photo credit: snopek

Jasmine flower

With the trend of going back to the natural and to the basics, aromatherapy is becoming a popular alternative in the world of total wellness and health. In fact, more and more people are using it to get better sleep which they think is the best way to regain one’s strength so he or she can do all the things that needs to be done.

Aromatherapy is believed to have therapeutic properties that can heal a person’s illness or relax him or her. Today, aromatherapy is not only used for healing processes but is also used to help a person get better sleep since it is practiced in a very soothing way.

To achieve the health benefits of aromatherapy not only on how to get better sleep—specifically essential oils—one should get all the knowledge and experience that you can get. It is best to read references of aromatherapy from various books, magazines, and even online sites that offer free aromatherapy information.

To gain experience, one can also enroll in an aromatherapy crash course class that is near your place. Here, they can teach you the basics of conducting an aromatherapy procedure as well as almost all the information that one needs to know about aromatherapy. For people with hectic schedules and don’t have time to attend a class physically, they can enroll in various online sites that offer aromatherapy classes.

Using aromatherapy

Before anything else, make sure that you have supplies for aromatherapy such as items that will be used for measuring items such as cups and spoons, means of transferring liquids such as funnels with different sizes, containers for mixing elements and for proper storage such as bottles or vials, labeling items like stickers, lots of paper towels and alcohol to clean the area afterwards. After preparing the necessary supplies, you may start with your homemade aromatherapy. The following are just some of the aromatherapy products that you can do inside the confines of your abode.

1. Aromatherapy massage or body oil. All you need is to combine 50 drops or 1/2 teaspoon of the essential oil of your choice together with 4 ounces of vegetable oil.
2. Aromatherapy compress. This is considered as one of the easiest aromatherapy products out there. All you need is to add at least 5 drops of essential oil to a cold or hot cup of water and dip a soft cloth on the mixture.




3. Aromatherapy foot or hand bath. What you need is to add 10 drops of chosen essential oil to a part of cold or hot water in a medium-sized basin. Using your hand or a stirring rod, stir the essential oil evenly to blend well with the water.

photo credit: gaab22

eucalyptus oil

Getting better sleep using aromatherapy

To get better sleep, one must also know which are the essential oils that can bring about positive changes in a person’s body. Some plant derivations of essential oils and their potential benefits such as geranium for relieving stress-related conditions like tensions, nervous breakdown, and skin illnesses like eczema or hard-to-heal wounds; jasmine for arousing sensuality, relaxation, and in treating several skin conditions; eucalyptus for relieving muscle pains and aches as well as in to alleviate respiratory system conditions especially poor breathing; frankincense to aid lung conditions, urinary problems, irregular menstruation, and relieving pains in skin disorders like acne and excessive burns; lavender for helping improve the function of the respiratory system and alleviate stress-related conditions such as insomnia, depression, and mental fatigue; and peppermint to aid respiratory problems specifically asthma as well as mental fatigues that lead to fainting and extreme headaches.

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Technorati Tags: best sleep, herbal sleeping, sleep aid, sleep remedies

photo credit: littledan77

Sleeping problems?

This world has big problems with sleep.

A significant amount of Americans report serious sleep problems, especially concerning insomnia – or the inability to consistently sleep during the night.  It’s no wonder why cures for insomnia are big on the market today – so many people need sleep remedies in order to just get a good night’s sleep.

You may be one of those people.  Finding the best sleep aid for you is a tough process for most people, and that’s understandable.  There are just so many types of sleeping aids out there that it is a chore to wade through them all.  One type to consider that has become especially popular over the past few decades is found in herbal sleeping aids.

This article will pose the question: Are herbal sleeping aids good for you? If so, what kind of sleep aids should you consider?

Finding A Sleep Aid: Over-The-Counter Medications

Frequently the big question with sleep aids is whether or not it is good to take the over-the-counter route and get sleep medications from your local drugstore.  Many people use popular sleep medications, such as Lunesta, Ambien, Sominex, and others. These have active ingredients that work to counteract sleep-inhibiting chemicals and neurotransmitters in your brain. Because of this, they can be effective in assisting a person with falling asleep.  But, they have two problems.

The first problem is that some types of sleep remedies in the form of OTC or prescription sleep aids do not give you deep, restful sleep like you would get naturally if you did not have a sleeping problem.  This is based on how they interact with your body.  The second problem is that medications can come with side effects, negative symptoms, and withdrawal difficulties once you stop using them.  These ramifications have caused many to look for other cures for insomnia.

Are Herbal Sleeping Aids Helpful?

photo credit: Zemzina

Chamomile

For the most part, yes.  The theory is that a sleep aid that occurs naturally would be better for you than a stronger, more potent one that is chemically created.  This is why many over the years have started to take a more natural, herbalist approach to finding a good sleep remedy. Herbs are a potentially good source for sleep supplements, just as they are for weight-loss aids, health and fitness supplements, and even anti-aging cosmetics.

One popular type of herbal sleeping aid that has other healthy qualities is chamomile tea.  This soothing drink can help you become drowsy if you drink a cup about 20-30 minutes before bed. St. John’s Wort is another example of a beneficial herbal sleeping aid, as are lavender, melatonin, and tryptophan.  In fact, melatonin is a natural substance that your brain uses to regulate your circadian rhythm – thus allowing you to drift off to sleep.

Of course, you should consult a sleep specialist before taking herbal supplements, and should see a doctor before taking any kind of medication or supplement.  But, it appears that herbal sleep aids can be as good for you as the non-herbal kind – and come with less side effects, too.

Related posts:

Herbal Potions

If you do not know it by now, sleeping is a widely researched topic. Its importance keeps both the academic and heath system interest high and the research funding keeps flowing in. One key result of this research is a well developed classification system for sleeping disorders. I think it is both interesting to know the basics of it and could be beneficiary when looking for the best sleep aid. Below is a brief intro to this classification system, with some references. Since I am not a researcher or and MD, this by no means intends to be a scientific review, merely a summary that can give you a general idea.

Sleeping disorders are classified by the “International Classification of Sleep Disorders” (ICSD). The ICSD is a resource created by a group of sleep research organization from around the world. One interesting way of classifying sleep disorder is:

• Dyssomnias
• Parasomnias
• Sleep Disorders Associated with Other Disorders

photo credit: BoVa…

Further reading:

Technorati Tags: best sleep aid, cures for insomnia, insomnia herbal, sleeping remedies

10 Things you need to know about sleep – No 10 – Herbal Potions

Guess it is time to go out to your garden – if you have one. Very nice and interesting piece by the BBC.

COPYRIGHTS BBC

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