One of my new customers was trying essential oils for the first time to help improve her sleep. She said she didn’t sleep well regularly and was very frustrated with the ongoing sleepless nights and then feeling exhausted all the next day. She also didn’t like the idea of taking prescription sleep aids but had found over the counter things she had tried previously really didn’t do much for her.
After a couple uses of doTERRA Serenity oil blend and the soft gels she said,
“I’m still not sleeping better. Does this stuff really work?”
Why Oils May Not Work Immediately
Using natural products to support your health first requires your body to realize there has been a change. You have just removed or changed something that was doing one of the functions your body wasn’t doing itself very well.
In this case, sleep aids give our bodies the melatonin to sleep. When we do this our bodies realize it does’t need to make it’s own melatonin and it slows down production because we are taking it through a small pill. When we change that process our bodies are not going to immediately know it has to go back to work producing its own.
Essential oils do not do the work for your body but rather they are the support system that allows your body to perform itself. Think of oils like the fitness coach that is teaching and conditioning your body to enhance it’s own performance.
Essential oils like lavender and doTERRA’s Serenity do not put you to sleep. They support sleep by supporting the parts of the brain and body that create the feelings we are tired and want to go to sleep on our own. These oils are known to help us relax, calm down and feel soothed all of which is associated with our ability to know it is safe to go to sleep. For us to realize the benefits of these oils however, we have to give our bodies time to recognize these triggers and know what to do when that happens.
Just like when we start a new exercise or diet routine, we have to allow our bodies time to adjust, strengthen and adapt. We have to train our bodies to increase strength and stamina as well as use food differently than it was previously.
There is not a timetable because we are all entering this change to natural products at different places. Including natural products and essential oils into your life works the same as any other healthy transition you make and stick with over time.
You can’t unfortunately go to the gym and eat well for just 1 day and see immediately you’ve lost a bunch of weight and feel incredible.
Most likely, you’re going to feel proud about your accomplishment and then you may feel sore from your workout. Hopefully, you realize you just took the first step and by sticking with it the results will come.
So Do They Work?
Essential oils and natural products don’t do the work for us. They are however, our very own sparkly ruby slippers in supporting our health and helping us improve our body’s performance.
We must give our bodies time to train, recondition, re-wire and step down and away from the things we were doing, using, eating, etc. When we do this we are teaching our bodies to heal and rebuild and not relying on other things to do that for us.
In the outcome, we will see we have not only enhanced our own performance but we have strengthened our ability to experience what it means to feel good, powered by our own bodies that are free of chemicals, toxins and things that were replacing what we ourselves could do all along on our own.
Improving Sleep with Essential Oils
Lavender is the obvious oil to support rest. This oil can be diffused, applied to the bottom of the feet and made into a relaxing tea or just plain water.
Ylang Ylang is also good when applied to the bottom of the feet and across the heart to help relieve stress and prepare for rest.
Additionally, diffusing these oils individually or in a blend to your liking can help promote a more relaxed, restful state that can promote sleep:
Black Pepper
Wild Orange
Ylang Ylang
Cedarwood
Grapefruit
Patchouli
doTERRA’s proprietary blend Serenity – I refer to Serenity as Lavender’s grown up badass sister
I also love the Serenity soft gels that can be taken internally. Take 1-2 about 30 minutes before bed to help your mind settle.
Interested in more?
If you would like to have your own natural ruby slippers or have questions about using them, please reach out. I’m happy to help you find the right products for your needs and interests.
amyk@dragonspitapothecary.com
my.doterra.com/dragonspitapothecary
