Essential oils for sleep

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Insomnia Remedies
Essential oils for sleep

How preppers deal with insomnia naturally:
Lack of sleep is often a result of an overactive mind. Stresses at
work, j ob loss, divorce, death of a loved one, menopause, illness
or an emergency situation ~ all can cause insomnia.

During a crisis, your mind could be hyper alert with thoughts
keeping you awake at night. Without adequate sleep you may not
be able to follow through on an effective strategy of survival,
which is why it's important for preppers to take note of natural
remedies for insomnia. Take heed of these essential oils for sleep
below...

How to Deal with Insomnia
Herbs and essential oils already are part of the homesteading life
that preppers have embraced. Preppers who aspire to grow a
medicinal garden should first learn how the herbs can help
improve the quality of life. To that end, below are the top natural
remedies for insomnia.

If you suffer from insomnia you can significantly improve the
quality of sleep with these natural remedies:

#1: Melatonin.
For both insomnia and fatigue you can turn to natural relief of
m elatonin. The secret of sleeping better has to do with the
dosage size. Choose only 1-5 mg. doses.

Melatonin is a potent free radical scavenger naturally or hormone
produced in your pineal gland and present in high amounts in the
gastrointestinal tract. It helps to regulate the body’s natural
biorhythm, but too much of a good thing won't help you sleep.
When melatonin levels are low, less of the hormone is released
into the bloodstream, resulting in restlessness or wakefulness.
You can restore balance to your body with Melatonin, but
remember, less is more. Look for a melatonin that's 5-mg or less
to help you get into a healthy sleep cycle. You may otherwise
wake up with a headache!

How to use melatonin: This supplement will help you drift
off to dream land, but it's important to note that while it
induces sleep, but it doesn't necessarily maintain sleepm so
if you don't find yourself waking up at night, give Melatonin a
go. Take a small does of Melatonin a 1 mg. capusule or no
more than a 5 mg. capsul e of Melatonin at bedtime to
promote relaxation and sleep. Remember that larger doses
could do reverse damage and you'll have an even more
difficult time sleeping. Look for 5 mg. doses and below. It's
all your body needs.

#2: Lavender essential oil (lavandula anguistifolia).
Lavender is a familiar sleep aid that offers peace and tranquility
along with a refreshing clean scent. Lavender can reduce feelings
of anger, agitation and insecurity. Your ancestors likely washed
linens in lavender. The word comes from Latin lavare meaning "to
wash." La vender essential oil can help you wash away the
restless night to get a better night's sleep. Research confirms
lavender produces calming, soothing, and sedative effects when
inhaled, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
You can achieve inhalation through use of a diffuser or by making
a spritzer.

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that you can ease with a
lavender essential oil massage because of the linalool and linalyl
acetate content, which have maximum absorbing properties from
skin. Linalool is a compound that shows sedative effects and
linalyl acetate shows marked narcotic actions. A single-blind
randomized study confirms the effectiveness of lavender odor on
quality of sleep!

While the aroma also can help you relieve anxiety and induce
calm, L avender essential o il shouldn't be used with any other
sedative or anti-anxiety agents as it may make them stronger.

Lavender essential oil i s of interest to preppers for many reasons.
In addition to help you fix insomnia naturally, lavender can
relieve pain, heal burns and wounds, reduce scarring, kill a staph
infection, deal with stomach upset, cure candida, soothe
menstrual cramps, and even get rid of head lice naturally. A
bonus is that lavender can h elp deal with hair loss (alopecia
areata).

How to use lavender essential oil for sleep: Diffuse
lavender essential oil in the bedroom, or use a spritzer to
freshen bedsheets. Alternatively, you can use a sachet of the
herb as a night mask. Lavender essential oil is generally
regarded as safe on the skin, but if you have hyper-
sensitivity you can choose a kid-safe lavender and apply to
the feet. As with other essential oils, never use undiluted.
Do not take internally unless working with a qualified and
expert practitioner. Keep away from children and pets. If
applying an essential oil to your skin always perform a small
patch test to an insensitive part of the body (after you have
properly diluted the oil in an appropriate carrier).

#3: California poppy (Eschscholzia Californica).
Try California poppy essential oil for sleep! If you've ever watched
the Wizard of Oz you know the scene where Dorothy falls asleep
in the poppies, right? California poppy might not be as potent as
in the movie classic, but it certainly has some impressive uses for
anxiety relief, pain relief as well as a sedative for better sleep.

A tincture of California Poppy is useful in treating sleeplessness
and over excitability. It's a non-addictive alternative to the opium
poppy. It acts as a sedative or as a general antispasmodic.
Although its primary use for pain relief is associated with the
teeth, it can be used as a general sedative to the body; it helps
with (chronic) pains such as headaches, stomach pains, muscle
pains, joint pain, and external wounds.

Fix insomnia naturally with California Poppy!

How to use California Poppy: Adults take 30-50 drops of
California Poppy extract in a small amount of water or
favorite juice 2-4 times daily between meals. It's not to be
used during pregnancy or lactation. If you have a medical
condition or take medications, please consult with your
doctor before use. Also, this is not for children.

#4: Cannabis oil.
Cannabis oil is totally legal and has a history of medical use.
Cannabis is also well known for helping to treat insomnia because
it offers a relaxed state.

Cannabis oil is ideal for the prepper's medicine cabinet.

#5: Chamomile tea, Roman Chamomile essential oil.
Another way to sleep better naturally is with chamomile tea and
Roman chamomile essential oil.

Chamomile is an herb you can use topically as an essetnial oil
and there are two kinds ~ German Chamomile and Roman
Chamomile. Both oils have properties of calming, as well as
lowering stress and relaxing the muscles, but specifically Roman
Chamomile Essential oil is for insomnia. (Use German chamomile
as anti-inflammatory for redness in skin and for reducing pain and
inflammation.)

Use Roman Chamomile Essential oil or a chamomile herbal tea to
promote a restful night's sleep. Roman Chamomile is also
effective at relieving menstrual and abdominal cramping, so if
that's keeping you awake at night all the more reason to choose
Roman Chamomile to help you sleep. It's one of the top essential
oils for your health. It has stress relieving properties that ease
out depression,

How to use Roman Chamomile for insomnia: Enjoy the
herbal tea at bedtime as a part of your nightly routine.
Roman Chamomile oil can ease migraine headaches like no
other. It also calms a state of stress enabling a restful
sleep. With its deep aroma of banana, apples and spices
along with a hint of floral you'll feel restful using it as a
diffuser for three hours at bedtime. Alternatively, you can
use a carrier oil and rub it in your feet.

#6: Frankincense.
Another of the essential oils for insomnia is frankincense, which
can induce incredibly vivid and creative dreams and yet enhance
settling down at bedtime. Studies show olfactory cues of
frankincense enhance memory, which is interesting in that the
reason for sleep is a mystery, but the role of sleep may be as a
way to consolidate memory.

Frankincense has a traditional role in improving learning and
memory, according to an abstract published in the U.S. National
Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, as it affects the
Hippocampus, a sensitive region of the brain. The study suggests
Frankincense increases dendritic segments and branches of
neuron cells in the hippocampus, which in turn causesmore
synapses to fire and improve learning and memory.

Good for both body and mind, frankincense is literally the holy
grail of well being as it is an herb prominently featured in the
bible. Frankincense has many uses for preppers, and among them
is to promote sleep. In an abstract published in the U.S. National
Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, the inhalation
of blended oil from Ravensara, frankincense, and sandalwood
alleviated subjective symptoms to improve sleep quality.

How to use Frankincense for insomnia: Apply a drop at the
back of the neck applied with a carrier oil. Use with caution
as frankincense is potent and may cause irritation if applied
"neat" without a carrier oil. Rest assured that it is an
annointing oil of the bible, safe and used to also treat a
variety of cancers naturally, most notably brain cancer. Dr.
Josh Axe suggests using frank i ncense as a bath soak.
Alternatively diffuse frankincense with Sandalwood and
Ravensara at bedtime to promote a good night's sleep.

#7: Cedarwood essential oil (Cedrus deodara or
junipernus virginiana).
Cedarwood essential oil can help you increase sleep time and
keep the moths away! Cedarwood essential oil is a very soothing
and calming scent and you can find your favorite ~ either Cedrus
deodara or Junipernus virginiana for helping you with sleep. Both
have a sweet woody aroma to support a healthy respiratory
function, as well as for stress relief, strengthening and
empowering.

The major components of cedarwood essential oil are alpha-
cedrene, beta-cedrene, cedrol, widdrol, thujopsene and a group of
sesquiterpenes — all of which contribute a great deal to its
health benefits. Its scent gives out a warm, soft, grounding, and
comfortable feeling.

When you inhale cedarwood by diffusion you can relieve
congestion and respiratory function. You'll feel refreshed when
you awaken as Cedarwood Essential Oil helps calm the mind. Mix
with Lavender Essential Oil, which inspires tranquility.

How to use Cedarwood Essential Oil for sleep: Simply
diffuse it at bedtime. Cedarwood essential oil blends well
with bergamot, chamomile, clary sage or lavender~ all of
which also help aid sleep. Add a few drops with water into
the diffuser and enjoy a restful slumber. A bonus use of
cedarwood essential oil is that you can add some to your
shampoo and you'll cut down on the dandruff. That's
something to keep in mind if you take a shower at bedtime.

#8: Lugols iodine.
Preppers may recognize Lugols iodine for emergency disinfection
of drinking water ~ as well, preppers may also be familiar with
Lugals for removing parasites, but many aren't in the know that
Lugols will also have you sleeping better!

This dietary supplement of iodine and potassium iodide is a
calming sleep aid. Lugols contains iodine which has the natural
function of calming the body and relieving nervous tension. When
the body is saturated with iodine, the mind works better and the
result is clear thinking and a relaxed state.

Why does iodine work for sleep? An essential mineral your body
depends on for healthy thyroid function, iodine is vital to support
your metabolism, maintain energy levels and fight fatigue. Iodine
is necessary for the thyroid gland to work properly. Your thyroid
works hard ~ all the blood in your body passes through it every
17 minutes or so. If your iodine intake from food and water is
low, then your gland gets deprived of the much needed element
that it needs to work.

Lugols also can help resolve cancers, such as thyroid cancer. We
usually get iodine from our diet, however the soil is depleted of
essential nutrients and iodine is one of those minerals. In Japan
the average consumption of iodine is 10-14mg daily and Japan
has one of the lowest cancer rates in the developed world!

How to use Lugol's Solution for insomnia: Take under the
tongue at 2 drops a day. Always fresh Lugols does not
expire. Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight with
no need to refrigerate.

Other foods natural with iodine include:

asparagus
bananas
cabbage
carrots
egg yolk
lettuce
mushroom
onions
tomatoes
peas
potatoes
radishes
seafood
spinach
strawberries and
rhubarb.

ylang-ylang essential

Vetiver oil

L-Tryptophan supplement

5 mg Melatonin

1 mg Melatonin Cherry

Organic Lavender

Organic California Poppy

Above, Dr. Josh Axe discusses lavender essential oil, Roman Chamomile and
Veveter.

#14: Wild Lettuce.
Preppers are going wild for Wild Lettuce. One of the main reasons
to grow wild lettuce to use prepping is for insomnia relief by
treating restlessness to promote a healthy deep sleep.

Wild lettuce also may help provide relief from headaches and
migraines as the herb has sedating qualities. Wild Lettuce has
Lacturcarium, a pain-relieving agent that resembles opium, but is
very legal. Wild Lettuce has been used as sedative and pain
reliever since ancient times. It's commonly blended in teas and
doesn't disrupt the digestive system. Try Wild Lettuce as a
soothing agent for headaches, menstrual pains, coughs, muscle
pain, and more.

You can grow wild lettuce and make your own tincture, but the
Wild Lettuce Herb from Florida Herbal Pharmacy, pictured right,
will provide the correct ratio.

#15: Essential Oils Can Help with Insomnia, too.
Essential oils, such as lavender, can help release of serotonin,
endorphins, and noradrenalin with a calming and euphoric effect.
According to Asian Pacific of Tropical Biomedicine in an abstract
published in ScienceDirect.com with open access funded by
Hainan Medical University, the following essential oils all help
alleviate insomnia:

Angelica archangelica rad (angelica)
Cananga odorata (ylang ylang)
Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile)
Citrus aurantium var. amara (neroli bigarade)
Cistus ladaniferus (labdanum)
Citrus bergamia (bergamot)
C. limon (lemon)
Citrus reticulata (mandarin)
Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)
Cuminum cyminum (cumin)
Juniperus communis fruct. (juniper berry)
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender)
Litsea cubeba (may chang)
Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)
Myrtus communis (myrtle)
Ocimum basilicum (basil) (nervous)
Origanum majorana (sweet marjoram)
Ravensara aromatica (ravensara)
Thymus vulgaris ct. geraniol, ct. linalool (sweet thyme)
Valeriana officinalis (valerian)

16. Ylang-Ylang.
Another essential oil for sleep is ylang-ylang. Think of it as your
sleep-sleep essential oil! Dr. Josh Axe recommends diffusing
Ylang-Ylang essential oil at bedtime for those who have a
wondering mind causing a sleepless night.

Ylang-ylang has a refreshing and delicate floral aroma that helps
your body release bound up emotions and tension. It's also
considered an aphrodisiac by Polynesian cultures. That's why
Ylang Ylangimost often used as a massage oil. With a fresh and
sweet floral fragrance, you'll find Ylang-Ylang is sweet, exotic,
intoxicating, and above all, relaxing.

According to sciencedirect.com, ylang-ylang is antidepressive in
nature with euphoric properties, thus giving the feeling of well
being.

How to use ylang-ylang. Dr. Axe suggests diffusing ylang-
ylang with Roman Chamomile and Veveter.

#17: Gelatin aids sleep!
Who knew Jello is good for you? Gelatin is good for the skin, it
also can help heal your gut, protect your joints and help you
sleep better. Here are five reasons to eat more gelatin and why
even vegetarians, should eat more gelatin.

What's in gelatin that aids sleep? Glycine is the compound from
gelatin, and glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep according
to the abstract.

Happy endings...
Early to bed, early to rise makes a man or a woman healthy,
wealthy and wise. Sleep better prepper!

"Now I see the secret of making the best person: It is t grow in the
open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." ~ Walt Whitman
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." ~ Hippocrates

Other medical articles...

More popular prepping articles...

Prepare to live happily ever after with us at happypreppers.com - the Web site of
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* These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For
any health or dietary matter, always consult your physician. Not for use if you are
pregnant ornursing. This information is intended for your general knowledge only and
is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical
conditions. Never disregard or delay in seeking medical advice when available.

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Above, marjoram essential oil has a spicy, herby, warm, nutty, woody,
camphor scent, can promote healthy immune function and
soothe tired and stressed muscles.

#9: Marjoram Essential Oil.
Warm and nutty, marjoram is a soothing, relaxing and balancing
essential oil for helping you sleep, but not if you're nursing or
pregnant. During the special time, you could alternatively try a
kid-safe lavender essential oil under the advisement of your
physician.

Turn to the natural relief of Sweet Marjoram, which helps provide
a state of mind that is calming and help you feel at ease.
Marjoram essential oil is a precious and comforting oil at all
levels. Not only does it support the respiratory system and
comfort the senses, but you can use it to relieve discomfort
during the menstrual cycle, or alleviate sore and achy muscles.

Marjoram has a slightly sweet, herbaceous scent that is fresh and
medicinal. It's warm, spicy and woodsy! It calms stress and
anxiety and promotes a long restful sleep.

All this is great news, and particularly so if you are senior citizen.
In an abstract published by the U.S. Library of Medicine, National
Institutes of Health, sweet marjoram is shown to reduce sleep
disturbance and improve overall well-being in older patients.

How to use Marjoram Essential Oil: Apply to the base of
the neck with a carrier oil to ease feelings of stress and
promote a restful sleep. It's also a natural antiseptic and
anti-viral. Apply a diluted amount to the skin to fight
bacteria and viruses.

NOTE:

Marjoram is among the e

ssential oils to

avoid

if you

are pregnant or lactating

#10: Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora).
One of the essential oils for sleep may scare you. It's called
Skullcap, but don't worry ~ it's nothing to do with cannabalism.
American Skullcap is an awesome essential oil. for sleep.
American skullcap is also a nervine that soothes nerves. It treats
insomnia and is also a headache remedy.

Skullcap is a natural sedative that has many names ~ Scutellaria,
Scullcap, Scute, Blue Skullcap, Mad-Dog Skullcap, and Madweed.
Skullcap has a traditional use in support for emotional and
nervous system conditions. Skullcap can help you sleep better!

Skullcap reduces tension and anxiety and relieves insomnia
caused by pain or nervous tension. This herbaceous perennial
mint with ridged leaves and tiny flowers that can range in color
from purple and blue to pink and white, can be ingested as a
tincture to calm someone under extreme stress.

Skullcap contains volatile oil, scutellarin, bitter glycoside, tannin,
fat, bitter principles.

Skullcap has the sideline benefit of breaking addictions to
nicotine and alcohol. It may help to ease tension just
enough stop the additive substance. To break an addiction,
take 15-20 drops of skullcap tincture every hour or two to
lessen the severity of drug or alcohol withdrawal.

#11: Tryptophan.
You know that sluggish feeling you get on Thanksgiving day after
eating? That's the trytophan in turkey casting a sleepy spell.
Specifically, L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps
support mood, relaxation, and restful sleep. What's more,
LTryptophan plays a part in the synthesis of both melatonin and
serotonin, hormones involved with mood and stress response

How to use tryptophan: Eat foods high in tryptophan, like
turkey or take an L-Tryptophan supplement! With careful
planning you can add turkey to your food storage:

12: Valerian root (Valeriana Officinalis).
Need to fall asleep? Try Valerian root tea. Need to calm anxiety?
Try Valerian. Super angry? Again, it's Valerian to the rescue.

An effective herbal remedy for insomnia, valerian root tea, which
has a minty and mildly bitter and sweet with notes of citrus and
spice, will be your go-to in crisis.

Valerian root calms your nerves and promotes deep relaxation,
especially for those dealing with pain. Valerian root (Valeriana
officinalis) is natural aspirin alternative which not only has
sedative effects, but also is an anti-spasmodic, meaning it
relaxes muscles.

Skip the antidepressant and mood stabilizers, have a cup of
Valerian root tea and awake calm and refreshed.

Valerian has a relaxing effect on the nervous system making it
another way preppers can deal with insomnia.

It's a natural herb that helps support a restful sleep.

How to use Valerian root: Valerian is generally safe, but
use caution if also using depressants. Valerian can be useful
as a dietary supplement for headaches; mental strain or lack
of concentration; nervousness, and stress as well as for
dealing with a variety of other ailments and conditions,
including:

colic
epilepsy
fainting
insomnia
premenstural tension
menopause
muscle cramps

13: Vetiver oil.
If your mind is wandering at night think of vetiver oil because it
can help you get a better night's sleep.

Vetiver oil works most directly on the nervous system for those
who have neurological conditions, ADHT and autism ~ and it can
work on those who have dementia.

How to use Vetiver oil for insomnia. Dr. Josh Axe in the
video below suggests a recipe of 2 drops of lavender oil, 2
drops of roman chamomile oil and 1 drop of vetiver. Mix them
in your hands with a bit of a carrier oil and rub it on the back
of your neck to promote a restful night's sleep. Alternatively,
you can use a diffuser to allow the vapors to induce sleep.
Diffusers will affect pets.

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Nitrile Gloves

Wild Le ttuce H erb