Layers of Lavender
Ahhhh……bedtime. The end of a long hectic day. Time to completely wind down and fall into a long deep sleep. You snuggle into bed and, suddenly, your eyes are wide open. What happened? You’ve had a busy day, you’re tired out, you welcome sleep – but it’s just not happening. You’re wondering what can you do. Once again- flowers to the rescue!
There’s a few flowers that aid with sleep. But when you think of sleep, what’s the first flower that comes to mind? You got it - lavender. There have been a lot of studies done on lavender and whether or not it really does work to help bring about sleep. The good news is – it does. It’s a natural alternative to help you relax and unwind. The familiar rich yet mellow scent is instantly calming, while the muted shade of purple gives a gentle place to rest your eyes.
There are many ways you can incorporate lavender into your night time routine. My technique is to use layers of lavender. I’ll share with you what I do, and then you can give it a try and see what works for you. In no particular order, this is my personal ‘Layers of Lavender’ technique”:
* I place a bunch of lavender on my bedside table. Fresh lavender when it’s in season, otherwise dried.
* In the evening I sip a cup of lavender tea. Right now I have two lavender teas I’m enjoying. The first is Organic Serenity Now, from David’s Tea, and the second is an Organic Chamomile with Lavender, from Traditional Medicinals Herbal Teas. I find both of these calm my mind and ease any tension;
* I place a lavender sachet under my pillow. This allows the fragrance to be close to me while I’m sleeping, but not be overwhelming. The sachet I have right now is from Provence En Couleur. I bought this sachet from a local business that imports lavender to Vancouver straight from Provence.
* I use a roll-on of high quality essential oil on my wrists and the back of my neck just as I’m about to go to bed. This I also purchased from Provence En Couleur;
* I really enjoy relaxing in a warm bath filled with lavender-scented bubbles. The Lavender Foaming Bath from L’Occatine, gently perfumes my skin leaving me feeling very tranquil.
* Following the bath I smooth a lavender-scented body lotion on. I was recently given a gift of Thymes Lavender Body Lotion. This adds yet another layer of soothing fragrance.
* And I always set a diffuser with a pure lavender essential oil. The two I’ve been using recently are Lavender High Grade from Saje and AOP Fine Lavender Essential Oil from Provence En Couleur.
These are my ‘Layers of Lavender’. I suggest choosing just one or two things to start, and then try adding in a few more. I’d love to hear what works for you, and if you have any ‘layers’ that you can introduce to me.
Important note: If you have an allergy to flowers or are sensitive to scents, this is not recommended for you.
