WHAT ESSENTIAL OILS CAN HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER ?
Some people sleep like a log (me), some sleep for a bit then wake up for hours and lay there ( my husband ) and others toss all night and don't get a wink.
Let's explore what essential oils and their chemical components have sedative effects. Maybe just maybe they will help you get some zzzz's also make ya feel revitalized in the morning.
Are you not getting seven hours of sleep at night? You’re not alone. According to the CDC, more than one-third of Americans don't get enough sleep. A single night without sleep isn’t usually a big deal, but too many sleepless nights can lead to more serious conditions. Longer term, too little sleep contributes to increased mortality and has been linked to most chronic diseases. In America, an estimated fifty to seventy million people (15 to 20 percent) suffer from sleep disorders. This isn’t just an American problem, a recent study in the Netherlands uncovered that 27.3 percent of all people age twelve and above had some type of sleeping disorder. We literally have a global epidemic on our hands, this is something we need to take seriously because of the ramifications of sleep deprivation are sobering.
So which are you? Good Sleeper, someone that stays awake for some hours or the toss and turn type?
One chronic health condition can increase your risk for developing another. So as I researched about the effects of chronic insufficient and perpetual short sleep (less than seven hours per twenty-four-hour- period) is:
Associated with a range of negative health and social outcomes, including poor performance at school and work.
The known reason of several leading causes of death in the United States: cardiovascular disease, COPD, cancer, accidents, diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and hypertension .
Responsible for causing roughly 5 percent of all obesity cases in adults.
Known to cause a tenfold increased risk of premature death.
Research is clear that adults need at least seven or more hours of sleep per night to experience optimal health and well-being. Our Circadian rhythm is also known as our sleep/wake cycle. It is basically a twenty-four hour internal clock that runs in the background of your brain and cycles between alertness and sleepiness at regular intervals. Brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration and other important biological processes are determined by this cycle. Your circadian rhythm is disrupted when things get in the way like jet lag, daylight savings time or pulling an all nighter. When your sleep rhythm is off you can feel out of sorts, groggy, irritable and it can make it harder to pay attention and it can affect your eating habits and your bowel regularity. Yikes non of that sounds fun, not having enough sleep can really jack you up.
To take a sedative drug or not?
Unfortunately, many people with sleep disorders are prescribed sedative drugs, like benzodiazepines, which were originally designed to reduce anxiety. There are problem with these drugs. Benzodiazepine use has been associated with 35% increase in developing cancer. This drug is also highly addictive. No thank you! Over-the-counter drugs. Most of those sleeping pills are antihistamines. There's no proof that they work for insomnia, and they can cause some drowsiness the next day. Essential oils work, much better, and without side effects!
What are some lifestyle habits for overcoming your sleeping issues?
You can start by sticking to a regular sleep/wake schedule. Make an effort to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day. This reinforces your body's natural sleep/wake cycle. If you start off your day hurried, stress, overwhelmed, groggy, and tired. You'll most likely crash into the bed the same way. Try to set the tone with a short prayer, meditation, or positive affirmation before sleep and when you rise in the morning. Having a relaxing essential oil routine can do wonders for your sleep and an uplifting essential oil routine for the morning as well. Below we will get into what oils can hopefully help you get to sleep and to help you wake up faster. First here are a few things you can do to help increase your odds of getting a great nights sleep.
Take a midday nap. Research has shown that, for healthy younger people, taking a short nap can reduce sleepiness, enhance memory consolidation, prepare your mind for learning, boost executive functioning and is linked to emotional well-being. Be careful not to overdo it, napping too long (more than 30 minutes ) could prove to be counterproductive.
Limit your fluid intake at night. Try to avoid liquids an hour before bedtime so that so you don't wake up to use the bathroom. I would avoid drinking coffee or any caffeinated beverages after 2 pm.
End the day with herbal tea. Make your last drink of the evening a nice cup of soothing caffeine free sleepy-time tea. Here is a recipe you can try 👇🏽
SLEEPY-TIME TEA
1 tablespoon of Aromatherapy Hydrosol German chamomile
1 teaspoon Aromatherapy Hydrosol Linden/ Lime Flower
1 teaspoon of honey
1 slice of lemon
Put hydrosols and honey in a mug , fill with hot water (not boiling) then add your lemon. You can also add the Germain Chamomile hydrosol to hot milk but omit the lemon. This is especially good for people with peptic ulcers. Enjoy trying this recipe.. Good night!
4. Avoid late-night eating. Having a heavy or large meal within a couple of hours of bedtime can cause discomfort that might keep you awake. A little snack is OK, however. A small helping of nuts, bananas, dates, or tuna can help with a decent nights sleep. These foods are high in nutrients that promote sleep. The rule of thumb is don't eat after 7 PM.
5. Avoid nighttime technology. I know this is gonna be hard for a lot of people, but this means no computer games, using your phone, or watching TV for at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime. Technology, emits, blue light, which interferes with brain signals that help you sleep. Plus, your body thinks you're not ready for sleep when you're engaged in these activities.
6. Create a tranquil sleep environment. Declutter your bedroom. Remove computers and TVs if possible or at least turn them off prior to bedtime. Turn off your Wi-Fi router and put your phone on "airplane mode". These electromagnet magnetic frequencies can disturb your sleep cycle. Keep your bedroom at a cool temperature, it is conductive to a good night sleep. And make sure your bedroom is dark as possible.
7. Be comfortable in bed. Hard mattresses aren't always the best. Comfort also extends to what you wear. Don't sleep in tight fitting clothes. They can cause irritation, and sweating and otherwise disturb your sleep.
8. Take a warm bath. It always relaxes the body, especially when you add essential oils to your bathwater. Here is one of my favorite essential oil blends that have a sedative affect on the body.
TKO Sleep Blend
1 drop ylang ylang essential oil
1 drop atlas cedarwood essential oil
1 drop lavender essential oil
1 drop vetiver essential oil
1 drop valerian essential oil
First run your bath water and add some epsom salts. Turn water off then add your essential oils. As you get in let the oils coat your body. Let your body soak in all of these sedative essential oils.
If you do not have all of these oils, it's OK just use another sedative essential oil. Here is some choices you may already have. Roman chamomile, blue chamomile, lemon verbena, patchouli, sandalwood, neroli and ponderosa pine. You can also grab our Rest Bath Salt or Rest Sugar Scrub ( If your not a bath person ).
9. Burn the TKO Sleep blend in a diffuser in your room or any of the other oils I mentioned above. I would set the timer on your diffuser for 1-2 hours then shut off so you can avoid developing sensitivities to the essential oils you're burning.
10. Make a roller ball blend to roll on before sleep. Try this Insomnia Blend
Insomnia Roller Ball Blend
2 drops mandrin essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 drop frankincense essential oil
1 drop cypress
Base oil like coconut oil, jajoba or olive oil Enough to fill the roller ball bottle.
Add the essential oils and then base oil. Add roller ball cap and roll on the bottom of your feet ( big toe is your head according to reflexology ), back of knees, on the pulse points of your wrist and behind your ears.
Getting a better nights, sleep is arguably the most overlooked but effective way to keep your body healthy. With quality sleep, you'll be able to recuperate and regenerate beautifully from long days full of stressors and worries. Let essentials help you get the sleep that you need. If after trying a few of these strategies mentioned above and you are still not enjoying the sleep that you need to feel rested and energized when you wake up in the morning. Then there is probably a deeper issue that needs to be addressed. Most likely you will have some anxiety and stress in your life that needs to be managed, and it is with that in mind that we move onto that subject next week.
I encourage you to try the suggestions mentioned and I Invite you to leave a comment, or click button to take you to our home page where you will see the pop up to sign up.