5 Essential Oils for a good night's sleep
How did you sleep last night?
As you probably already know, getting enough sleep is a priority for our health and well-being. Worryingly, a surveys taken in 2017 revealed that two thirds (38%) of UK adults suffer from disrupted sleep and nearly a quarter (23%) manage no more than five hours a night. Sadly these results are mirrored across the world.
The guideline is that we should all be sleeping for between seven and nine hours each night for optimum health and wellbeing. But, a National Sleep Foundation survey found the average adult in the UK is getting just six hours and 49 minutes sleep. US adults sleep for six hours and 31 minutes on average, and in Japan the number is only six hours and 22 minutes.
There’s no escaping from the fact that we all live caffeinated and overstimulated lifestyles with a bit too much screen time for our own good. All of which can play havoc with our sleep, health and wellbeing.
As well as sapping our energy and making us feel overtired and/or moody, lack of sleep can impact on our ability to concentrate during the day and cause brain fog or temporary memory loss. Not the best way to go about putting in a good day’s work and hitting those goals you set at the beginning of the year!
More seriously, recent scientific evidence supports the NHS warning that sleep habits and insomnia can lead to various health issues.
Treatment
What are our options – what can help?
Instead of turning to harsh prescription medication out of desperation, why not give a natural alternative a try?
Aromatherapy could well be the answer to all your dreams.
What is Aromatherapy
Cultures around the world have used Aromatherapy for thousands of years as traditional natural remedies to enhance health, wellbeing, spiritual rituals and personal use.
Aromatherapy is the use of highly concentrated essences which have been extracted from plants and flowers (essential oils). These essences contain powerful therapeutic properties.
I agree these are bold claims, but their ability to restore balance to the mind body and spirit have been the subject of numerous studies and scientifically proven.
Handle with care
Essential oils should be used in tiny amounts (drops) and should be diluted before use in either a base/carrier oil or water/steam. Follow the usage guidance on the bottle and, to be on the safe side, it’s probably best to do a 24-hour patch test if you have very sensitive skin. Pregnant women should take extra care.
How to use essential oils
There are lots of ways you can use essential oils to help with our sleep including my top 7:
A long languishing soak in a luxurious aromatherapy bath
A hand, foot or body massage
Dispersing in the air