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Lavender Essential Oil: Relax, Release, and Rest

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Lavender Aromatherapy Essential Oil

I recently began a new series of posts here on the self help blog dealing entirely with essential oils and aromatherapy.

I have become a HUGE fan of essential oils and find myself turning to them first, as opposed to last, when I have a headache, stiff neck, nighttime restlessness, or morning grogginess. I am loving all the fascinating ways essential oils can be used to improve your health, mind, and… well to be perfectly honest… your quality of life.

One of my absolute favorite essential oils, Lavender, is one of the oils I never allow myself to run out of.

Relax, Release, Rest.

Lavender is associated with relaxation and for a very good reason. There is something incredibly relaxing and comforting about the fragrance of lavender. The scent, alone, seems to condition your mind and body that it’s time to relax, release, and rest.

I use lavender aromatherapy and essential oil absolutely everywhere in the bedroom and master bath.  Candles, pillow sprays, essential oil… you name it, it’s there. I want that entire area of the house to feel like a relaxing spa and have achieved the desired effect. Lavender causes your body and mind to unwind and I love the way that feels (head to toe) at the end of a long day.

Have you ever tried to “think” your way to relaxation? Let’s be honest, it’s only so effective. While we try to make our thoughts concentrate on “relax, relax, relax.” another part of our mind answers back, “but.. I… can’t… because….” Then we’re right back to square one.

Lavender seems to have magical powers over the part of the brain that’s always a wiseguy! Maybe it lulls him to sleep. Whatever the trick is, I am mesmerized by it.

Lavender Essential Oil helps your muscles AND mind relax. THEN you are able to release the stress, cares, and worries that pile up over the course of the day.

You know what comes next, don’t you? The best rest you have had in a very long time.

Due to its relaxing aroma, lavender oil is often the only sleep aide needed to help sleep come faster. That’s why I routinely spray a little lavender essential oil on my pillow.  There is even a Lavender Spray on Amazon that helps release tension and soothe the body and mind as you prepare for sleep. It’s made my Bath and Body Works and it is the best one on the market.

More Than Just Relaxing

Lavender oil actually has even more going on for it than stress relief and relaxation, however. It is believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties as well. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I suffer from plantar fascitiis. I’ve found that lavender oil salts are the only thing that causes the pain to let up. I have also rubbed lavender essential oil directly on my foot for relief as well.

When I recommend essential oils, lavender is usually the first one out of my mouth. There are so many that have wonderful benefits, but lavender has what I consider to be one of the best effects you can hope for – RELAXATION.

If you’re new to the world of aromatherapy and essential oils, I hope you’ll keep a very open mind about their usefulness. I once kind of doubted that they were as “wonderful” as people said they were.

After using them for months, now, I realize that the people who claimed they were “wonderful” didn’t do them any justice. They’re far better than that.

~ Joi


The Importance of Sleep for Your Mental Health

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Tulip and Huck

by Brooke Faulkner

Sleep. It’s not just a morning love affair with your warm cozy bed, it’s essential to your survival. It is as important as eating, breathing, and keeping an adequate water intake. Slumber is a way to refresh your eyes and your body while the brain restores itself. It helps your mind clear out the unnecessary “clutter” that accumulates within it throughout the day. Sleep helps you in your waking life to make decisions, create and organize memories, make creative connections, and learn/remember how to perform specific physical tasks.

Despite the importance of sleep on our functioning, it is severely lacking. In the US, 70 million adults suffer from some type of sleep disorder. Insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and movement syndromes (commonly known as restless leg syndrome) are only a few of the most common 70 different types of known sleep disorders.

Over half of all insomnia cases in the United States directly correlate to psychological stress, anxiety, and depression. Chronic sleep problems affect 50 to 80 percent of patients seen in a psychiatric practice, compared to just 10 to 18 percent of the general U.S. population.

The point: those suffering with depression and anxiety are more prone to sleep disorders, and those with sleep disorders are more prone to suffer from anxiety and depression.

Cause or Effect?
For many years, sleep problems were thought to be a symptom of mental problems, but new studies suggest that the opposite may be true. New or worsening mental health conditions may actually stem directly from a lack of sleep.

A lack of sleep can cause a decrease in alertness and diligence along with a general decline in mood and energy. Sleep issues such as insomnia have more than just drowsy effects on your brain. They have negative effect on other parts of the body like the central nervous system, the immune system, the digestive system, and the respiratory tract.

Whether a lack of sleep is causing an increase in mental illness issues, or the mental illness issues are causing a lack of sleep, both exacerbate one another, and trying to pinpoint which came first will really only keep us going in circles. So instead of searching for the answer to which came first, let’s focus on what is easily within reach. Sleep; let’s get some.

Focus on these to improve sleep:

Sleep Hygiene: This involves creating a series of different habits that are necessary to have a restful slumbrous sleep.

  • Make sure you are spending an appropriate amount of time asleep.
  • Limit daytime naps to 30 minutes or less.
  • Avoid caffeine and other stimulants like nicotine before bedtime.

Live Stressless:

Feng Shui your bedroom:

Mental health issues can go far deeper than a sleep problem and often need specific treatments on their own to be resolved or relieved. But correcting one pillar of health, one habit that directly affects mental stability, can help make overall treatment more effective. At the end of the day, it may not be the end-all-be-all but treating a sleep problem can help to alleviate the mental health issues an individual is suffering from. By addressing what is within your control, and acknowledging the status of your own mental health, you can help yourself contribute to an effective treatment.


The Fascinating World of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Benefits Beyond Belief!

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Sweet Orange and Eucalyptus Essential Oils

Sweet Orange and Eucalyptus Essential Oils

Admittedly, I can often be “late to the party.” I’ve always blamed this phenomenon on being an only child. When you live in your own little world, sometimes news travels in (and out, at times) slowly.

Truth is, sometimes it trickles in.

Whatever the reasons, people all around me (literally… as in my own family, but more about her in a minute) have been using, loving, and swearing by essential oils for months upon months and I am just now really jumping on board.

Only child or not, a debilitating headache that isn’t responding to either Ibuprofen OR hot showers will leave you searching for relief. Here’s where my essential oil expert daughter comes into play.

My youngest daughter, Stephany, has been a HUGE believer in and user of essential oils and aromatherapy for years, now.  I knew this and appreciated a few of them – such as lavender (my favorite scent) and citrus (very close second). I’ve known the beauty of lavender long before the phrase “essential oils” came into play. However, whenever she talked about peppermint for pain relief or eucalyptus for congestion, I don’t know, I guess I thought, “Well, it clearly works for her, but I’m sure it wouldn’t work for me.”

Then came the headache from the inner circle of hell, and I found myself willing to find out!

Peppermint Essential Oil

I told her about the headache and she gave me a bottle of Peppermint Essential Oil and a “carrier oil.” She uses Jojoba Oil as her “carrier oil.”

What’s a carrier oil? Sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? It is simply an unscented base oil that you add a few drops of essential oil to before applying it. Steph uses Jojoba Oil she buys off of Amazon. I found Avocado Oil at Meijer that I’ve used. Some people use coconut oil – although I’d think the scent would combine with the essential oil’s aroma and be an issue.

Back to the evil headache. I added a few drops of the peppermint essential oil to the Jojoba oil and rubbed it directly on my forehead.  Playing the role of Doubting Thomas, I wasn’t actually expecting much (if any) relief, so I didn’t actually “time” how long it took for relief to come. If I were to guess, however, it was less than five minutes.

The pain literally faded away and a headache that had hounded me for hours was a thing of the past.

She had my undivided attention at this point.

It turns out, Peppermint Essential Oil has a very strong, proven history with alleviating pain. Since the headache experience, I’ve used it on everything from neck tension to leg cramps.

It never lets me down. I have no idea what magic it has up its oily sleeve and, frankly, I don’t care – it brings relief without doubling down on Ibuprofen and that’s all I could ask for.

Avocado Oil Base Oil or Carrier Oil

Recently, while shopping at Meijer and I went to their essential oil section. This essential oil convert loaded up on several – as well as the avocado base or carrier oil.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Fast forward a few months – I came down with my annual cold (he arrives with his nasty attitude every year between January 1 -January 10). Being an “extra” kind of gal, I ALWAYS get bronchitis at the end of my cold. I have no idea if it’s because I have asthma or if I’m just terribly lucky, but without fail – it happens each and every year, dating back to when I was in Elementary School.

I’m nothing if not consistent.

When my chest was insanely congested, I would rub a little Eucalyptus oil (along with the Avocado Oil) directly on my chest. The relief was amazing. However, the BEST way I put the Eucalyptus Oil to work was (naturally at the advice of Steph) by adding a few drops directly on the floor of the shower. While taking a warm shower, the Eucalyptus surrounds you and clears your chest, head, or anything else that might need it!

Essential Oils

 

I’m in the process of giving Self Help Daily a much-needed overhaul – more about that in the next post. I will be adding a great deal of information about essential oils and aromatherapy. In fact, I’ve created a new category for each. There is simply too much natural-healing to be enjoyed and experienced with essential oils to ignore them any longer.

I’m reading and researching like a college student in search of passing grades when it comes to essential oils and I’ll be sharing everything I come across here on the self help blog. I’m excited to see just how many miracles these oils can bring about. (Naturally I’m being very liberal with the word miracles here…. a cured headache has that effect on me.)

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Steph gifted me with more essential oils for Christmas – my beloved lavender, eucalyptus, and one that was very new to me: Sweet Orange Essential Oil. One of the first things I thought of when I saw it was cleaning. I love, love, love cleaning products with a citrus scent. It can be tough to find orange-scented cleaners, though. Sweet Orange Essential Oil makes it easy to add a fresh, feel-good aroma to any cleaning solution. Just add a few drops and you’re good to go.

Having said that, I actually have a different favorite way to use Sweet Orange Essential Oil. I call it my wake-up call. On mornings where it’s particularly hard to get up and get going, I simply sniff my orange essential oil.

And, yes, I realize how weird that may sound.

However, since it never fails to give me the get up and go that I’m lacking, I’ll just keep on sniffing!

Many people report that doing so can also lift your mood. Sweet Orange essential oil has also been linked to a stronger immune system.

Hmm.. maybe that could help me end my annual cold/bronchitis event.

See this page – Sweet Orange Essential Oil – for a great deal of information about this particular oil.

Lavender Aromatherapy Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil and Aromatherapy

Lavender  Oil is another one of my favorites and one that anyone… absolutely anyone… could and would benefit from. It’s all about RELAXATION (sorry for the all caps treatment, but relaxation is something I get excited about).

My favorite way to buy Lavender Oil is in spray bottles. It makes it easier to spray onto your pillows and/or favorite blankets of throws.

Heck, I’ve even sprayed it on my pajamas before.

There’s simply something beautifully relaxing about the scent of lavender. If you’ve never tried it, I hope you will asap. It is magical.

Aromatherapy and Essential Oil Diffusers

Essential Oil Diffusers, like the LiteMist Ultrasonic Diffuser are very popular and for a great reason. They put aromatherapy to work for you, without you having to do much more than pour and plug. A diffuser would be a great way to take advantage of lavender, eucalyptus, and sweet orange essential oils.

Though my favorite way to use eucalyptus oil will always be in the shower. It’s just outrageously effective. Just be sure not to use too much. You’ll feel like you stepped into an alternate universe – one with cough syrup for oxygen.

I’ll be adding a lot more information about essential oils and aromatherapy to the website. I have my face buried in two books at the moment, taking notes like my life depends on it.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Where to Buy Essential Oils and Carrier or Base Oils:

Many department stores now carry a good selection of essential oils and even carrier oils. However, from my own experience, the best quality oils are found online.

Essential Oils on Amazon

Carrier Oils for Essential Oils on Amazon

The Many Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep

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Tulip and Huck

It’s a sad fact that today, millions of people around the world are suffering from sleep deprivation. There are a number of reasons why, but the truth of the matter is that people are sleeping less than previously, and for many, the sleep they do get is of poor quality. Sleep is important for our wellbeing, just as much as exercise and diet. From our early years right up until senior ones, good quality sleep at the right times will maintain your physical and mental health, as well as your quality of life. Ongoing problems with sleep can seriously affect your health and increase your risk of chronic health problems.

How Much Sleep is Needed?
This varies considerably, but in general it is considered that on average, eight hours sleep should be sufficient. There are people who can function perfectly well on as few as six hours sleep, and there are others who require ten. You may have heard people say that they need less sleep as they’ve got older. This is not strictly true. What has changed is their ability to sleep six to eight hours in a row.

There are a number of reasons why sleep is so important. Let’s look at some of them now.

Improved Concentration and Productivity
For the brain to function efficiently, it needs the right amount of sleep. Various functions such as concentration, performance, cognition and productivity can be adversely affected by a lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation has been widely studied. One such study involved a group of medical interns. When working more than 24 hours in a row they were 36% more likely to make medical errors than those who were getting enough sleep. It has also been found that a lack of sleep can affect a person in the same way as alcohol intoxication.

Lower Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
Getting the correct amount of sleep means you are less likely to suffer heart disease or a stroke, than those who suffer with a poor night’s sleep. The quality and length of your sleep affects many aspects of your health. Sleeping less than 7-8 hours increases your risk.

Improved Memory
You might not realize it, but your mind is pretty busy while you sleep. While you are sleeping, your brain is strengthening memories and practicing the skills you learned while awake. Something happens when you’re asleep that consolidates what you have learned.

More Creative
As well as consolidating your memories, your brain also seems to undergo a period of reorganization and restructuring while you’re asleep. It is thought that this results in increased creativity. So if you fancy writing a book, painting a picture or composing a tune, get a good night’s sleep before putting pen to paper.

Improve Grades
Getting enough sleep is important for all ages. Sleep problems can start in young children and continue into teenage years and beyond. That’s why it is vital you read this how to get toddler to sleep properly article, provided by Pampers. Teaching your child healthy sleeping habits will help when they reach school age. A good night’s sleep is vital for your child’s performance at school. Those with sleep problems are more likely to have lower grades due to a lack of attention and learning. A few poor night’s sleep shouldn’t be too much of an issue. However, recurring lack of sleep will impair their learning.

Lower Stress Levels
Lack of sleep is a big contributor when it comes to high-stress levels. Getting the right amount of sleep will reduce your stress and allow you to control your blood pressure better. Cholesterol levels are also affected, making it significant when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease.

Staying Safe on the Highway
In 2009, it was reported that being tired was causing more fatal single-car run-off-the-road crashes than drunken driving. Lack of sleep affects a person’s reaction time and their ability to make decisions. One night without the right amount of sleep is equal to having an alcoholic drink and just as detrimental to your ability to drive.

Sleep Quality and Depression
Many people who suffer from depression also complain of poor quality or a lack of sleep. Sleep problems are also linked to death by suicide. Disorders such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea suffer higher rates of depression.

Tips to Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep

There are several things you can do to improve your night’s sleep.

  • Exposure to bright light – bright light exposure during the daytime helps to keep your circadian rhythm healthy.
  • Less exposure to blue light – blue light is emitted from electronic devices and fools your brain into thinking it’s still daytime.
  • Reduce intake of caffeine – caffeine can stay in your body for 6-8 hours, so try not to drink it after 3-4pm.
  • Cut out the long naps – power naps are beneficial, but anything longer than 30 minutes can affect your sleep quality.
  • No alcohol – alcohol increases the symptoms of sleep apnea and alters nighttime melatonin production.
  • Bedroom environment – reduce noise and lighting, maintain a comfortable temperature, choose the right furniture and arrange it correctly.
  • No late meals – eating late in the evening impacts on the quality of your sleep and the natural release of certain hormones and melatonin.
  • Relax – learn some relaxation techniques or why not listen to relaxing music, read a book or take a bath.
  • Consult a doctor – there are many health conditions that can be the cause of sleep problems, so speak to a doctor and voice your concerns.
  • Regular bedtime – developing a regular time to go to bed will help you sleep.
  • Regular exercise – this is one of the best ways to improve your sleep and health.

Sleep is vital for your own wellbeing and your health. There are many reasons why you might not be getting enough beauty sleep, and it’s vital you get to the bottom of your problem. The benefits of a good night’s sleep are many. There are ways you can overcome some of the sleep problems you might be having. However, there are some that require expert help.

Factors That Could Be Affecting Your Sleep

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by Amanda Green

You can eat the right foods and exercise regularly, but if you’re not getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, your health will ultimately take a hit. Sleep is crucial to your health. It allows the body time to restore itself after the stress its been under all day. Failure to get enough sleep can lead to everything from weight gain to stroke. Though many adults know this, most struggle to get a good night’s rest. There are a lot of factors that can play into this, and fortunately, many of them are within your control.

Room Temperature

There are certain signals the body gives the brain that it’s time to take a nap. One of those is a decrease in temperature. As the body temperature declines, you start to get sluggish and tired. If the room you’re sleeping in, however, is too hot, it will raise your body temperature, therefore, keeping you up longer than you’d like.

If you don’t have an idea of the temperature in the room, you can install a programmable thermostat on the wall. Other options might be to close vents to keep heat from getting in, turning on a ceiling fan, or opening a window.

Bad Mattress

What you’re sleeping on can also have an impact on your ability to get some shut-eye. A poor bed can make you uncomfortable causing you to toss and turn more than you actually rest. It can also lead to a terrible start to the morning with a bad back and neck.

If you’ve had your mattress for more than ten years, notice damage like poking springs or soft areas, it may be time to get a new bed. There are newer models that come with features to help you sleep like temperature and firmness control.

Achy Body

Do you suffer from arthritis or frequent back and neck pain? Perhaps you were recently injured or just underwent surgery? Whatever the case may be, when you’re dealing with aches and pains throughout the body, laying flat on your back can be very uncomfortable. You’re constantly moving around trying to find an area of comfort and getting up is even harder to do.

If your body aches or you have limited mobility, laying on the bed may not be great on the bones and muscles. There are products like The Perfect Sleep Chair you can purchase to help. The chair reclines fully to allow you to sleep while also providing optimum support for standing.

Cell Phone Usage

If you enjoy checking your social media or reading the latest news on your phone before turning in at night, you may want to rethink this. As stated previously, the body gives the brain signs it’s time to rest, which is influenced by external stimuli. The light illuminating from your phone or mobile device makes your body feel alert.

Try to cut cell phone and mobile device usage to a minimum before bed. If at all possible, shutting off the technology at least an hour before bed is recommended.

A Poor Diet

What you eat can have an effect on how you sleep. Those who digest high-calorie, sugary, salty, and over-processed foods are known to have a more difficult time sleeping than those who don’t. Eating large meals or drinking beverages high in caffeine and sugar can also keep your body alert at night.

Start switching up what you eat, how much you’re eating, and when you eat. By balancing out your diet and sticking to a schedule, you help to improve your metabolism and your ability to sleep at night. Portion control, eating more fruits and veggies and cutting off meals at least an hour before bed should do the trick.

There’s no other way to slice it. You need your rest. If you’ve been tossing and turning on a regular basis, your health will start to be impacted. The best course of action is to determine what’s keeping you up at night and find a remedy. Whether it’s changing up your diet, investing in a sleep chair, or turning down the thermostat at night, these little changes go a long way in helping you to get the amount of rest you need.