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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


Learning How to Relax May Be the Best Gift You Can Give Yourself

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Quote About Relaxation

They say that the weather is something everyone talks about, yet nobody does anything about it. If you ask me, relaxation is right up there with the weather. Seems like everyone wants to relax more but few…very few actually.. take steps to make it happen.

I’m as guilty as anyone! In fact, my own frustrating behavior is the inspiration for this post. Earlier, I felt a little stressed out and a lot tired. I work from home which means a couple of things..

  1. I still know what stress is. Just because you work from the happy confines of your own home doesn’t mean you and stress are strangers. Somehow, when you work from home, people think you are immune to stress and can relax anytime you want. Those who aren’t employed are considered to be as stress-free as a house cat! When I was raising my three daughters and teaching them in our home school, I got the impression that everyone thought I had the life of a pampered cat – lying around all day, only moving when absolutely necessary. Ha!
  2.  I do have the luxury of pacing myself. This one is a huge luxury for those of us who spend our days at home. If we need to simply sit and read a book for 30 minutes, we almost always can do so.

Earlier, because of a few things online that were fighting me with all they had and because of having to take more allergy medicine than usual lately, I felt like I was about to come unwound. So I grabbed an Agatha Christie book and, wisely, decided to sit in my favorite chair and read a few chapters.

I wasn’t even through one before my restlessness got the better of me and I was back at the computer fighting everything that had it in for me today. This did not make me valiant. This did not make me a warrior princess. This did not make me a fighter.

It made me ridiculous.

A real fighter or warrior would have done exactly what they needed to do to refuel – in order to come back stronger and better than ever. They would have taken the time to restore their mind, body, and soul.When it comes to getting in my own way, I’m so good at it I could go pro. Maybe you can relate.

The thing that got me UP from the chair and squarely IN my own way was one single thought, “I have so many things to do!”

We are becoming more and more programmed to believe that we have to be productive every waking hour. This mindset isn’t doing our minds or bodies one ounce of good – in fact, the mindset is responsible for so many ills, I honestly couldn’t even begin to name them all.

Sometimes, the smartest thing to DO is to DO nothing. As Mark Black says, “Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.”

The next time you feel stressed, anxious, wired, or just plain gassed, find a comfortable chair and just RELAX. Put down your phone and put your thoughts at arm’s length. Give yourself at least 20 minutes to simply sit and relax. Read a great book, pet your cat, drink some tea… or, as I’m 5 minutes away from… do all three!

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Soothe Your Senses with a Luxury Spa Treatment at Home

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Get a Spa Treatment at Home!

We don’t all have the time and money to spend pampering ourselves with lavish spa weekends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge at home from time to time. Read on to see how you can temporarily transform your household bathroom into a luxury treatment centre, for all of your senses.

Sight

Before you even touch a tap, make sure your bathroom is relatively tidy. Mess seems to especially accumulate around bathroom basins and tubs, so take five minutes to tidy away any bits and pieces you don’t intend to use. There’s no need to spend a lot of time cleaning, but you definitely deserve better than the morning’s towels on the floor and a full bin.

Next, adjust the lighting. Glaring task lights are great for seeing what we’re doing in the morning, but don’t lend any atmosphere to a relaxing soak in the bath. Accent lights, low-wattage bulbs and candlelight are much easier on the eyes, and can help tune your mind to a more meditative state.

Scent

A soothing scent will transport you away from a hectic household, and straight into your zen space. There are many fragrances that are said to promote calmness and relieve anxiety, and ingredients such as lavender, jasmine and sandalwood are often used in health spa products. Take your time to pick a scent that your personally enjoy, as it will help you to de-stress that much quicker.

There are lots of ways to fragrance a room, with options to suit every bathroom. Static air fresheners, plug-ins or reed diffusers are great for gently emitting a constant scent, but these can get a little lost once our noses become accustomed to them. Lighting complementary scented candles or incense will enhance the aroma just in time for your soak, or for the full spa experience, try using aromatherapy oils.

Sound

If silence is golden, why do our minds fill with obscure clutter and last minute “to do” notes at the very end of the day? Avoid your brain going into overdrive after five minutes of quiet by preparing a soothing soundtrack to help you unwind.

Most streaming services will have some ready-made playlists to choose from, with something to offer for every genre. You can even find tracks of ambient soundscapes, like ocean waves gently breaking, crackling log fires or distant, calming thunderstorms.

For particularly busy households, you will need two extra things. Firstly, some quality headphones to block out the noise. Make sure you find ones with an extra-long wire, so you can keep your music device far away from the bath. Secondly, if you don’t already have one, purchase and install a lock on your bathroom door, so that the source of the racket can’t come in and disturb your peace.

Touch

While you might not be able to recreate the exact luxury of a spa treatment, simply indulging in different products from your daily routine will tell your brain that your session is extra-special. Elevate your bath time to an extravagant, replenishing soak with two cups of Epsom salts, or by adding a squeeze of beautifully scented bubble bath.

Make sure to properly pamper yourself with a home treatment or two. If you have been waiting to use a conditioning hair balm, face mask or body scrub, now is the perfect time to let it work its magic while you soak. Spoil yourself with premium products, just as you would in a spa – it’s not like you get a chance to every day.

When you’re ready to get out, have fresh, fluffy towels waiting for you, alongside a cosy dressing gown and slippers.

Taste

It may usually be the last sense we think about in a bathroom, but your taste buds deserve a treat as much as the rest of you.

Start your treatment session with a mug of herbal tea (or glass of wine) while your bath runs. Try to find a comfortable spot to enjoy it, without interruptions from your family or phone.

Prepare yourself an extra drink and snack for when your bath is ready. Icy water and chopped fruit, for example, feel particularly refreshing during a hot soak… although so do wine and chocolate – it’s entirely your choice!

Get a Spa Treatment at Home!

How Relaxing Music Can Help Your Health as Much as Your Mood

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Quote About Tranquility
I don’t have to tell you the benefits of relaxation – you’re too smart and they’re too obvious. If you’re like most people, though, you do need a reminder every now and again.

I just read on Everyday Health that listening to Mozart and/or Relaxation CDs at least 3 times a week could lower your blood pressure.

“In a study of 41 seniors living in retirement communities, researchers found that regularly listening to relaxation tapes reduced average systolic (the top number) blood pressure readings by 9 mm/Hg, while those who regularly listened to Mozart saw a 7 mm/Hg reduction in their blood pressure.” – HealthDay News, Everyday Health.com

When my daughter Brittany was 4 years old she was sick – and when Brittany’s sick, she’s completely sick. My dad, the typical doting grandfather came to visit and lovingly sat beside her on the couch. He asked, “How do you feel, baby doll?,” and she said, “A little bit good but a whole, whole bunch bad.”

That’s how it feels when we’re stressed out and anxious: A little bit good but a whole, whole bunch bad.

Relaxation feels like a tonic to a stressed out system. Not only does it make us feel better, relaxation strengthens our immune system, increases creativity, and stimulates our healing abilities. Relationship-wise, a relaxed person is much more pleasant to be around than a stressed out bundle of nerves.

Relaxation CDs and Classical Music are a couple of sure bets when it comes to unwinding. Everyone has his or her own favorite ways to unwind, but music is a universal favorite. Another one of my favorite ways is to grab my nearest cat and (depending upon the one grabbed) take part in one of the following escapes: Lie in the floor playing with her cat toys (Alexa), Rub and talk to her (Prissy, who turned 20 this month and lost her sight this year), sit and hold him like a baby (Bo), or listen to him sing while scratching his head (Svenn, and he really does sing well).

A word of caution about listening to relaxation or classical music cds: Be sure that you’re in a position where sleep would be a welcomed result and not a hazardous one. I was listening to a Relaxation tape once that featured sounds of a thunderstorm. Zzzzzzz. Fortunately I was at my computer desk and not in my car.

Finally, as Everyday Health points out, listening to relaxation cds and classical music is in NO WAY a replacement for blood pressure medications. It’s simply another way to help lower blood pressure.

And another avenue to feeling a whole, whole bunch good.

~ Joi