Essential Oils for Sleep

 Essential Oil For Sleep:

Our next set of essential oils are for sleep, I have had a hard time sleeping over the last few years, I’ve read that diet could be a cause as well as stress so when it was suggested to me to try essential oils for sleep I figured I had nothing to lose. I also changed my diet as well, I added more fruits and vegetables and cut out the added sugar and processed foods. I also found the softest sheets ever on Amazon which have also been helpful. So along with the diet changes and the sheets, these are the essential oils that worked for me. I am sleeping so much better these days. I hope you will try them to see what works for you.  As I said in my previous post, I am not a doctor or an expert on this subject I’m just giving you what has been helpful to me and what I have researched. 

     

      Lavender Essential Oil-I mentioned this before, I use lavender essential oil nightly in my aromatherapy infuser along with a few of the oils that I mention below.  Lavender has been my go to for awhile, I also place a few drops in my bath water at times.  Nothing beats a nice hot bath with Epsom salts, a few drops of lavender essential oil and bubbles, talk about relaxing.  Studies have shown that not only does lavender oil help you fall asleep, it also improves your quality of sleep.  Lavender oil also helps you to relax and de-stress and that helps to get your body prepared for sleep.  Studies have also shown that lavender essential oil is also great for reducing anxiety and for lowering blood pressure.

      Ylang Ylang  Essential Oil- We talked about Ylang Ylang essential oil in our weight loss oils, you may have noticed that different oils are good for several different concerns. Just like lavender oil,  Ylang Ylang helps with relaxation and can also help lower blood pressure.  It has also been known to lessen feelings of anxiety and depression.

      Cedarwood Essential Oil-Has a woodsy aroma, it is derived from all parts of the cedar tree, which includes the needles, berries, leaves, and bark. It is known for having a sedative effect due to a chemical compound that it contains called cedrol. Cedarwood essential oil creates a tranquil environment which is conducive to sleep and so makes it a good candidate for our essential oils for sleep. I add this to my aromatherapy diffuser in the evenings to help with sleep or to my bath water.

     Chamomile Essential Oil-Since the aroma of chamomile essential oil is where the benefits lie, it is best to inhale this one or use your aromatherapy diffuser to get the full effects. Chamomile essential oil acts as a sleep inducer as well as a mild tranquilizer.  Roman chamomile essential oil has been found to be the best and most effective for sleep and also has the added benefit of potentially reducing nightmares.

      Peppermint Essential Oil-Has been found to be helpful in improving insomnia.  There’s nothing worse than tossing and turning and watching the hours tick by on your clock and sleep no where to be found. Peppermint essential oil is best used earlier in the day however because though it helps with insomnia it can also boosts your mood.  As we’ve said previously, peppermint essential oil is very strong and has a burning effect so it’s best used with a carrier oil when used on the skin  and only use a few drops at a time,

       Clary Sage Essential Oil-Reduces stress by reducing your cortisol levels which is your stress hormone and it is also a natural antidepressant.  Clary Sage Essential Oil makes you feel very relaxed in a short amount of time and also has a sedative effect which makes it an excellent sleep aid.  

      Marjoram Essential Oil-Like Clary Sage, Marjoram Essential Oil induces a sedative effect and is a stress reliever.  I sometimes rotate different oils to see which ones I like better together.  My aromatherapy infuser gets a nightly workout to help me sleep better.  Marjoram oil can also be applied topically to the nape of your neck to reduce stress and is also good to calm children before a nap. Marjoram essential oil has been found to be more powerful than lavender and chamomile to induce sleep.

      Frankincense Essential Oil-I’m not a big fan of the smell of this oil but I do use it often for different things.  Frankincense essential oil can induce a deep sense of calm and is one of the few oils that doesn’t need a carrier oil when applied topically.  As with the other oils mentioned above it has a sedative effect and helps with sleep. 

      Neroli Essential Oil(Bitter Orange)-Relieves insomnia and has hypnotic properties which induce a sense of well being.  It is considered a natural tranquilizer and helps with relaxation.  Neroli Essential Oil has also been shown to be helpful in lucid dreaming. Use this oil sparingly because it is very expensive.

      Bergamot Essential Oil-Is part of the citrus oils family, it comes from a tree that is a cross between an orange tree and a lemon tree.  Bergamot essential oil prepares the body for sleep by lowing blood pressure and slowing the heart rate.  Bergamot essential oil has a calming effect and reduces stress and anxiety. 

These are just a few of the essential oils that are helpful for sleep, there are many more that we’ll talk about but for now, I hope you find something that works for you.  Please subscribe to our blog for more and we will do our best to provide more interesting content for you.

     

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Essential Oils for Weight Loss

    Essential oils are concentrated extracts from plants. It takes a large amount of plant material to make a small amount of essential oil.  Essential oils can be used in aromatherapy, applied topically to the skin, or inhaled.  I use all three methods. I love to fall off to sleep with my aromatherapy diffuser going.  I change to a different combination of oils every night, but it always starts with lavender essential oil which is great for sleep.  We’ll talk more about that in future posts.  I also like to inhale them using nasal inhalers that I purchased from Amazon. I add a few drops of the oil to the inhaler and then, based on what I’m trying to accomplish, I inhale that particular oil or combination of oils.  

    Our first set of essential oils to start is for our less than favorite struggle, weight loss.  Who hasn’t wanted to lose a few pounds now and then? If you haven’t found it necessary, consider yourself lucky or blessed however you look at it.  Below is a list of essential oils commonly used for weight loss.  Some you may know and some may be new to you; I'll break each one down and give you some of the best combinations I've found over the years to use for success.  I am no expert on this subject, but I will discuss information that I have personally researched as well as what has worked for me.  For expert advice consult your personal physician.  

    Every essential oil possesses its own unique set of healing properties, each of which can contribute to your weight loss efforts. Many essential oils are powerful anti-inflammatories, some promote sleep, and still others help with anxiety or stress as well as weight loss.  So if you find yourself struggling with plateaus, sugar cravings, emotional or digestive issues--all of which can cause weight loss plateaus--then the essential oils I’ll be discussing may be the key to finally losing those excess pounds. Let's begin.

Cinnamon: When we think of cinnamon, we first think of the spice that we sprinkle on our food or drinks.  What we are discussing here is the cinnamon essential oil.  Cinnamon essential oil is a very strong oil with a sweet taste. It should not be used directly on the skin because it can burn.   A carrier oil (an oil that helps essential oils safely cross through your skin to the bloodstream) like coconut, grapeseed, or castor oil should always be used with cinnamon essential oil. Please go lightly with this because even when used with a carrier oil, cinnamon essential oil can burn your skin if you use too much.  I have learned this from experience. I used too many drops in my coconut oil once and it burned like crazy.  A drop or two can also be used internally in a tea or smoothie.  I use cinnamon essential oil along with many of the oils below as a weight loss topical ointment. I also use my topical blend with a waist trainer to help burn belly fat. I've seen a difference in my personal usage, but I haven’t found any concrete medical research that confirms this is a widely accepted result for most users.  This should be completely obvious, but let me say that none of this works if you’re eating cookies, donuts, and fast food daily.  A healthy diet is a major part of this as well.

    Clove Bud: Clove Bud Essential Oil you need to be very careful with because even small amounts can cause severe side effects such as seizures and liver damage. This oil can cause burning, like cinnamon essential oil, if placed directly on skin. clove bud essential oil has the benefits of being anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and is also used as a pain reliever for things like toothaches and muscle pain.  Clove Bud Essential Oil has not been specifically used for weight loss; but because of it’s warming effects I use it along with the cinnamon oil for the belly fat reduction technique I explained above.

    Peppermint: Peppermint Essential Oil has a very soothing aroma.  I find that it also suppresses my appetite and reduces my sugar cravings when I inhale it during a craving. Peppermint Essential Oil is also great for poor digestion. If we’re not digesting our food properly, we’re definitely not losing weight.  It also helps to lift your mood and fight fatigue which can help with wanting to exercise more often, an essential part of your weight loss regimen.  I often include Peppermint Essential Oil in my belly fat reduction blend I mentioned above.

    Lemon: First let me say that  I love the smell of  lemon essential oil. I know I say that about them all, but the citrus oils are my favorite. I find it so refreshing. It has so many benefits, but today we’re talking about how it benefits weight loss.  Lemon essential oil is known to boost metabolism, reduce blood sugar levels, and reduce sugar cravings. I use it topically along with pink grapefruit essential oil and a carrier oil.  Lemon essential oil contains D-limonene which is the oil extracted from the lemon or grapefruit skin. Not only is lemon essential oil helpful for weight loss, it may also lower cholesterol and burn fat.  

    Turmeric: Normally, turmeric is used as a spice in cooking, but it also has a host of health benefits. As an essential oil it helps with weight loss by regulating blood sugar levels.  Curcumin, which is found in turmeric essential  oil, can actually suppress fat tissue growth.  Turmeric Essential Oil is also considered an anti-inflammatory and can boost your metabolism.  I usually apply this oil topically, but I also use the spice version when making golden milk. This is a delicious evening drink you can easily make using the turmeric spice and a few drops of turmeric essential oil with coconut milk. Turmeric Essential Oil can also be used in coffee with cinnamon, ginger, and other spices. 

    Ylang Ylang: Ylang Ylang has such a lovely aroma that is reminiscent of honeysuckle.  Ylang Ylang Essential Oil has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial components.  Ylang Ylang Essential Oil has also been shown to be helpful in controlling diabetes which causes blood sugar issues. Published research has shown Ylang Ylang to be helpful with depression. I have just recently started this oil so I’ll update you on how this works for me. 

    Ginger Root: Ginger Root Essential Oil is according to studies shown to reduce cravings, reduce inflammation, and acts as a fat burner and metabolism booster. I usually add it into my belly fat reducing topical oil. Ginger Root Essential Oil can also be combined with other essential oils for topical use. I have heard of people pouring ginger root essential oil along with jojoba oil directly into the belly button as a weight loss cure, but I have not tried this myself.  Ginger Root Essential Oil has so many great benefits for weight loss and would be a great addition to your weight loss regimen.

    Pink Grapefruit: When I started using pink grapefruit essential oil, I had already heard many things about grapefruit’s uses for weight loss. I had tried pink grapefruit juice for weight loss, but I never really saw much success with it.  As I mentioned before,  citrus oils are my favorite so I love the smell of them. Knowing that they help with weight loss is a huge bonus.  Pink grapefruit essential oil is considered a fat burner and appetite suppressant according to studies. It also helps stabilize blood sugar and boost metabolism, all great for weight loss. I use it topically to reduce cellulite as well as to burn fat. 

    Bergamot: Bergamot is another citrus essential oil. It’s helpful in lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar levels, and contains extremely large amounts of polyphenols.  Bergamot essential oil is also considered a stress reliever and helps combat emotional stress which is a huge factor in overeating. 

    Fennel: I am not a big fan of the licorice smell of fennel essential oil, but I use it due to its health and weight loss benefits.  Fennel acts as an appetite suppressant as well a metabolism booster.  It is known for breaking down the fat already in your bloodstream. Something I didn’t know about fennel essential oil is that it contains melatonin which helps with sleep, but can also help prevent weight gain.  It is also a diuretic which may help with water weight.

    Rosemary: Last, but not least on our list of weight loss essential oils is rosemary essential oil.  Like many of the essential oils we've discussed, rosemary essential oil helps reduce stress, lower blood sugar levels, boost metabolism, and reduce cortisol.  I also use rosemary essential oil for thinning hair, but we’ll talk more about that in a future post.

This concludes this weeks blog about essential oils for weight loss, I hope you found some value in it and I hope you’ll subscribe for more.

* The information presented in this post contains affiliate links that we may receive a commission from at no cost to you. They help support us so we can continually provide new content. We’re grateful for your support!

Welcome to Trendi’s Essentials

 Hi welcome to our blog Trendi’s Essentials, we are here to give you great advice and information on a variety of subjects. First we will do a deep dive into essential oils and what certain oils are good for and then we will tackle other subjects that we feel will be of value to you all. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them below and we will answer to the best of our ability and in a timely fashion. We look forward to meeting you all.