How to Sleep Better

The winter season is simply made for hibernation and sleep. Snuggled under layers of blankets while the wind whips round the house is as comforting as hot chocolate on a snowy afternoon.

But what if you can’t sleep? Stressful thoughts of everything you have to get done on your holiday to-do list invade your nighttime slumbers, too many late-night drinks at office parties have you caffeinated and sitting bolt upright in bed at 3am, incessant scrolling through social media feeds searching for that last minute gift for great aunt Dot just before bed illuminates your brain like new year eve’s fireworks….and, well, you get the picture. Bed-hair becomes the least of your worries.

Good sleep hygiene is essential to Holiday self-care. Luckily, we have a few tips to help you in this blog – and an aromatherapy product that you’ll simply won’t want to be without this holiday season.

Tips for Better Sleep

Getting regular sleep every night makes you a brighter, more efficient, and happier person. So, how do you put that into practice? Here are a few easy, but essential, sleep tips to get you started:

• Go to bed at the same time every night where possible. Rise and shine at the same time every morning. That means no long lie-in on the weekend! It may sound tough at first, but getting consistent, regular sleep goes a long way to feeling healthier – and then you’ll want to get up on a weekend and get out there and enjoy what life has to offer.
• Don’t eat late – or large. Don’t drink late – or lots. Avoid stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine before bed. All these things will keep you awake until the wee hours of the morning.
• Go for a walk. Or whatever gets you going – literally! Regular exercise during the day helps you to relax and sleep better at night.
• Treat your bedroom like a luxury oasis – remove distractions such as TV, computers, phones, and any other electronic devices before bed. Make sure that you are warm, comfortable, and relaxed.

Essential Oils to Sleep Better

What can you do in addition to the above tips to help you sleep better? Well, there are many essential oils that you can use to help you sleep well. However, the following essential oils are some of our favorites!

• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) – the ultimate relaxing aroma to sleep better. Lavender has a soft, floral aroma. It soothes the mind, creates calm, and creates an all-round better sleep experience.
• Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) – this essential oil helps to balance the mind and promotes tranquility…to amp up the amount of zzzz’s you get in a night! It’s the perfect essential oil to combine with lavender, adding an herbaceous note to a blend.
• Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) – calm your frazzled holiday nerves with Roman chamomile essential oil’s soothing aroma. Another great oil to promote a good night’s sleep.
• Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) – in just the right quantity and combined with essential oils such as lavender and Roman chamomile, sweet orange essential oil’s refreshing aroma can provide comfort for better sleep.

If you’re wondering how to use these essential oils to sleep better, read on. We’ve got you covered in one easy blend!

How to Use Aromatherapy for Sleep

You can use individual essential oils before bed, but we’ve formulated the perfect blend for you. It’s blended with just the right quantity of the essential oils we’ve just talked about (and why they should be included) and even its name promotes the thought of good sleep: Serenity Now.

You can use the Serenity Now blend for sleep in a couple of ways:

• Add 3-5 drops to a cotton round and breathe in gently before bed.
• Add 6-8 drops to a warm bath before bed. Dilute first by combining it with ½ teaspoon of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis).
• Add 8-12 drops to an aromatherapy diffuser or nebulizer and diffuse 20 minutes before sleep.

Our Sleep Recommendations at Your Body Needs

During the busy winter season, it can be hard to keep good sleep hygiene. At Your Body Needs, we need to keep ourselves healthy to be able to serve you better. We practice the ultimate in sleep hygiene and highly recommend following these simple sleep tips, and stocking up on our Serenity Now blend, to make sure that your body (and mind) gets the sleep that it deserves this holiday season!