My Circadian App founder Sarah Kleiner to break down how light exposure, darkness, lux levels, and daily rhythms shape the nervous system at a cellular level. Sarah’s work in applied quantum biology bridges research with real life, showing how working with your circadian biology — not overriding it — can restore calm, mental clarity, sleep, and natural energy.We cover practical, science-backed ways to reset your internal clock, even if mornings are dark or your schedule is busy, and why consistency matters more than perfection when it comes to circadian health.In this episode, you’ll learn:
▶︎ How circadian rhythm disruption shows up as anxiety, poor sleep, and low energy▶︎ Why morning sunlight is one of the most powerful nervous system regulators▶︎ How light exposure affects cortisol, blood sugar, and hormones▶︎ Why indoor and evening light suppress melatonin and deep repair▶︎ Simple ways to reset your body clock without wearables or tracking▶︎ How light environments affect children’s sleep and brain developmentResources
▶︎ The Connection Code by Melissa Sonnershttps://theconnectioncodebook.com/▶︎ Sarah’s website: https://sarahkleinerwellness.com/▶︎ MyCircadian App: https://mycircadianapp.com/

▶︎▶︎Preorder my new book The Connection Code: https://theconnectioncodebook.com/
Your circadian rhythm controls far more than sleep. It regulates your nervous system, hormones, metabolism, immune response, mood, and brain function. When it’s disrupted, it’s only nature for the entire system to feel off. Modern lighting, screens, and indoor living have quietly pulled our bodies out of its natural rhythm, which keeps the nervous system stuck in stress mode even when life slows down.
In this episode, I break down why circadian rhythm is the foundation of nervous system regulation and how light acts as the primary signal that keeps your body in sync. I walk you through a simple, science-backed circadian rhythm reset using morning, midday, and evening light to help your nervous system shift out of fight-or-flight and back into balance. No perfection required, no extreme routines — just practical tools that work with your biology instead of against it.

What You’ll Learn:

Why circadian rhythm is the master regulator of the nervous system

How circadian disruption contributes to anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, and hormone imbalance

The connection between light exposure and cortisol, serotonin, and melatonin

How poor light timing keeps the nervous system in chronic stress mode

Why blue and white light at night interfere with sleep, recovery, and nervous system repair

How light guides brainwave states for focus, creativity, and deep sleep

Simple morning, midday, and evening light habits for a circadian rhythm reset

How restoring rhythm supports energy, mood stability, immune health, and emotional regulation

Why consistency and timing matter more than intensity or perfection

Resources:

Preorder The Connection Code: https://theconnectioncodebook.com/

My FREE resource to reset your circadian rhythm: https://beehive.drmelissasonners.com/circadian-rhythm-reset 

My favorite red light products: https://drmelissasonners.com/red-light-guide/ 

Previous episode on circadian rhythm and light tracking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA-lOK6jgno