Many people have difficulty at various points in their life with falling and staying asleep. Even after a long and busy day, it can be a struggle to truly feel relaxed enough to fall asleep. Stressful life events, demanding projects at work or school and managing family life can all take a toll and a lack of sleep does not leave you at your best!
A restful night starts with a bedroom environment that promotes sleep. A cool temperature and comfortable mattress can relax the mind and body. Hang up your clothes, make your bed in the morning, and try not to let items that belong elsewhere sneak into the room; keep the bedroom a room for sleep! A regular bedtime routine and limiting caffeine, alcohol, and electronic use before bed can help as well.
Essential oils can be a helpful addition to your bedtime routine. These oils are in their purest form and can be added to a diffuser in the bedroom, applied topically, and even taken internally depending on the oil. There are many essential oils which promote rest and relaxation; everybody is different in which oil or combination of oils they may respond to best so try a few out!
Lavender is not surprisingly at the top of the list of essential oils which promote a restful night of sleep. Widely known for its calming properties and light scent, lavender is commonly added to commercial lotions and bubble baths .This potent herb is rich in linalool and linalyl acetate, natural chemical compounds which have been shown to calm the activity of “stress” genes when inhaled. In pure essential oil form, lavender can be diffused aromatically in the bedroom as part of your bedtime routine or added to a relaxing bubble bath. It can be taken internally by adding two to four drops of Lavender oil to an herbal tea such as Chamomile or other uncaffeinated beverage about a half hour before bed.
Essential oils like Vetiver and Cedarwood are stronger smelling oils which really help the brain to wind down for the night. These oils are best combined with a lighter scented oil such as lavender or chamomile in a diffuser. Bergamot is a citrus oil which promotes peace and calming. While most citrus oils are very stimulating, Bergamot is a cheerful scent that helps balance emotions and calm the mind and blends well with other sleep-promoting oils. If muscle and joint pain is causing sleep difficulties, Marjoram can be applied with an oil roller to help bring natural pain relief to the body. Different combinations of oils can help you see drastic changes in the quantity and quality of sleep; hopefully essential oils can help improve your sleep.
