Get a Good Night Sleep without Synthetic Drugs

I use to be able to sleep like a baby…until I had a baby! Now, not only do I wake up with every little sound in the house, but it takes me FOREVER to fall asleep because of my LONG list of to do’s for the next day that is running through my head. I have heard about the many different sleeping pills on the market and have even had a few friends try the different ones and after the crazy stories they had, I thought I would try a different route! I did try Melatonin and it seemed to work a bit, but I can’t say I noticed a dramatic improvement. It was getting to the point where I was lying awake for over an hour before I would fall asleep and then I would wake up in the middle of the  night and just lay there for what seemed like forever before I would fall back asleep. Needless to say, I needed to make a change.

After using Essential Oils to cure my Athletes Foot, I figured I would give it a try for my sleep issues. Whenever you want to treat an issue using Essential Oils, start with what you already have. After looking up Insomnia in my favorite Oils book, Modern Essentials, I found that there are several oils that help aid in sleep and I had two of them already on hand so I started with those.

Lavender Oil is an analgesic anticoagulant, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antifungal, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, sedative and regenerative. You can use Lavender aromatically, topically and internally.  A few ways you can use it:

• Emotional for depression, anxiety and stress (um can I pour this all over me?!!)
• Helps induce sleep
• Apply to affected area for aches and pains
• Used topically to treat head lice
• Can reduce blood pressure if ingested. With this being said you HAVE to own Certified Therapeutic Grade Essential oils for internal consumption.
• Use it for any skin irritations or wounds. ie. burns, bruises, cuts, sunburns, insect bites, rash, diaper rash, psoriasis
• You can use it as an antihistamine for seasonal allergies or hay fever.
• Add it to your shampoo to help with dandruff

There are SO many other uses for Lavender! The saying is “When in doubt, use Lavender”!

Wild Orange is an antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, diuretic, disinfectant, tonic and sedative. You can use Wild Orange aromatically, topically and internally. One caution: if using it topically, avoid direct sun exposure to the applied site for 12 hours after use. A few ways you can use it:

• Emotional: it promotes a happy relaxed feeling, eases anxiety, anger and depression.
• Help Insomnia
• Disinfects wounds and prevents tetanus
• Eases digestive discomfort, reflux, and heartburn
• Add it to your drinking water daily as a great detoxifier (this is true of all citrus oils)
• Use as a disinfectant: it kills fungi and pathogens
• Add it to your cooking as a delicious addition to sauces, salad dressings and beverages (even smoothies!)
• Dab on mouth sores or gargle with water to help mouth sores
• Add 1-2 drops to your water per day to help menopause symptoms

SO…. I added a drop of each to some coconut oil and applied to the bottoms of my feet right before bed. Within 10 minutes, I felt a sense of relaxation all over my body- no JOKE! It was crazy and I don’t remember much after that… because I was ASLEEP! Even better, I didn’t get up ONE time that night. #Sleptlikeababy :) You can also hold the bottles near your nose and inhale, spritz some on your pillow or run a diffuser of the oils in your room. I haven’t had to do anything but rub one drop of each on one of my feet and that is all has taken, but not everyone’s body chemistry is the same so start with one thing for a few days and add or change things up as needed.

I have been using it every night since then and I have noticed myself consistently falling asleep within 15 minutes and sleeping more deeply than since before having my kids. My hubby has been commenting that a freight train wouldn’t wake me up at this point! What I LOVE about my oils is that I can be proactive about my health, it is completely natural and works WITH my body rather than using something synthetic that can cause a lot of side effects.

I would love to hear about ways you use your Essential Oils! I have been amazed at how they are changing my life and would love for you to share how they have changed yours! I have to add this disclaimer that I am not a doctor and these opinions are my own. Not ALL ESSENTIAL OILS are created equal. Oils can say 100% pure therapeutic grade and not be completely pure. I highly recommend to do your own research! DoTerra Oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade and is tested on 6 different levels for their purity. If you have any questions or need help locating the right oil for your own particular health issues please send me an email and be sure to check out my website for all things DoTerra!