Are you only just managing to hang on? It sometimes feels like a pretty tenuous hold, as you watch life whirl by at the speed of light. For many people, the first thing to go in all this rush is self- care; there’s simply no time left over. But it’s so important in helping us keep body and soul together.
Although it’s a good idea to have a professional aromatherapy treatment whenever you can manage it, using essential oils at home can help you feel a whole lot better.
Essential Oils
Invest in some basic essential oils that can be used for more than one purpose. Get the best quality you can afford and only use oils labeled with the latin plant name. This gives some assurance of quality.
A good basic set might include:
- Juniper
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Peppermint
- Sandalwood
- Frankincense
- Lemon scented tea-tree
Wake-up Treatment
Use this when you feel sluggish, hung over or need a quick pick-me-up. Uncover your arms. Put 4 drops of juniper essential oil into the palm of one hand. Rub hands briskly together, then rub left hand up and down right arm followed by right hand up and down left arm. (the way you do when you’re cold) Go from shoulder to wrist, firmly and fast. Repeat a few times. It’ll leave you feeling vibrant at any time of day. This is one of the few times to use essential oils directly on the skin.
- Sleeping: When life is fast and furious, sleeping can often be a problem. Keep a baby pillow tucked amongst the pillows on your bed. If it contains hops and lavender, so much the better. Put a couple of drops of lavender and sandalwood or frankincense (or all three) onto it a little time before you go to bed so it’s not too strong. Repeat each night, and the bed will take on a wonderfully calming ambience. Note: Essential oils can discolour fabric.
- Room Spritz: Make up a spray bottle with water and a few drops of essential oils, 3-4 drops in 300 mls. Spray around the room, lightly onto carpet, drapes and cushions. Choose oils that suit your purpose: sandalwood, lavender and frankincense to help with sleep; juniper and rosemary and orange to enliven you and improve communication. Use only a light mist so you hardly notice the smell at all. Shake well before each use. Your surroundings will smell subtley lovely while smoothing the atmosphere.
- Shoes: Keep shoes smelling good, and free from mold and tinea. Make (or buy) some shoe-shaped inserts onto which you apply a few drops of lemon-scented tea-tree oil after each use. Shoes will smell gorgeous, and so will their containers.
- Bath: To unstress at the end of the day, soak in a bath to which you’ve added 2 drops each of lavender, juniper and frankincense. If you are heading for bed, make it warm; if not, then it can be hot. When you need to go out again, use rosemary in place of lavender to give you some sparkle. Mix the oils into a teaspoon of milk or shampoo before adding to the water. Mixing them with carrier oil can make the bath dangerously slippery.
- Shower: Put the plug in, (or put your foot over the outlet for a couple of minutes) add a couple of drops of oil into the base of the shower, or onto a cloth depending on the shower surface. As the hot water comes in contact with the oil, you’ll be enveloped in fragrant steam.
- Shampoo: Adding a couple of drops of essential oil to your shampoo is a subtle way to add fragrance to your body and increase your relaxation. You’ll be surprised at how many comments you get about your fragrance.
- Footbath: A really useful one when you don’t have time for anything, but maybe could squeeze in 10 minutes.
Fill a good sized bowl or a foot spa with quite hot water and add 3 drops of peppermint and 2 drops of rosemary or juniper. Put a towel down under the bowl, (it catches the drips and is ready to dry your feet afterwards) sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes and soak your feet for as long as you can manage. If things are really desperate, you might need to peel the potatoes or finish the report at the same time. Then when it’s time to finish, give your feet a good hard rub with the towel to dry and waken them up.
Keep your essential oils where you can see them, and get into the habit of using them for both reviving and relaxing yourself. Life will be so much sweeter when you do.
To learn more, book an online aromatherapy consultation today.
|
Do you have a natural health & wellness business? |
