Hello darkness my old friend... Y'all know the rest so sing it with me! That's how it feels to be a Momma these days. Sleep has been very much eluded for a long while for many of us. There are lots of reasons we don't get the sleep we need.
- Pregnancy
- Restlessness
- Momma brain
- Insomnia
- Kids
It looks different for everyone, but at the end of the day, we all are desperate for our old friend... SLEEP. Our bodies need sleep to survive. Without it we can have chronic health problems and not function the way we are meant to be as moms. Not only are we at risk for heart disease and stroke but when we don't get enough sleep it effects our brain and cognitive function. It is just as dangerous to be sleepy as it is to be drunk. One study showed that after 17 to 19 hours without sleep, performance was equivalent or worse than that of a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.05 percent. THIS IS CRAZY! We wouldn't (or shouldn't) take care of our kids drunk, so why do we try and do it with lack of sleep?
Let't get the I am not a medical professional part out of the way... so ... if you have a serious medical problem, please seek an actual medical professional and not a blog. These are what works for me and many others but should not be taken as medical advise.
That being said, lets talk about essential oils! I love them and use them daily and are how I got my sleep back. I also have severe RLS (restless leg syndrome) and yep, momma brain, you know the kind of brain that just does not shut down and replays the day and thinks of 800 things I need to do tomorrow. So I know what its like to NOT get any sleep. Now I would on top of the recipes listed below also suggest you get on a good daily vitamin routine. We want to make sure we are treating the root cause as well. A great example would be that when my iron levels are low (anemia) it causes the RLS to be at its worst. So I try to keep up my nutrients! Now, on to the good stuff and why your here! ESSENTIAL OILS. I am going to list a few night time blends and protocols that I have found to be a blessing. They have sedative and relaxing properties. (These are not the only oils that work, but ones that I currently use and can testify to!)
Pillow Spray
In a 2oz glass bottle mix
- 12 drops Lavender
- 8 drops Vetiver
- 4 drops Cedarwood
- 1 oz Witch Hazel (or vodka if you like)
- distilled water to fill
To use: Spray 3-4 times on your pillow before lying down and/or spritz lightly onto your body or pajamas. (and even your child's lovey)
Roller Ball Blend for Adults
In a 10ml Roller Ball mix
- 30 drops Lavender
- 15 drops Vetiver
- 10 drops Patchouli
- Carrier oil of choice (FCO, Almond etc..)
To use: Roll on big toes, pulse points and behind the ear for a restful sleep.
Roller Ball Blend for Kiddos
In a 10ml Roller Ball mix
- 10 drops Lavender
- 5 drops Vetiver
- Carrier oil of choice (FCO, Almond etc..)
To use: I like to rub on my kiddos feet and their spine at night. They LOVE it too and it helps them get calm for the night. (also, fun fact... vetiver helps with my daughters ADHD) bed time has become so much more relaxed and easy now that we have incorporated them into our routine.
Other Protocols I do:
I will diffuse Lavender and Cedarwood in the diffuser at night, drop count changes depending on the day.
When I am having a severe RLS flare up I will massage a few drops of Lavender and Peppermint into my legs with FCO, I find the peppermint stimulates the muscles just enough to help the buggy feeling.
There are many places to get your oils, I would encourage you to read and make sure you are using a company that does not add fillers. Some of the brands suggested in no particular order:
These are brands that my family has personally used so they are the only ones I can currently recommend. Read about each one and find the company that fits what you are looking for and what is important to you. They each have their pros and cons but I will leave that up to you to decide. :)