Lavender Sleep Balm
With every New Year comes a new list of resolutions. This year I opted out of promising myself I’d run five times a week (I don’t think I’ve ever managed that in two consecutive weeks let alone an entire year) and instead decided to simply renew my focus on health. Diet and exercise are undeniably important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, but a third, often overlooked, aspect is sleep.
Most of us know that we require eight hours or more of sleep a night, yet very few of us make the necessary allowances to get those hours. Technology and our increasing addiction to the online community provide constant distractions. I know I’ve been caught staying up into the early hours of the morning watching endless episodes of my new favourite show on Netflix (honestly, how could you not when they only give you 30 seconds before starting the next episode!).
Lack of sleep has been declared by many as a public health epidemic. Insufficient sleep contributes to depression, skin aging, weight gain, increased animosity and social anxiety. Obviously sleep is important, but it isn’t necessarily as easy as deciding to go to bed earlier. In Canada, one in seven people report having insomnia.
So what can you do?
No caffeinated beverages after lunch
Skip late night exercise (after 8:00 pm)
Avoid artificial light 1.5 hours before bed (TV, computer, phone)
Eat only light snacks 1-2 hours before bed
Try to going to bed at the same time every night
In addition to the above I decided to make myself this lavender sleep balm. There’s honestly nothing better then sipping on a mug of chamomile, reading a few pages of my book and inhaling the incredible aroma… Sweet dreams!
Lavender Sleep Balm
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops chamomile essential oil
3 drops bergamot essential oil
2 tbsp beeswax
1 tbsp jojoba oil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Combine the beeswax, jojoba oil, and olive oil in a glass jar and place it in a pot partially filled with water. Melt and mix the ingredients over medium heat. Once the beeswax has completely dissolved remove the glass jar form the pot (carefully!) and add the essential oils.
To use apply the balm to pressure points before crawling into bed.
