Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sleep


Lately, I have had some people ask what to do about getting to sleep.  It seems lately that there are many people who are having a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep.  Here are a few things we have tried in our house that work well for us:


  • Lavender Essential Oil:  Take 4 drops of a carrier oil (such as sweet almond or jojoba) and 4 drops of lavender.  Rub hands together then rub on the bottom of each foot.  Any remaining oil rub on your chest and back of neck.
  • Valerian Essential Oil:  Use the same way as lavender.  I have used 2 drops of lavender and 2 drops of valerian with excellent results
  • Valerian Tincture:  This is a medicine that is made by tincturing the valerian herb in vodka for 6 weeks.  Take 1 dropperful (about 40 drops) in a glass of water about 20 min before going to bed. 
  • Chamomile/Lavender/Hops Tea:  Use 1 teaspoon and allow to seep for 15 min.  Then drink before bedtime.  I add some raw honey to help with taste and it's been proven in various studies to help with coughing and sore throats.  

These are thing that we use most often.  There isn't a night that we aren't using at least lavender oil.  It's on our night stand already mixed with some jojoba oil in a dropper bottle.  Here are some great places to get essential oils:


Try to make sure when getting essential oils that they are therapeutic grade.  There are some companies out there that cut their oils with other ingredients.  At Mountain Rose Herbs you can get herbs such as valerian, chamomile, lavender, and hops to make your own sleepy tea.  

They have great recipes there too. Some behavioral things you can do is dim the lights about 30 min before you are going to go to bed.  Also, limiting caffeine or stimulants in your diet.  Try to turn off your technology about 30 min to an hour before bedtime.  Lastly, meditation is a great way to calm the body and mind to assist in falling asleep.

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