Ever say to yourself, “I hurt, I’m stressed out, and I can’t sleep. Now what do I do?” You are not alone.

Aches. Soreness. Stress. No sleep. Tossing and turning. Too many of us are intimately familiar with these afflictions.

They keep you from falling asleep. wake you up at night, and keep you from doing the things you love to do.  But there is good news. You don’t have to keep feeling this way.  You can change your trajectory and stop this from happening.

One of the things that will help you to be more effective in breaking this cycle is to reduce stress in the body, system wide.  Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done.

Let’s get a little science-y about stress…

Stress causes a chemical reaction in the body.  Stimulus is received and we react.  When the body perceives there to be a danger, or threat, even though it may be relatively small like someone entering the room with whom you don’t get along, you have a physical response.

Cortisol is often known as the stress hormone, though it actually has receptors throughout almost every cell in the body for many different functions including blood sugar regulation, memory retention, reducing inflammation and even helping to regulate metabolism.  When functioning properly, it helps keep us balanced. But when there is too much cortisol released due to ongoing high stress, etc., it can have negative effects on our body.

Many people know that cortisol can cause weight gain, especially around the midsection of the body and upper back.  Other signs of too much cortisol include:

• Irritability
• Headaches
• Acne
• Weakening of muscles
• Thinner skin that bruises easily
• Fatigue
• Trouble concentrating
• High Blood pressure
• Increased susceptibility to diabetes and heart disease
• Increased perception of pain

You can see by this list the importance of getting better control over stress.  There are a few ways we can do this.

We can introduce a calming stimulus to the brain. When a calming essential oil like Lavender, Balance, Serenity, or Adaptiv are inhaled, applied topically or diffused, you add something new to the cycle.

When we smell or inhale an essential oil, it travels up through the olfactory system and goes directly to the brain to the amygdala.  This is the emotional center of the brain.

For example, studies have shown that when inhaled, lavender can help calm the central nervous system (CNS) causing us to feel more calm and relaxed. Scientists discovered that lavender and one of its major constituents linalool were able to bind to the serotonin transporter, helping to validate the use of lavender for its overall soothing effects.  This is thought to help calm the body and promote more restful sleep.[1]

By introducing a calming stimulus, like lavender or Adaptiv, and the Adaptiv softgels, we can change the outcomes and help decrease stress in our bodies, thus helping to bring down cortisol levels to more normal levels.  With the above list in mind, you can see how changing this cycle can have multiple other health benefits.

Now let’s get home-y…

Ever feel so exhausted you couldn’t wait to get into bed and fall asleep only to have your mind start racing 100 miles an hour?  Then you start tossing and turning and wind up being awake for hours?  You’re not alone. Plus sleep helps the body to heal…so we need to get this right!

Creating a relaxing routine before bed can really make a difference here.  How about keeping a notebook by your bed to write down a list of whatever you feel you still need to do?  You’ll free your mind and allow it to relax knowing you won’t forget because its “on the list” for tomorrow.

Ditch the electronics!

Why a notebook instead of your phone or tablet?  Studies show (ok just a bit more science) that blue light, the kind that comes from your phone and/or tablet can really play havoc with your circadian rhythm, (the circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats on each rotation of the Earth roughly every 24 hours.)[2] causing a decrease in melatonin which means…you guessed it…not great sleep. So…opt for the notebook and pen.  And try to stay away from screens for at least 30 minutes before bed.  You’re welcome.

Another great bedtime routine to add is that of rubbing lavender, Balance blend, Adaptiv blend, or Serenity blend on the bottoms of your feet before bed.  (Best to use just one or maybe two of these at a time.) I know this sounds weird, but it really works because the pores on the bottoms of  your feet are larger than anywhere else in the body, making absorption into the blood stream quick and easy.  You’ll start to relax in no time. And your feet will smell good too!

I personally like to put a little on my chest, under my nose, and strangely enough, massaging your outer ear is incredibly relaxing.  Don’t believe me?  Give it a try.  You’ll be surprised.

Try this idea!

Spritz your linens (spray bottle with water and a few drops of the oil) before bed with lavender, Adaptiv, Balance, or Serenity. You’ll sink into lovely dreaminess in no time.

By the way, the reason I am giving you more than one choice is because everyone doesn’t like the same things.  So…choices are good! Also, different people react differently, so what works great for me might not work as well for you, and vice versa.  Lavender and Serenity are more floral, Balance is more woodsy smelling, and Adaptiv has a sweet, floral and citrusy smell.  Or you might just want to have a few to change it up with because you get bored of the same old thing…I get that.  So again, choices.

DIFFUSER?  What’s that?

Ever heard of a diffuser?  You can get them literally almost anywhere these days.  I prefer the water based ones because you use less oils, put a bit of moisture in the air, and most importantly you make your room smell fabulous with no toxins or synthetics.  (I live in a drier climate, but I think you’ll like it even if you are in a climate with more humidity.) You also help purify and clean the air.  Not bad right?  It’s a great idea to diffuse oils right by your bedside to promote healthy sleep.  Try it, you’ll like it.

This happened to me…

Recently my hubby came down with a stuffy nose and all that comes with it…luckily he tested negative for other things. Anyway, we put Breathe essential oil and OnGuard essential oil in the diffuser to boost his immunity and to help him, well…breathe.  This was a way I could take care of him, lessen my chance of catching what he had, and help him have a better nights rest.  Good stuff?  Yep.

A winning combo!

So lastly let’s talk a bit about when you climb into bed and just hurt. My winning essential oil of choice here is actually a combo.  Topically I love to use an essential oil called Deep Blue. Would you like a short quick guide on how to Break the Discomfort Cycle?  Then click below for your free gift just for visiting us today!

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Great!  Now that you have your free quick guide, lets finish this discussion with some great “No more discomfort” oils you will love!

Deep Blue is recommended before and after physical activity.  Many athletes use it preventively to help warm up muscles and joints to help them perform more optimally.  It has a penetrating, warming and then cooling effect many find helpful.

I love to combine Deep Blue with copaiba essential oil.  The two of these together can be amazing to help those muscles calm down.  I also take the copaiba softgel before bed, which promotes better sleep and relaxation to those parts of my body that just don’t want to relax.  It’s been a powerful combo for me especially at night.

Whichever oil you choose to try first, remember that consistency is key.  You need to give it some time.  Often you will feel a difference right away, and at the same time its also true that it might take you a little longer….say a few weeks to really tell a difference.  Journaling can be helpful here as well.

What’s the best thing for me from here?

Typically, if you think you want to start using the oils, the smartest move is to purchase one of our starter kits.  You save a lot and get more for your money.  If you want to check out my special offer, and explore which kits I recommend right now, check out this post entitled “How to get your own Essential Oils and Natural Products“.

I’d love to hear what works for you and is helping.  Keep me posted!  Here’s to less stress, discomfort, and a better nights sleep for you!

[1]  https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/science-wellness-lavender-oil-serotonin

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm#:~:text=A%20circadian%20rhythm%20is%20a,oscillation%20of%20about%2024%20hours.