Past generations would think it silly that we don’t get enough sleep. After all, they went to bed when they were tired or when it got too dark to do anything. They didn’t have the technology that we have that encourages us to stay up till all hours working, playing, relaxing.
All this tech, as wonderful as it is, encourages us to frequently ignore our need for sleep. We feel tired, but hit ‘next episode’ anyway. We worked all day, but continue to answer emails in the evening anyway. We have artificial light, so we read another chapter anyway. We think that if we just do that extra 15 minutes of “stuff”, we’ll be more prepared for the following day.
This last one gets me regularly.
But we either fail to realise or neglect to admit that we’re not getting a head start on the next day… we’re just pushing ourselves to accept that little bit less sleep.
Of all the things we sacrifice on the altar of productivity and pleasure, sleep has got to be the main one. If only we realised how vital it truly is and how well we could feel if we made it a priority.
And hey, I know it’s hard for a lot of folks. Shift work, the early years of parenting, chronic illness, and more, can all impact the amount and quality of sleep we get.
But it’s no mistake that sleep is considered a fundamental discipline.
Sufficient, restoring sleep is a crucial component of maintaining wellness and a key component of health. We really need to make it a priority.
How to improve your quality of sleep
There are many things we can do to improve quality of sleep – plenty of water throughout the day, warm shower before bed, no screen time an hour before, physically winding our minds and bodies down – but I think the single biggest thing that’s improved our family’s quality of sleep over the few couple of years has been consistent use of essential oils.
There are many oils that can help with improving conditions for a good night’s sleep, but the two key oils we use are lavender and frankincense.
Among their many benefits, lavender and frankincense essential oils has been found to reduce tension, elevate mood, aid relaxation and improve sleep quality.
A 2021 study exposed participants to lavender essential oil diffused intermittently while they were already asleep. All participants reported better sleep quality and more daytime vigour.
In another study, cotton balls with lavender, bergamot and ylang ylang were placed at participants’ bedsides. Participants reported that they had to get up to use the bathroom significantly less often when exposed to the treatment than when exposed to placebo. In addition, participants reported that they had trouble sleeping because they felt too cold, which occurred significantly less often when exposed to the treatment than when exposed to placebo.
Contemporary studies have shown frankincense to have analgesic and tranquilising effects.
If you need to improve your sleep game, it’s well worth investing in these 2 oils.
Here’s how we use them:
Diffuse:
1 drop lavender and 1 drop frankincense in the bedroom
Topical:
Our kid’s sleep rollers are made with 2-5 drops of lavender, 2-5 drops of frankincense (depending on age) and topped with carrier oil. We roll onto the neck and chest right before retiring.
If you’re not already using good quality oils to support your family’s sleep needs, I highly recommend giving them a go. If you’ve invested in a Young Living starter bundle, both lavender and frank (and a diffuser) are in the bundle, so grab them out and start tonight.
PubMed: 33441798, 31556690, 27117114
To grab a Young Living starter bundle, which includes lavender and frankincense, CLICK HERE. Be sure to let me know once you’ve ordered so I can pop a welcome gift in the post ❤️
