Special guest, Alissa Geddes of ECO. Modern Essentials, takes us through using essential oils to create effective and all-natural sleep rituals.
You can also find ECO. Modern Essentials 'ECO. Sleep Blend' in our Winter Box, which is an incredibly soothing blend of Mandarin, Lavender, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang & Chamomile with sedative and mind-calming properties.
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Sleep Ritual Practices
A ritual is like a routine and while a routine can feel a little inflexible and even a bit stressful, a ritual is a nurturing and peaceful space for you to take care of yourself. A sleep ritual becomes a signal to your body and mind that it is time to rest and drift off to sleep.
There are so many wonderful ways to include aromatherapy to help you rest deeply. Developing a relaxing aromatic sleep ritual tailored especially for you is a way to gently acknowledge where your health could improve and decide how you would like to address these issues.
Think about any barriers that make resting difficult. Does your mind constantly whirl around with worrying thoughts at night? Maybe you notice your legs feel tired and ache making it difficult to sleep?
How can we incorporate aromatherapy into a sleep ritual?
Magnesium Bath
Magnesium is a crucial element that eases tired and cramping muscles, helps to calm your mind and is readily absorbed through the skin. Fill your bath with warm water and add up to 3 cups of Epsom salts, then stir the water to help the salts dissolve. Add up to 8 drops of essential oil in a tablespoon of dispersant such as honey or coconut milk. This will prevent the essential oils from potentially irritating your skin. Rest for up to 20 minutes enjoying the healing aroma of essential oils. You may like to enhance the experience by listening to relaxing music or an inspiring podcast. Or dim the lights and soak up the silence. Try these blends below or create one for yourself.
Room Spray or Pillow Mist
A quick and easy way to add aromatherapy into your sleep routine. In a spray bottle add 100mls of water and up to 16 drops of essential oil. Shake well before using then spray liberally in the air or a small amount over bedding and pillows.
Essential oils suitable for children
- Lavender and Neroli: calming and soothing
- Mandarin: helps relieve bedtime tantrums
- Chamomile: calms angry outbursts and soothes a sore tummy
- Sleep Blend: a combination of the above essential oils already blended for enhanced benefits
Meditation and Journaling
A busy mind and anxious heart can benefit through the self-reflecting and calming practice of journal writing or meditation. If developing a meditation ritual is appealing there are many resources online or classes to help you begin. Journal writing can be tailored to your needs: do you need some space to plan out tomorrow or would you like to reflect on today?
Journal topics can include:
- Simply spend some time writing about what happened during the day, what went well? Are there any areas in your life you would like to work on?
- In your organiser, plan out the next day so that you can fall asleep knowing that you need not worry about it now.
- Write about things that you learnt today, list what you are grateful for, or describe something that made you smile.
Aromatic Ritual
Enhance the experience of journaling or meditating with the fragrance of an essential oil blend. Create a blend of up to 8 drops of essential oil for your diffuser. Or create your own perfume blend to apply to your wrists and heart space. In a roller bottle add 10mls of carrier oil and 7 to 10 drops of essential oil.
Create a Sleep Ritual
Your sleep ritual should include practices that are enjoyable for you and simple to do. You may like to start with one or two rituals and experiment with different essential oil blends remembering to include practices that address any areas that make resting difficult. Your ritual may also change over time and is simply a reflection of our ever-changing lives.
May you have the sweetest dreams.
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You can check out ECO. Modern Essentials full range of oil blends on ECO. Modern Essentials and follow them on Instagram or Facebook @ecomodernessentials for more ideas and tips on using essential oils. They've also shared an exclusive discount code with the RY community: RY15 for 15% off online until 31/08/2020.