diff --git a/messages/de.json b/messages/de.json
index 8f654ac76..6e9a48271 100644
--- a/messages/de.json
+++ b/messages/de.json
@@ -3509,18 +3509,6 @@
       "description": "Wie gut sich dein Körper erholt hat – die Erholungs-, Belastungs- und Load-Signale, die dein Wearable über Nacht aufzeichnet.",
       "emptyTitle": "Noch keine Erholungsdaten",
       "empty": "Noch keine Erholungsdaten. Verbinde ein WHOOP-, Polar- oder Oura-Konto, dann füllen sich diese Werte, sobald dein Gerät synchronisiert.",
-      "recharge": {
-        "title": "Recharge",
-        "subtitle": "Ladung des autonomen Nervensystems"
-      },
-      "strain": {
-        "title": "Belastung & Load",
-        "subtitle": "Tägliche kardiovaskuläre Belastung"
-      },
-      "cardio": {
-        "title": "Herz & Energie pro Tag",
-        "subtitle": "Herz- und Energiewerte des ganzen Tages"
-      },
       "block": {
         "ansChargeExplainer": "Wie aufgeladen dein autonomes Nervensystem in den Tag startet – ein Recharge-Wert aus deinen nächtlichen Herz- und Atemsignalen.",
         "dayStrainExplainer": "Die kardiovaskuläre Tagesbelastung auf der Belastungsskala deines Geräts. Lies sie im Verhältnis zu deiner Erholung, nicht als Ziel für sich.",
diff --git a/messages/en.json b/messages/en.json
index accbf337f..c33810296 100644
--- a/messages/en.json
+++ b/messages/en.json
@@ -3509,18 +3509,6 @@
       "description": "How well your body has bounced back — the recovery, strain and load signals your wearable records overnight.",
       "emptyTitle": "No recovery data yet",
       "empty": "No recovery data yet. Connect a WHOOP, Polar or Oura account and these scores fill in once your device syncs.",
-      "recharge": {
-        "title": "Recharge",
-        "subtitle": "Autonomic-nervous-system charge"
-      },
-      "strain": {
-        "title": "Strain & load",
-        "subtitle": "Daily cardiovascular load"
-      },
-      "cardio": {
-        "title": "Daily heart & energy",
-        "subtitle": "Whole-day cardiac and energy totals"
-      },
       "block": {
         "ansChargeExplainer": "How charged your autonomic nervous system is for the day ahead — a recharge reading drawn from your overnight heart and breathing signals.",
         "dayStrainExplainer": "The day's whole-body cardiovascular load on your device's strain scale. Read it against your recovery, not as a goal on its own.",
diff --git a/messages/es.json b/messages/es.json
index 9fa3e2b1e..0a1b03839 100644
--- a/messages/es.json
+++ b/messages/es.json
@@ -3509,18 +3509,6 @@
       "description": "Cómo se ha recuperado tu cuerpo: las señales de recuperación, esfuerzo y carga que tu wearable registra durante la noche.",
       "emptyTitle": "Aún no hay datos de recuperación",
       "empty": "Aún no hay datos de recuperación. Conecta una cuenta de WHOOP, Polar u Oura y estas puntuaciones se completarán cuando tu dispositivo sincronice.",
-      "recharge": {
-        "title": "Recarga",
-        "subtitle": "Carga del sistema nervioso autónomo"
-      },
-      "strain": {
-        "title": "Esfuerzo y carga",
-        "subtitle": "Carga cardiovascular diaria"
-      },
-      "cardio": {
-        "title": "Corazón y energía del día",
-        "subtitle": "Totales cardiacos y de energía de todo el día"
-      },
       "block": {
         "ansChargeExplainer": "Cuán cargado está tu sistema nervioso autónomo para el día — una lectura de recarga obtenida de tus señales nocturnas de corazón y respiración.",
         "dayStrainExplainer": "La carga cardiovascular del día en la escala de esfuerzo de tu dispositivo. Léela en relación con tu recuperación, no como una meta en sí.",
diff --git a/messages/fr.json b/messages/fr.json
index 9c1a433c0..38a840ea8 100644
--- a/messages/fr.json
+++ b/messages/fr.json
@@ -3509,18 +3509,6 @@
       "description": "À quel point votre corps a récupéré : les signaux de récupération, de charge et d'effort que votre wearable enregistre la nuit.",
       "emptyTitle": "Pas encore de données de récupération",
       "empty": "Pas encore de données de récupération. Connectez un compte WHOOP, Polar ou Oura et ces scores se rempliront dès que votre appareil se synchronise.",
-      "recharge": {
-        "title": "Recharge",
-        "subtitle": "Charge du système nerveux autonome"
-      },
-      "strain": {
-        "title": "Effort et charge",
-        "subtitle": "Charge cardiovasculaire quotidienne"
-      },
-      "cardio": {
-        "title": "Cœur et énergie du jour",
-        "subtitle": "Totaux cardiaques et énergétiques de la journée"
-      },
       "block": {
         "ansChargeExplainer": "À quel point votre système nerveux autonome est rechargé pour la journée — une mesure de recharge issue de vos signaux nocturnes de cœur et de respiration.",
         "dayStrainExplainer": "La charge cardiovasculaire de la journée sur l'échelle d'effort de votre appareil. Lisez-la au regard de votre récupération, pas comme un objectif en soi.",
diff --git a/messages/it.json b/messages/it.json
index 77ba27740..489c26670 100644
--- a/messages/it.json
+++ b/messages/it.json
@@ -3509,18 +3509,6 @@
       "description": "Quanto bene il tuo corpo si è ripreso: i segnali di recupero, sforzo e carico che il tuo wearable registra durante la notte.",
       "emptyTitle": "Ancora nessun dato di recupero",
       "empty": "Ancora nessun dato di recupero. Collega un account WHOOP, Polar o Oura e questi punteggi si popoleranno appena il dispositivo si sincronizza.",
-      "recharge": {
-        "title": "Ricarica",
-        "subtitle": "Carica del sistema nervoso autonomo"
-      },
-      "strain": {
-        "title": "Sforzo e carico",
-        "subtitle": "Carico cardiovascolare giornaliero"
-      },
-      "cardio": {
-        "title": "Cuore ed energia del giorno",
-        "subtitle": "Totali cardiaci ed energetici dell'intera giornata"
-      },
       "block": {
         "ansChargeExplainer": "Quanto è carico il tuo sistema nervoso autonomo per la giornata — una lettura di ricarica ricavata dai segnali notturni di cuore e respiro.",
         "dayStrainExplainer": "Il carico cardiovascolare della giornata sulla scala di sforzo del tuo dispositivo. Leggilo in rapporto al tuo recupero, non come obiettivo a sé.",
diff --git a/messages/pl.json b/messages/pl.json
index 6bd2a8336..9b66dda9e 100644
--- a/messages/pl.json
+++ b/messages/pl.json
@@ -3509,18 +3509,6 @@
       "description": "Jak dobrze Twój organizm się zregenerował – sygnały regeneracji, obciążenia i load, które Twoje urządzenie rejestruje w nocy.",
       "emptyTitle": "Brak danych o regeneracji",
       "empty": "Brak danych o regeneracji. Połącz konto WHOOP, Polar lub Oura, a te wyniki uzupełnią się po synchronizacji urządzenia.",
-      "recharge": {
-        "title": "Recharge",
-        "subtitle": "Ładowanie autonomicznego układu nerwowego"
-      },
-      "strain": {
-        "title": "Obciążenie i load",
-        "subtitle": "Dzienne obciążenie sercowo-naczyniowe"
-      },
-      "cardio": {
-        "title": "Serce i energia w ciągu dnia",
-        "subtitle": "Całodobowe sumy sercowe i energetyczne"
-      },
       "block": {
         "ansChargeExplainer": "Jak naładowany jest Twój autonomiczny układ nerwowy na dany dzień — odczyt regeneracji oparty na nocnych sygnałach serca i oddechu.",
         "dayStrainExplainer": "Dzienne obciążenie sercowo-naczyniowe na skali wysiłku Twojego urządzenia. Odczytuj je w odniesieniu do regeneracji, nie jako cel sam w sobie.",
diff --git a/src/components/insights/__tests__/device-score-surfaces.test.tsx b/src/components/insights/__tests__/device-score-surfaces.test.tsx
index 73ae8e968..0018b2cab 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/__tests__/device-score-surfaces.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/__tests__/device-score-surfaces.test.tsx
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ describe("<RecoverySection> data-gating", () => {
     // Routed through the shared <EmptyState> (dashed bordered card), not the
     // old hand-rolled div — the empty title comes from the unified primitive.
     expect(html).toContain("border-dashed");
-    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-group-strain"');
+    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-block-DAY_STRAIN"');
   });
 
   it("renders a canonical chart block for the present signal", () => {
@@ -218,13 +218,18 @@ describe("<RecoverySection> data-gating", () => {
       }),
     );
     const html = render(<RecoverySection />);
-    expect(html).toContain('data-slot="recovery-group-strain"');
+    // v1.18.6 — the per-group sub-headings are gone; present blocks render as
+    // one flat stack. The data gate now reads at the block level.
     expect(html).toContain('data-slot="recovery-block-DAY_STRAIN"');
     // B3 — the redundant "Recovery score" cross-link block is gone; this
     // surface is reached from the overview already.
     expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-score-link"');
-    // The recharge group (ANS charge only) has no data → hidden.
-    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-group-recharge"');
+    // The recharge group's only signal (ANS charge) has no data → its block
+    // is dropped.
+    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-block-ANS_CHARGE"');
+    // The removed sub-headings must not reappear.
+    expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-group-strain"');
+    expect(html).not.toContain("Strain &amp; load");
     // Empty note must not show when at least one signal is present.
     expect(html).not.toContain('data-slot="recovery-empty"');
   });
diff --git a/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-metric-block.tsx b/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-metric-block.tsx
index 09265d492..88527e76e 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-metric-block.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-metric-block.tsx
@@ -77,12 +77,12 @@ export function RecoveryMetricBlock({
             className="text-muted-foreground size-4 shrink-0"
             aria-hidden="true"
           />
-          {/* v1.18.1 — block title is an `<h3>` (kept at `text-base`): it
-              nests under the group `SectionHeading` `<h2>`, which itself
-              sits under the page `<h1>` from `SubPageShell`. Demoting it
-              keeps the recovery page's heading outline strictly nested
-              (h1 → h2 → h3) instead of stacking two sibling `<h2>`s. */}
-          <h3 className="text-base font-semibold">{title}</h3>
+          {/* v1.18.6 — block title is an `<h2>` (at `text-base`): the per-group
+              sub-headings were removed, so each block now sits directly under
+              the page `<h1>` from `SubPageShell`. Promoting it from `<h3>` keeps
+              the recovery page's heading outline strictly nested (h1 → h2)
+              with no skipped level. */}
+          <h2 className="text-base font-semibold">{title}</h2>
         </div>
         <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm leading-relaxed">
           {explainer}
diff --git a/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-section.tsx b/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-section.tsx
index 9fa4ba138..701442858 100644
--- a/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-section.tsx
+++ b/src/components/insights/recovery/recovery-section.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import { useInsightsAnalytics } from "@/hooks/use-insights-analytics";
 import { useAnalyticsQuery } from "@/lib/queries/use-analytics-query";
 import { useTranslations } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { EmptyState } from "@/components/ui/empty-state";
-import { SectionHeading } from "@/components/insights/section-heading";
 import { ChartSkeleton } from "@/components/charts/chart-skeleton";
 import { RestModeBanner } from "@/components/insights/rest-mode-banner";
 import type { RestModeAnnotation } from "@/lib/analytics/health-score";
@@ -36,9 +35,6 @@ interface BlockSpec {
 
 interface BlockGroup {
   key: string;
-  headingIcon: typeof Activity;
-  title: string;
-  subtitle: string;
   blocks: BlockSpec[];
 }
 
@@ -84,9 +80,6 @@ export function RecoverySection() {
   const groups: BlockGroup[] = [
     {
       key: "recharge",
-      headingIcon: Battery,
-      title: t("insights.recovery.recharge.title"),
-      subtitle: t("insights.recovery.recharge.subtitle"),
       blocks: [
         {
           type: "ANS_CHARGE",
@@ -103,9 +96,6 @@ export function RecoverySection() {
     },
     {
       key: "strain",
-      headingIcon: Gauge,
-      title: t("insights.recovery.strain.title"),
-      subtitle: t("insights.recovery.strain.subtitle"),
       blocks: [
         {
           type: "DAY_STRAIN",
@@ -143,9 +133,6 @@ export function RecoverySection() {
     },
     {
       key: "cardio",
-      headingIcon: HeartPulse,
-      title: t("insights.recovery.cardio.title"),
-      subtitle: t("insights.recovery.cardio.subtitle"),
       blocks: [
         {
           type: "AVERAGE_HEART_RATE",
@@ -190,10 +177,6 @@ export function RecoverySection() {
   if (isLoading || summaries == null) {
     return (
       <div className="space-y-3" data-slot="recovery-loading">
-        <SectionHeading
-          icon={Battery}
-          title={t("insights.recovery.recharge.title")}
-        />
         <ChartSkeleton />
       </div>
     );
@@ -210,51 +193,36 @@ export function RecoverySection() {
     );
   }
 
+  // v1.18.6 — the per-group sub-headings ("Recharge" / "Strain & load" /
+  // "Daily heart & energy") are gone: read next to the page's "Erholung"
+  // heading they were redundant chrome. The groups still drive ORDER + the
+  // data gate (a group with no present block contributes nothing); their
+  // present blocks now render as one flat, evenly-spaced stack, each block
+  // carrying its own title + explainer so nothing loses context.
+  const presentBlocks = groups.flatMap((group) =>
+    group.blocks.filter((block) => (summaries[block.type]?.count ?? 0) > 0),
+  );
+
   return (
     <div className="space-y-8" data-slot="recovery-section">
       {/* v1.18.1 — calm Rest Mode cue at the head of the recovery surface.
           Self-gating: renders nothing unless an episode is active. */}
       <RestModeBanner annotation={restMode} />
-      {groups.map((group) => {
-        const present = group.blocks.filter(
-          (block) => (summaries[block.type]?.count ?? 0) > 0,
-        );
-        if (present.length === 0) return null;
-        return (
-          <section
-            key={group.key}
-            data-slot={`recovery-group-${group.key}`}
-            className="space-y-4"
-          >
-            <SectionHeading
-              icon={group.headingIcon}
-              title={group.title}
-              action={
-                <p className="text-muted-foreground text-xs">
-                  {group.subtitle}
-                </p>
-              }
-            />
-            <div className="space-y-8">
-              {present.map((block) => (
-                <RecoveryMetricBlock
-                  key={block.type}
-                  type={block.type}
-                  chartKey={block.chartKey}
-                  statusMetric={block.statusMetric}
-                  title={block.title}
-                  explainer={block.explainer}
-                  icon={block.icon}
-                  color={block.color}
-                  unit={block.unit}
-                  summary={summaries[block.type] ?? null}
-                  fractionDigits={block.fractionDigits}
-                />
-              ))}
-            </div>
-          </section>
-        );
-      })}
+      {presentBlocks.map((block) => (
+        <RecoveryMetricBlock
+          key={block.type}
+          type={block.type}
+          chartKey={block.chartKey}
+          statusMetric={block.statusMetric}
+          title={block.title}
+          explainer={block.explainer}
+          icon={block.icon}
+          color={block.color}
+          unit={block.unit}
+          summary={summaries[block.type] ?? null}
+          fractionDigits={block.fractionDigits}
+        />
+      ))}
     </div>
   );
 }