As I open my eyes each morning, I am IMMEDIATELY aware of whether or not my night of sleep was restful or restless. Happy are the mornings when I wake up with an abundance of energy after a great night’s sleep, and I am optimistic and excited about the day ahead. But how frustrating are the mornings which follow a restless night of sleep, or one which has found me awake at least once or twice during my 8-hour confinement to the bed.
As we have all experienced, our restless night of sleep can leave us impatient and grumpy, foggy brained and unable to concentrate on even the simplest details, and/or even deprive us of our passion for life.
The negative effects of our occasional sleepless nights do not stop at our own gloomy disposition, but can also include many other more serious mental, physical and even societal impacts. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that fatigue is a cause in 100,000 auto crashes and 1,550 crash-related deaths a year in the U.S.” (Source: WebMD)
“When you’re tired, you are deprived of oxygen, which is necessary for the production of chemicals such as dopamine and adrenaline. Even one night of tossing and turning can give you symptoms that resemble ADHD, such as forgetfulness and difficulty maintaining concentration.” ~Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., Director of the Chesapeake ADHD Center of Maryland, in Annapolis.
There are incredible healing powers in sleep! “Think of sleep as the tune-up you need to run smoothly,” says David M. Rapoport, M, director of the Sleep Medicine Program at NYU Langone Medical Center. Proper sleep supports brain and heart health, brightens our moods, and can even help us keep the excess weight off.
Ahhh, a good night sleep…We all know the importance of it! We all want one every night; yet we don’t always get it! So how do we restore this lost art of restful sleeping?
Sleep Essentials
Whether your struggle with sleep stems from not getting enough of it, having trouble falling asleep, or feeling restless and constantly waking, a new sleep hygiene is definitely possible for you!
Terri’s Favorite, Simple, Natural Solutions for more restful sleep:
· Diffuse your favorite essential oils! Our diffuser favorites are Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Sandalwood and Sweet Marjoram.
· Blend together Lavender, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Vetiver, Wild Orange and Ylang Ylang and apply topically to the bottom of your foot or the back of the neck.
· For those nights when you feel a little stuffy, open your airways and promote easy breathing* by adding these to your diffuser or applying a few drops to your chest: Cypress, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Lime, and Peppermint. (Dilute with fractionated coconut oil for sensitive skin.)
What Else Can Help?
· dōTERRA Serenity ® Restful Complex Softgels are a natural sleep solution for occasional sleeplessness.* They have Lavender essential oil, which is known for its ability to relax and calm the mind when taken internally.* Clinical and experimental research supports ingesting Lavender essential oil to calm the nervous system and promote healthy relaxation and sleep.*+
· The softgels also contain lemon balm, passionflower, chamomile, L-Theanine, and tart cherry. All these ingredients are encased in a vegetarian softgel and work together to create a natural formula that can encourage restful sleep without leaving you feeling groggy the next day.* +
· While all ingredients in the softgels play a special role in their calming, relaxing effects, let’s look at two in particular: L-Theanine and tart cherry extract.
· L-Theanine is a non-protein amino acid found naturally in green tea, black tea, and some mushrooms. L-Theanine has the unique ability to promote relaxation without causing drowsiness. It has been studied for its calming effects on the nervous system.* +
· Tart cherry extract is included in the softgels for its positive effect on sleep, which is likely because of its tryptophan content. Tryptophan helps the body make melatonin, a natural hormone your body produces as part of your circadian rhythm’s synchronization of the sleep-wake cycle with day and night. Thus, melatonin is often referred to as the sleep hormone. Its production increases with evening darkness, promoting healthy sleep, while light causes the production to stop.+
· Every 100 grams of tart cherry extract contains about nine milligrams of tryptophan, plus tart cherries also contain natural melatonin. The tart cherry extract in these softgels is a simple, natural way to gently aid your body’s melatonin production and provide additional melatonin, ultimately supporting your sleep.+
Other Good Night Sleep Best Practices:
Establish Good Bedtime Routines!
· Turn off the technology…cell phones, laptops, iPads, the television, especially dramatic shows or games which cause an adrenaline rush; this makes it more difficult to relax and fall asleep.
· Don’t eat two hours before bedtime. The body detoxifies while we sleep which decreases inflammation. If the body is digesting food, it interferes with this detox process.
Create a Soothing Environment!
· Add your favorite ambient sound to mask other distracting sounds.
· Add room darkening shades and reduce the impact on your circadian rhythm with soft light bulbs. Sleep while it is dark (if your work hours allow).
And no matter what you do, there may be nights when restful sleep still eludes you. Rub a few drops of Peppermint on your temples after you wake up for a morning energy boost or diffuse when feeling fatigued or low on energy anytime throughout your day.*
Impact of Stress on Sleep
Our increasingly stressful lives can contribute to our inability to get a good night’s sleep. Then we often add insult to injury by stressing about our sleepless nights! Reduce stress (night or day) with a drop or two of these powerful stress relievers: Basil, Bergamot, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon or Wild Orange.*
Want to learn more about creating a new sleep hygiene?
You are invited to join us for our Sharing Solutions – Best Night Sleep Essentials on October 26th at 7pm in St. James! Join us for an evening of learning about what natural solutions can do for you in a fun, social gathering! While you are with us, you will hear inspiring stories, taste oil infused snacks, and experience simply natural (effective) solutions.
Register here for information and reminders: https://snssharing.eventbrite.com
Even if you cannot attend in person, register to receive more information!
What’s next?
Watch for more articles sharing resources and solutions to help you build your foundation for health, one level of this wellness pyramid at a time! You are invited to follow me on my substack blog to make sure you don’t miss articles as they are published.
Essential oils are safe, effective and very affordable. However, not all essential oils are created equal! Be an educated consumer and use only certified pure, therapeutic grade essential oils for your family!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
+ educational content from doTERRA Sleep Essentials Class, ID 34641