Two of America’s leading feminist super-achievers have joined forces to to identify women’s sleep deprivation as “the next feminist issue”. Arianna Huffington, the powerhouse publisher of The Huffington Post, and Cindi Leive, the equally indomitable publisher of Glamour have cited studies that show women are more sleep deprived than men. While any mother or woman in a relationship will already know this, it is interesting to note that this is a generally trend with wider societal issues. According to the research, exhaustion is undermining women’s creativity, judgment, and relationships. You can find the full article at Times Online.
Whatever the reason behind your lack of sleep, be it motherhood, stress (or other nervous disorders), environmental toxins, headaches or migraines, watching TV before bed or working late, one thing that can really help is to relax for a few mins before you hit the hay. The more relaxed you are when your head hits the pillow, the better the quality of your sleep will be, no matter how much you get. Practicing a relaxation technique for 10 mins before bed could also help to alleviate some of the other symptoms you currently experience, if done over the longer term.
Aromatherapy can help to relax and deepen your breathing which in turn prepares your body and mind to rest. Given that most of our growth and healing takes place while we’re asleep, it’s essential to make sure our sleep is of the highest quality possible. We’ve put together a list of our favourite essential oils that can help to promote a beautiful nights sleep.
The following don’t just make you sleepy, they lull you into a positive state of mind, calm your body and quiet your thoughts, promote overall balance & harmony and make you feel wonderful (and maybe a little amorous, too!).
Lavender lavandula angustifolia, the Grandmother of essential oils, is calming and balancing. It helps to create mental-emotional equilibrium, to release pent-up energy, to ease frustration and irritability and, most importantly, create a feeling of calmness and composure. If you only have one essential oil at home, it’s this one.
Orange citrus sinensis, is great for adults and children alike, is great for promoting relaxation and releasing stress & frustration. The smell alone bestows joy and positivity upon the most sullen of moods, probably because of its ability to help energy circulate freely around the body.
Sweet Marjoram origanum marjorana is, according to Garbriel Mojay, one of the main essential oils that possess the ability to both strengthen and relax. It is superb for calming and regulating the heart. Overall it is sweet, nourishing and balancing in the way that can relieve you from stress, worry and over thinking. In fact, this oil is perfect for the working girl.
Ylang Ylang cananga odorata has an amazing effect on the heart, both on the organ and as the symbol of the center of our emotions. When life has launched its full artillery in your direction, this is the oil to calm your palpitations, hypertension and tachycardia (unusually rapid heart beat). It helps to cool your burning frustration and agitation as well as promote sleep. Not only this, once your eyes are closed you could easily be transported to a tropical garden, where the fairies sleep (if you believe in them).
Roman Chamomile chamaemeleum nobile, another oil with a diverse range of uses, is a warrior in cases of chronic tension and insomnia. Can you resist an oil that helps us to let go of our expectations, accept our limitations and accept support? We thought not! Beautiful.
Frankincense boswellia carterii, our favourite for body and soul, promotes tranquility and liberates your spirit. No small feat, this delicately fragranced yet powerful oil will deliver you from nervous tension and nervous exhaustion. Great for irritation, restlessness and insomnia. It will calm and deepen your breathing and enter you into the perfect meditative state, diminishing troublesome mental chatter.
Bergamot citrus bergamia, the sunshine oil, is relaxing and refreshing. It helps to maintain the free and even flow of energy throughout the body and therefore is fantastic for emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety and, of course, insomnia.
How you use them depends on how much time you have:
30 secs – put 6 drops of any of the oils above, in any combination you like, in an oil burner or diffuser in your bedroom. Focus on deep breathing when your head hits the pillow.
1 min - pre-prepare a blend to massage into your feet before sleep. 3 drops of any of the above oils in 15ml carrier oil (such as apricot oil)
3 mins – place 3 drops of any of the above oils in a bowl of boiling water cover head with a towel and inhale for 3 mins. Avoid using more than 1 drop of sweet marjoram as it very strong.
10 mins – place 6 drops of any of the above oils, except sweet marjoram, in 1 tbsp apricot oil and place in the bath. Do not exceed 2 drops for either orange or ylang ylang (can cause irritation)
When traveling - place 3 drops of any of the oils on a tissue and leave next to your pillow
Enjoy a slow and sensual escape into a dream like state. 
Source: Aromatherapy for healing the spirit by Gabriel Mojay
