Bedtime rituals: Sleep better with scent is by special guest, Stacey Lim of Uluna: co-founder, Gemmologist, meditation therapist, transformation coach, Crystal + Reiki Master Healer, NLP Practitioner and Autonomic Nervous System Reprogrammer.
When was the last time you fell asleep with ease, slept deeply and woke up rested? We all know the importance of sleep but for many of us a solid and successful 8 hours of rest can be elusive.
When we sleep well, we give our bodies the optimal opportunity to repair and heal, our mind to solve the day's problems and provide sharper focus and brain power. A tired brain and body can leave is experiencing sickness and mental health challenges.
If you’re a parent, you’ll understand the importance of establishing a bedtime ritual for your little ones - for their sleep and for your own. Signalling “it’s time for rest” is a key aspect of the release of melatonin (the sleepy hormone) which governs our circadian rhythm and the switching on of neurotransmitters that shift the body’s nervous system into a state of relaxation (the opposite being fight-or-flight our stressed state).
As adults many of us have rituals that lead us to bedtime which may include a hot shower, brushing our teeth, getting into pyjamas and turning off the lights. Whilst these are all a necessary part of the preparation of sleep we can often still be stuck when it comes to actually falling asleep quickly, staying asleep all night and waking up feeling rested.
When we lay scrolling on our phone, pondering stressful events from the day, worrying about tomorrow and unable to switch our minds off - we may find ourselves perpetually tired. Some may even wake up feeling anxious or with a tight jaw from clenching or grinding our teeth overnight. The effort required to get out of bed is a sign that successful sleep has not been experienced.
It is well known that scent plays a powerful role in connecting to the hippocampus, the part of our brain which stores memory and emotion. Certain aromas elicit particular thoughts and emotions and can trigger our amygdala (reptilian brain) to switch us in and out of a stress response. If you find your mind racing or still ticking over thoughts from the day, your body fidgeting and you’re unable to get comfortable - chances are you are in ‘fight-or-flight’ response.
The way in which we “wind down” before sleep is crucial to falling asleep with ease as much as it is in experiencing a high quality of rest. The purpose of the wind-down is to ensure our nervous system is supported in triggering the biological response for sleep.
Over time with regular use of scent at bedtime, your brain will wire neural pathways that trigger the subconscious mind to switch off the stress response and move the nervous system into the ‘rest and digest’ mode. This shift in your body’s energy is crucial for experiencing good quality sleep.
Not just any aroma will do of course, there are particular scent molecules that are known to evoke particular emotions. Lavender is famously known for this, alongside many others that can create a potent concoction for sleep.
If you’re on a pathway to better health and wellbeing, make sleep your focus. For better sleep, integrate a calming scent into your bedtime ritual.
Stacey Lim, co-founder of Uluna
Uluna was founded in 2017 by a mother and daughter merging their expertise in aromatherapy, gemmology and meditation to create luxurious, sensory rituals to support people on their journey to wellness. Each product is created to be an enjoyable and transformative experience for the mind, body and spirit. Uluna’s vision is a world where mindfulness is a part of everybody’s every day.
@ulunalife uluna.com.au
