How to sleep better with Lavender
Stress relief with aromatherapy
According to the Sleep Foundation the events of 2020 have pushed up our stress and anxiety levels which is impacting the quality of our sleep, health and wellbeing.
As well as sapping our energy and making us feel overtired and/or moody, lack of sleep can affect our ability to concentrate during the day and cause brain fog or temporary memory loss. Not ideal when you're busy juggling working from home, kids and everything else.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of highly concentrated essences which have been extracted from plants and flowers (essential oils) for their powerful and therapeutic properties in tiny amounts (drops).
Lavender essential oil
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is arguably the top essential oil for inducing sleep as it’s made up of deeply relaxing compounds. Several studies have found Lavender essential oil to be effective in relieving anxiety, inducing calm, improving sleep quality and treating insomnia. In a 2015 study, participants using lavender oil showed improvement in sleep quality compared to those in a control group.
Ways to use Lavender essential oil
This article by Elle Magazine highlights several ways to use lavender essential oil in your beauty regime including on your face and hair!
Lavender is one of the few essential oils gentle enough to use directly on the skin. A couple of dabs on the inside of your wrists, neck or chest is all you’ll need before bedtime.
Follow the usage guidelines on the bottle and, to be on the safe side, it’s probably best to do a 24-hour patch test if you have very sensitive skin. Pregnant women should take extra care.
Get some restful sleep with Lavender essential oil
Here are my top tips for using Lavender essential oil to reduce stress, anxiety and for promoting a good night's sleep:
A long languishing soak in a luxurious aromatherapy bath
A hand, foot or body massage
Dispersing in the air with a room spray
Using bath and bodycare products infused with essential oils*
Using a diffuser, vaporiser or oil burner
Steam inhalation
Tissue inhalation
Bathing
This is the ideal way to use aromatherapy’s relaxation and sleep benefits while simultaneously taking advantage of the sleep-inducing effects of soaking your body in warm water.
Add 5-8 drops of lavender oil to a tablespoon of sunflower oil which is a light base oil containing waxes which act as a natural emulsifier. As well as moisturising your skin, this will help the essential oil to disperse in the water.
*Or if you prefer a ready-made blend for those days when you're too tired to make your own, add a few drops of Kalabash Organic Bath/Body Oil Relaxing Blend to your bath water before bedtime.
You can also smooth this rich lavender blend and lightweight oil onto damp skin after a warm shower.
*Kalabash Relaxing Mineral Rich Bath Salts are drenched with coconut oil and infused with pure essential oils for a perfect night time treat.
Candles
*Light a clean-burning lavender soy wax essential oil candle in your bedroom for about an hour before bedtime so the fragrance fills the air and creates a calming atmosphere.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
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