Natural Aid for Sleep Issues

Many people that I speak with indicate that they have trouble sleeping, either falling asleep or staying asleep. Sometimes this lack of sleep is indicative of a hormone imbalance or is the result of heightened anxiety and raised cortisol levels.

Cortisol and melatonine utilize the same receptor sites. When cortisol levels are too high, the melatonin is not able to do its job because cortisol is hogging the receptor site. Cortisol is a reaction to our fight or flight anxiety response, is raised by coffee and other caffeinated drinks and can be affected by our use of electronic devices or high energy TV shows or negative news broadcasts right before bed.

If you have problems with sleep, you may want to try a few natural options.  Peace & Calming essential oil blend has been very effective for settling down a racing mind (or toddler). It helps relax the mind and body on a cellular level. Just rub a couple of drops on wrists, the bottom of the feet or on the back of the neck.  Cup your hands over your nose and inhale deeply. Peace & Calming has also been helpful for relieving restless leg syndrome for several people I know.

Other great oil blends from Young Living are Tranquil and Stress Away. Of course, Lavender is a great oil to mist on your pillow before bed. This one oil improved my own sleep dramatically. I was waking up 3 or 4 times a night until I started using YL Lavender before bed. After my first use, I slept straight through the night and have ever since. Interestingly, before I knew about Young Living oils, I purchased lavender oil from a local healthfood store and twice it prevented my being able to fall asleep. I lay staring at the ceiling for two hours. Needless to say, I never used that lavender oil again.

Idaho Balsam Fir is an oil that is thought to lower cortisol levels within minutes by putting a drop or two under the tongue (sublingually) and holding it there for several moments before swallowing (or washing it down with water). It has a strong taste, so be prepared, however I have found that it works great for me. I have used it during the day when I feel myself getting anxious because of a stressful situation or because of deadlines and demands. Suddenly I am calm and focused again.

One of my Young Living distributors was sharing with me how her friend suffers from anxiety and racing thoughts when she tries to go to sleep at night. She has been taking medication to help her sleep. After hearing about Cortistop, a supplement from Young Living with natural Pregnenolone, DHEA, Black Cohosh and various other natural ingredients, including essential oils, my team member recommended it to her friend.

Using Cortistop as directed, this woman found that she was not restless and could fall asleep, and stay asleep without a problem. After years of struggling with unwinding and stopping the "wheels from turning", she is getting peaceful, restorative sleep.

Getting better, deeper and more restful sleep can have a domino effect on the rest of a person's health as the body heals, adjusts, detoxes and balances during the fourth stage of sleep. According to Web MD, in an article titled Coping With Excessive Sleepiness, at the deepest sleep levels, "the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle, and appears to strengthen the immune system." 

The article also stated that too little sleep may cause:

• Impaired memory and thought processes
• Depression
• Decreased immune response
• Fatigue
• Increased pain

If there are natural remedies for sleep, and they work effectively, wouldn't it make sense to try these remedies first. Improve your sleep, boost your health, all at the same time. Genius!

What do you do to improve the quality of your sleep, naturally?