Marriage made in the Garden
Raise your hand if the minute you lay down to rest at night only to have your brain go into full active mode replaying all the events of the day or things you have to get done the next day as well as every aggravating issue in your life. The most common reason for this is that the majority of people are in a constant state of fight/flight mode. When stressed you tend to breath in short shallow breaths which automatically puts the body into fight/flight mode which causes more stress effects on the body. Ugh! It’s a vicious circle and the good news is that CAN be broken with consistent effort.
The amount of people with poor sleep issues is astonishing. This is a deep & comprehensive topic that I couldn’t possibly encompass the entire scope in one blog. I can however share a few aromatherapy tools that can be helpful in getting better rest.
Essential oils affect the body on many levels & in this context we are targeting the calming of the body so deeper sleep can occur.
The first step is deepening the breath. Even with no essential oils you can aid the body in relaxing by simple focusing on taking deeper breaths. Do a little research on the vagus nerve & you’ll find just how important this often overlooked powerhouse nerve is in our health & vitality. Deep breaths stimulate the vagus nerve which stimulates the rest/repair mode of the body.
Add some aromatherapy to those deep breaths & you’ll experience a tail wind effect of resting better. My mantra: Calm the body to calm the mind which is what most of the following oils are designed to do.
My favorite oil for deepening the breath is hyssop. It can be diluted & applied topically to the sternum which is where the diaphragm is. Again, research the vagus nerve & you’ll find that the diaphragm is key to taking deeper breaths which stimulates the vagus nerve putting the body into the rest/repair mode. Hyssop even just inhaled in slow deep breaths helps to relax & deepen the breath. It’s also my favorite oil reducing negative situations & encounters. Energetically it’s fantastic to reduce aggressive energy as it activates the heart center.
If you ever attend one of my classes you’ll most likely hear me espouse my LOVE for the overlooked oil of long ago. Mugwort isn’t one of those pretty smelling oils & for some it’s an acquired love but I promise you it’s affects are AMAZING! Mugwort activates the right brain big picture thinking. This isn’t going to put you to sleep but it can make you feel less reactive to stressful events. The more your brain grinds on a stressful event to enmeshed you become in it. Being able to distance yourself & activate big picture thinking puts you into a less reactive mode.
Vetiver: it’s earthy aroma is very grounding, soothing & calming to the mind. At our house we keep it on the nightstand to use it before bedtime as it’s been referenced for aiding in putting the body into rest & repair mode. Open a bottle & take 5-15 long slow deep breaths. The longer & slower you can your respiration cycle to be the easier your body will be able to slip into better rest.
Lavender: welcome to what I call the “Swiss Army knife” of oils. Lavender has SO many chemical constituents in it that it can be utilized in almost any situation. For this topic it is used to sooth nervous tension , calms the emotions & a busy mind. My motto has always been “When in doubt, work with lavender.”
Coffee oil? Yes, coffee!: even if you don’t drink coffee, the essential oil is a wonderful energetic cleanser. It’s been referenced in greatly reducing tension which helps calm the body, energetic congestion & physical blockages. Ya know how coffee can send you to the restroom? It’s color energetically is orange which makes it very expelling. That’s why ;-)
Tip: if you don’t have coffee oil you can take a 20 minute hot bath with freeze dried coffee. Careful as it can stain white tubs.
These are a few of my go to oils to assist in getting better sleep. I also offer aromatherapy protocols that take these steps deeper into the issue. If you wish to have a session you may contact me at:
k.forrest7@gmail.com 502-396-9680
Wishing you all better sleep & more vitality in your life.
Kristi Forrest
If your curiosity is piqued & you would like to more experiences with aromatherapy contact the AHHA Center in Bardstown, KY for their next aromatherapy event.
To purchase quality essential oils and crystals contact Tammy Felker at :
AHHA Center
200 E John Rowan Blvd, Suite A&B Bardstown, KY 40004
502-292-8723 or 502-650-1586
info@ahha-center.com