Why not try...?
Do you enjoy relaxing in a hot bath at the end of a day? Such a simple but effective way to relax. The heat eases your aching muscles and your mind begins to relax. Doing something for yourself is so therapeutic.
So, my suggestion to try today is ramping up your relaxing bath with essential oils. The reason I recommend essential oils over bubble baths or bath oils is this way you can be sure exactly what you are adding to your bath. This is important as whatever goes in your bathwater goes on your skin and ultimately gets absorbed into your body. Essential oils are basically plant extracts. They're made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant to produce a fragrance.
So, which essential oils to use? There are so many different types of essential oils! Here are some suggestions for oils you can use for certain requirements.
Relaxation ~ Lavender
Sleep ~ Chamomile
Meditation ~ Orange
Anxiety ~ Sandalwood
Stress ~ Clary sage
Mood Lifter ~ Lemon
The best idea though is to use the ones that you like! If you are drawn to the fragrance of a particular oil then use that one. You can experiment with mixing different oils, most will go well with others. Again, just pick those you are drawn to.
When you add them to the bath, wait till the bath is run and add a few drops. Start by adding about 4 drops, you can always add more. The most you want to add is around 10 drops.
If you have skin sensitivities it is recommended that you avoid oils that are high in citrus like lemon or lemongrass. Lavender and frankincense are recommended for people with sensitive skin but please note that I am not an aromatherapist so if you do have any skin problems that you are concerned about please do check with a qualified aromatherapist first!
But... what if you don't have a bath or you're just more of a shower person? Well don't worry, essential oils can be used in a load of ways. A great (and very safe) way to diffuse the fragrance of oils is by a diffuser. These can be bought for around £20. Add some water and a few drops of oil and the scent is spread gently but effectively around you room. A lot have timers so you can set it at bedtime and it will turn itself off as you sleep.
An important safety note on essential oils - Don't put essential oils directly onto your skin. They are concentrated oil and can easily harm your skin if you do this. There really is no need to put them onto your skin neat either - it is much more effective to add the essential oil to a carrier oil (like sweet almond oil) and use that direct onto your skin.
Last thing - not all essential oils are created equal. Unfortunately there are some very poor products out there. Price is a good way of judging quality. If you are interested in buying some good quality essential oils I really recommend Fragrant Earth.
