Aromatherapy for a good night’s sleep
Aromatherapy for a good night’s sleep
Tonight the clocks go back one hour and I wonder how many of you are looking forward to that extra hour of sleep? I know I am, I LOVE a good night’s sleep but it’s not always guaranteed is it? Noisy neighbours, barking dogs, hormones, snoring and so many other factors can get in the way! Or perhaps you dread the clocks changing because you don’t sleep very well as it is. The good news is that there are a lot of ways you can use aromatherapy to help you get a good night’s sleep and that’s what I’m going to share with you today.
W
hy is sleep so important?
Sleep is vital for good health and wellbeing. This is simply because during sleep your body is regenerating and replenishing itself. Your heart and blood vessels are literally being repaired and your skin cells are renewing themselves. In a nutshell, sleep helps to boost your immune system and allows your body to heal itself.
What exactly is a good night’s sleep?
As good night’s sleep is usually between 6.5 and 8 hours… and is uninterrupted. Just think about how you feel after a bad night’s sleep, you have dark circles around your eyes, you might feel hungrier than usual that day and generally you find it hard to concentrate.
If you have found yourself getting into a pattern of not sleeping don’t give up and try some of these…
Diffusion
Have an oil burner or diffuser in your bedroom. Add 3-5 drops of relaxing essential oils to it half an hour before you plan to go to sleep. Some good examples of oils to help you sleep are Lavender, Frankincense, Neroli, Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Sweet Orange . These oils are natural sedatives and are conducive to sleep.
N.B. Do not leave the oil burner or diffuser on whilst you sleep because although essential oils are natural they are powerful and you can over do it.
A good recipe to try is 2 drops of Lavender, 1 drop of Sweet Orange oil and 2 drops of Ylang Ylang.
Breathing
Deep breathing is seriously underestimated. If you live a busy and stressful life there is a very good chance that your breathing is shallow and this means that not as much oxygen is getting into every cell of your body. Healthy cells need oxygen. It is oxygen that is essential for the assimilation of nutrients and elimination of waste products.
Did you know that regular breathing practice helps you have a clear mind and more balanced emotions?
A good way to improve your breathing is the Butyko Japanese technique, breathing through your nose and not your mouth and trying to expand your breaths
Try this – Breathe in count 1001, 1002, 1003, PAUSE and then exhale 1001, 1002, 1003. Pausing in between breaths is also very important. Try and expand to 1004.
Foot Massage
Just spending 5 minutes before bed to massage your feet is incredibly relaxing and helps you to unwind your body and mind. You could make your own blend using the above recipe, just add them to 10ml of a good carrier oil like Jojoba Oil or use a pre blended massage oil for sleep like our Restore Luxury Body Oil that is packed full of relaxing lavender.
Aromatherapy Massage
Many of my clients report that they have a very deep and good quality sleep following a session and this is partly because all of the above steps are included. I encourage my clients to take deep breaths, to switch off and focus inwards. I use essential oils that are suitable for my client’s needs which are quite often, to relax, to de-stress to fully unwind. The soothing massage techniques all contribute to a relaxed mind and body = ideal for a good night’s sleep.
You can do all of these things on your own but if you would like a tailored package do get in touch.
Don’t Give Up
If you have been struggling to sleep for a while now, maybe months or even years try not to accept that this is how it has to be and consider asking for help to tackle this, be it from a holistic practitioner, a hypnotherapist, a nutritionist. There are so many different causes of being unable to sleep asides from the obvious ones. Start with trying to answer the question ‘when did I stop sleeping well?’ and explore thoughts around that. Break bad cycles by creating new ones and ask for help when you need it.
I hope you have found this blog useful. Remember just one little change can help you reach your goal of getting good night’s sleep. If you would like some help please contact me here.
If you are someone who struggles to have a good night’s sleep I have put together a special Beauty Sleep Gift Set (currently on sale until 31st October) to help you create the right atmosphere here as well as nourishing your skin overnight. For more details about this click here or you might prefer the Sweet Dreams Gift Set.
Feel free to leave comments and questions below.
Until next time, sweet dreams and remember to take care of YOU!
Best wishes Louisa x