The Importance of Sleeping Soundly

Sleep is crucial for maintaining good health, sharp mind, balanced emotional health as you will see as we go through this talk

Now, let’s get started!

What is a Sleep Disorder ?

Sleep disorders are defined as changes in sleeping patterns or habits that can negatively affect health.

Common sleep problems include snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, sleep deprivation, and restless legs syndrome, to name a few. 

 Stress and anxiety can also cause sleep disturbances. Since sleep can affect hormone levels, mood, and even your weight - good sleep is crucial for staying healthy. 

I want to be sure we are Getting Enough Sleep? The amount of sleep a person needs depends on many factors, including age. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 6 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.

 According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly half of all Americans report that inadequate sleep interferes with their daily activities at least once a week. As a general rule, if you feel drowsy during the day, even during boring activities, you haven't had enough sleep!

What are the Consequences of too little sleep? Not getting enough sleep can cause adverse health consequences, including:

- Memory problems

- Feeling depressed

- A weakening of your immune system

- An increase in the perception of pain

 

Does any of this sound familiar?

Common Sleep Conditions

INSOMNIA refers to a difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. There are two types of insomnia: short-term insomnia and chronic.

 Short-term insomnia often occurs in the aftermath of a stressful life event. It can also be brought on by shift work or jet lag. 

 If you experience non-restorative sleep, have difficulty falling asleep and maintaining sleep for at least one month, you may have chronic insomnia. 

 SLEEP APNEA is a severe yet frequent sleep disorder related to an obstructed airway. Many sufferers experience choking or loud snoring as a result of your brain being deprived of oxygen. 

 Up to 6% of adults are affected by sleep apnea. It’s onset typically occurs later in life, but it can also affect children. Thankfully, there are a number of sleep aids available for those living with the condition.

 RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME (RLS) is an uncontrollable urge or desire to maneuver your legs while you’re resting. Aching, tingling, or burning is also common. 

Stress & Anxiety Sometimes, no matter how tired we are, thoughts start running through our minds as soon as we hit the pillow - this makes it difficult to tell the difference between having trouble sleeping because you’re anxious, or being anxious because you can’t sleep.

Stress and anxiety can cause sleeping problems or worsen existing ones, but a lack of sleep can also create an anxiety disorder!

Improve Sleep Hygiene Creating healthy sleep habits will go a long way to ensuring proper rest! Here are some tips to help you improve your sleep hygiene.

 

#1 Stick to a sleep schedule: try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each night and morning, including weekends, to help set your body’s internal clock. 

 

#2 Exercise: regular exercise helps to relieve the symptoms of insomnia by increasing the amount of deep, restorative sleep you get.

 

#3 Improve your environment: create a comfy space for bedtime. Make sure your room is quiet, dark, and cool.

 

#4 Wind down: give yourself time to relax before bed by doing calming activities. Many people watch television to wind down, but the light from electronics can disrupt melatonin levels. Instead, try reading a book or try taking some slow, deep breaths and practicing progressive muscle relaxation. If you’re struggling to break the TV habit, invest in a pair of blue light glasses!

 

#5 Learn how to get back to sleep: it’s easy to stress about falling back to sleep when you wake before morning. However, stress will inevitably keep you awake. Try reading until your eyes become heavy or doing a few simple breathing exercises. If you struggle, get out of bed for a few minutes until you feel sleepy again.

Essential Oils Can Help Now that we have a better understanding of common sleep disturbances, we can take a look at which essential oils can help promote a better night’s sleep!

When used in combination with the other practices that we’ve just discussed, essential oils can be beneficial in letting you get the rest that your body needs and deserves.

Getting the Most out of Essential Oils There are lots of ways to use essential oils! Here are a few methods to try:

Dilute essential oils with a diffuser.

Mix a few drops of oil with Epsom salts to add to a warm bath.

Create a room or linen spritz by adding a few drops to a water-filled spray bottle.

For topical use, some oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil. Carrier oils help deliver the essential oil and keep it from evaporating before it penetrates the skin. Some oils are too strong to use in pure form, so carrier oils such as coconut oil or almond oil can be an excellent delivery system for massaging into the forehead, neck, chest, wrist, hands, or toes. 

 Add a few drops to a pot of boiling water, and sit with your face over the pot. Place a towel over your head to prevent the steam from escaping into the air. This method is known as facial steaming.

 Only pure oils can be ingested, so please check the label before considering internal use of any essential oil and ALWAYS ask me if you have questions!

 Now, let’s go over each recommended oil.

Rest Easy with Chamomile

Chamomile is popular for treating insomnia. It contains therapeutic properties that act as a sedative to relax the mind and body.

 The sweet and comforting scent of chamomile can also be used as an effective sleep aid. In fact, research has also found that chamomile can help treat hysteria and lessen the frequency of nightmares. Furthermore, studies have also shown chamomile for being effective in relieving stress and anxiety!

 Try adding a few drops in a nighttime bath or mix with water to spritz on your pillow!

A crowd favorite Lavender Lavender essential oil is one of the most extensively studied and is best known for its relaxing effects. No list would be complete without mentioning it!

 This study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22612017) found lavender oil aromatherapy has so many benefits:

-a calming effect on the nervous system

-lower blood pressure, heart rate, and skin temperature

- a change in brain waves to a more relaxed state.

 Lavender oil is extremely beneficial for aiding sleep in people with mild insomnia. (Plus, stress and anxiety can also be reduced with the scent of lavender!)

Studies have been done using EEG (electroencephalography) machines to measure brain wave activity during sleep. Results have shown significant changes during lavender aromatherapy consistent with its relaxing effects.

 Additionally, lavender is safe for use on skin and can be dabbed onto pressure points to help ease you into a restful night’s sleep.

 Citrus Calms Bergamot essential oil is created from a hybrid fruit somewhere between a bitter orange and lemon or lime.

 The use of bergamot to relieve tension and anxiety has been used in Italian folk medicine. (More modern research backs the traditional methods, check out the findings: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25784877.)

 Bergamot essential oil aromatherapy has been shown to reduce heart rate, blood pressure, and stress in five out of six clinical trials. It should also be noted that additional research has reported that bergamot can also reduce chronic pain.

 Apply a few drops to your feet before bedtime, diluting with your favorite carrier oil.

 Have you ever smelled ylang ylang ? Ylang Ylang essential oil is extracted from the flower of a tropical tree native to Indonesia. It has a sweet floral aroma that has been shown to be relaxing and decrease blood pressure in many small studies. 

 Thus, Ylang Ylang oil (because of its sedative effects) is effective in reducing hypertension and helping alleviate stress and anxiety.

 This essential oil is best used in a diffuser, or it can be mixed with a carrier oil to add a floral scent to your favorite moisturizer or hair conditioner!

The medicinal qualities of Clary Sage Clary Sage essential oil comes from the clary sage herb which is closely related to the common garden sage. 

Clary Sage oil has been shown to have antidepressant-like effects and has been used medicinally for centuries.

The scent offers a fruity, flowery, and woodsy aroma with benefits including:

- antispasmodic qualities

- hormone regulating (which may be a cause of insomnia)

- aids wound healing

For an extra stress-relieving bath, add a few drops of Clary Sage with a few drops of Roman Chamomile to bathwater!

Slide 16 Experience the Joy of the Mountains Marjoram has been valued for its calming properties for centuries. The Greeks and Romans once knew it as “wintersweet” or “joy of the mountains.”

 Not only can this oil be used in culinary dishes, but it’s warm and herbaceous aroma is perfect for applying to the back of one’s neck to lessen feelings of stress.

 It is also great for diffusion, especially if you’re trying to wind down for the night.

Sandalwood and Cedarwood Sandalwood (one of the most expensive oils in the world) is known for its grounding, calming, and mood-balancing properties. 

Cedarwood also has a grounding aroma and is proven to be as effective as a sedative. It has also been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure and is useful in alleviating hypertension and anxiety, making it a superb sleep aid!

Both of these oils make a great addition to a lava or clay bead bracelet which will continue to provide benefits throughout the day as it’s worn. 

The Power of Frankincense

Frankincense oil is said to be useful for anxiety and depression, calming the mind, helping with insomnia, and often reducing pain. It’s believed that the oil influences the nervous system by transmitting messages to the limbic system of the brain.

 A study published in 2016 found that 64% of participants reported improved sleep using scents that included frankincense. Another study in Thailand reported the oil to reduce both pain and anxiety.

 Frankincense is used by either inhaling the oil or absorbing a diluted mix through the skin.

DIY Techniques I am not going to give you all the combinations and recipes that I have, but I will give you some.

If you want the full list of recipes you can email me at susan@susanlopresti.com and I will email you the recipes. 

You can make your own calming salve by mixing a quarter cup each of organic coconut oil and beeswax. Gently heat the mixture until well mixed. As the mixture is cooling, add 30 drops of your favorite mix of oils.

 Combining 1 cup of coconut oil, 1 half cup each of shea butter and pure aloe, 1 tablespoon of almond oil, and 30 drops essential oils for a soothing moisturizer. Melt coconut oil, shea butter, aloe, and almond oil before adding essential oils, and firm mixture in the refrigerator. Store at room temperature or in the fridge. 

Oils can also be mixed in a diffuser or a bath. If you prefer, you can purchase empty bottles to create your own personal blends. Ask me if you need any recommendations!

Sleep Blends.  Combining calming oils can provide a more effective solution. You can purchase pre-blended oils, or you can create your own custom blends.

Pro Tip: Purchasing oils separately has its benefits and will allow you to create blends specific to your needs. This way, you’ll also be able to use each oil for their individual benefits.

You can blend any of the oils discussed for a more potent sleep aid. Some popular mixtures include 1 to 1 ratios of:

- lavender, ylang ylang, chamomile, and sandalwood 

- lavender, chamomile, and clary sage

- lavender, frankincense, chamomile, bergamot, and cedarwood

Restless Leg Syndrome This blend (created by The Hippy Homemaker) is ideal for those experiencing restless leg syndrome or any other nerve conditions.

You’ll need:

75 drops lavender essential oil

45 drops marjoram essential oil

30 drops roman chamomile essential oil

30 drops bergamot essential oil 

6 drops ylang ylang essential oil 

6 drops valerian or cedarwood essential oil 

Combine oils all of the above oils in a 15ml amber glass bottle and store in a cool dark place. To use, massage onto legs and feet before bed or at the time of a flare-up. 

Let me know how this works out for you!

 Blend with Other Powerful Oils Sleep Blend #1

2 drops lavender essential oil

2 drops vetiver essential oil

2 drops marjoram essential oil

 

Sleep Blend #2

3 drops roman chamomile essential oil

2 drops bergamot essential oil

2 drops frankincense essential oil

 

Sleep Blend #3

2 drops sandalwood essential oil

2 drops lavender essential oil

2 drops roman chamomile essential oil

 

Sleep Blend #4

3 drops patchouli essential oil

2 drops wild (sweet) orange essential oil

2 drops frankincense essential oil

If you are new to essential oils and would like more information about essential oils and you can also purchase from the site.  You can visit my website at  www.my.doterra.com/susanguzman1