A little over a year ago I went deeper into physical healing journey, explored how to support my body in healing itself with the use of natural solutions. Getting a restful night’s sleep was on a top priority, as it had been getting harder and harder to sleep more than 3 hours a night. I know I’m not alone when it comes to not getting restful sleep.
As adults we should be getting 8 hours of sleep. But we live in a busy, fast pace world with lots of technology and lots of stress; not to mention those of us taking care of kiddos or loved ones. Very few of us take time for real self-care. I didn’t learn the importance of self-care until my third kiddo came along. And even then…I still kept a fast pace life. Personally, I burned out on my crazy life and had to made some big changes. One of them was making the choice to live life on the road. So, I thought I’d share what I have found to work in helping me find the restful sleep I so much needed.
Choosing a healthier lifestyle involves nurturing your Mind, Body and Soul.
I made healthier food choices, as well as, adding essential supplements, vitamins and nutrients, that our bodies need to thrive but can’t necessarily get from the foods we eat; and of course, exercise. Even if you have limited mobility like myself, any kind of movement is better than none. Yoga, walking, even dancing works at getting my body moving. I know when I include movement I rest better. The supplements I take are doTERRA’s Lifelong daily vitality pack. But it doesn’t stop there…
More and more people are waking up to the importance of holistic care, looking at the body as a whole. When we do this we nurture not only our bodies, but our minds and our soul. Finding ways to to that is something I enjoy and am moved to share with anyone interested. On my journey, I started with changing my diet, adding essential supplements and finding ways to relax.
I also use essential oils, in various ways.
I use them in self massage blends, to help me relax as well as diffuse blends to provide aromatherapy. I place a few drops on my pillow, make linen sprays or put them in a diffuser. I even roll them on the bottom of my feet, temples, chest and/or wrists. My go to oil is Lavender, it’s calming and soothing; and it’s safe to use on little ones as there are times they too struggle to sleep. I also use Serenity our restful blend and Vetiver a grounding oil, both on my body and diffuser. Some other favorites are Roman Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Rose and Clary Sage. I recently learned about studies showing that Clary Sage reduces cortisol (stress hormone) by 36% when inhaled. Roman Chamomile is known for its calming properties, as well as raising our spirits. Rose has the highest plant vibration and when your vibration is high, low vibrations like sadness or even sickness can’t take over. That in itself is a great reason to incorporate essential oils into our lives. Rose has tranquility, grounding and calming properties. Bergamot another favorite, oil of self love, it helps slow our pulse rate supporting relaxation and calmness. Ylang Ylang, such an intoxicating exotic scent, a little goes a long way with any oil but especially with this one. It’s both calming and uplifting and relaxes our senses, also known to reduce cortisol levels. Also, for those who suffer with respiratory issues at night Breathe our respiratory blend seems to make a difference in allowing for more restful sleep.
I also started meditating daily, twice a day, morning and evening. Morning meditation became part of my morning ritual, a way to start my day dialed in sorta speak, connected to my higher self. The evening meditations, help me relax, quieting my mind before bed. Diffusing oils also supports meditation. Some of my favorites are Sandalwood, Manuka and Balance our grounding blend. I started out using Apps like “Relax Melodies” as it allowed me to choose from various sounds to go with their meditations; but there are plenty of apps to choose from. Though I still use them I also do shamanic journeying and chanting meditations, as well. Taking time to unplug from social media and read, also helps me unwind before bed.
Taking a bath or shower before bed also helps relax your Mind, Body and Soul. Adding some essential oils to your bath water with some epson salt is perfect for relaxing tired muscles. Just remember to add your oils to the salt then to the water. You can even make little shower bombs that melt in the shower and diffuse oils while you shower. Or you can simply put a drop or two of Lavender essential oil in your body soap.
I don’t know what I would do…
if I didn’t have Serenity and Copaiba softgels. These two together are a power house. They not only help me relax and sleep at night but they also, support me during the day with anxious feelings. Serenity softgels is a mix of Lavender essential oil, Green Tea amino acid and three botanicals to help with relaxation. Copaiba known for its calming properties is also used to reduce pain because it’s a natural anti- inflammatory. Studies show that the BCP, which is found in Copaiba essential oil, has been found to help even more conditions when compared to the popular CBD oil. Something to look into for those familiar with CBD oil.
I just got my hands on a bottle of Spikenard, a plant from the Valerian family, known to promote sleep and reduce stress. In Ayurvedic medicine, it’s used for treating sleeping troubles, so I thought I’d give it a try.
Lastly, having a Creative Practice…
I love accessing my right brain through my arting time, be it art journaling, painting or even coloring. It’s a wonderful practice to tap into your right brain through art…it’s both healing and a way to receive messages from Spirit by way of symbols and images.
Want to learn more about Essential Oils. Join my Moonlight Essentials Oil Tip FB group or reach out to me with any question!