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In the evening, you fall down from fatigue, and when you get to bed, you can’t fall asleep? Almost every resident of the metropolis faces sleep disorders. Aromatherapist Marilyn Urlie shared recipes to help overcome insomnia.
Anything can cause insomnia – stress, poor nutrition, too fast or, conversely, too slow pace of life. But the good news is that you don’t have to take medication to improve your sleep.
1. Essential oils
Mix 70 drops of essential oils of lavender (has a relaxing effect), tangerine zest (calms the nervous system) and orange seeds (relieves anxiety). Add 50 ml of sesame oil and use this mix for a relaxing massage before bed. Before going to bed, work out the entire body with the exception of the abdomen in a circular motion. Pay special attention to the legs and feet.
2. Herbal tea
Prepare a “sleeping” tea with one or more herbs from the list: lemon balm (calms), marjoram (relieves anxiety), hawthorn (eliminates stress), passionflower (relaxes), fennel (improves digestion). Pour the herbal collection with boiling water and let it brew for 10-15 minutes. If these herbs are not available, ordinary tea bags with chamomile or verbena will do. True, their action is not so pronounced.
3. Gemmotherapy
Gemmotherapy is a fairly new area of herbal medicine for us, also known as “kidney therapy”. In France, gemmotherapy appeared and was recognized in the 1970s. The essence of the method is the use of extracts of young plant tissues, primarily buds and shoots.
If hunger is preventing you from falling asleep, eat a banana or drink a glass of warm milk.
For the treatment of insomnia, drops with an extract of fig and linden buds are best suited. They need to be dissolved in a glass of water and drunk at night. Gem extracts can be bought at some pharmacies or ordered online.
4. Fragrant veil for pillow
Ventilate your bedroom 15-20 minutes before bed and spray orange, verbena, or lavender flower water over your pillow. A home fragrance with these notes is also suitable. The main thing is not to overdo it.
5. Linens
We spend a third of our lives in bed. An excellent reason to take the choice of bed linen and accessories more seriously. It is logical that preference should be given to natural materials – linen, satin or silk. They do not cause allergies. It is more correct to choose a mattress from natural latex, bamboo or soy fiber. These materials are antibacterial, environmentally friendly, in addition, they neutralize unpleasant odors, absorb moisture and keep their shape well.
6. Late dinner
At night, of course, it is better not to eat at all. The last meal should happen 3-4 hours before bedtime. This is in theory, but sometimes it is hunger that prevents sleep. Then you need to refresh yourself with food rich in tryptophan. This amino acid is necessary for the synthesis of serotonin, the so-called happiness hormone. It is serotonin that helps us stay calm and increases resistance to stress. A lot of tryptophan is found in milk, meat, fish, eggs, bananas and dark chocolate. Whichever of these you decide to eat, the main thing is not to overeat at night. It is best to limit yourself to a glass of milk and a slice of chocolate.
About expert
Maryline Hourlier, Phytotherapy, Aromatherapy and Nutritherapy Consultant, Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris-XIII (Paris-XIII), author of the book “Staying young with natural methods” (“Rester jeune longtemps grâce à des méthodes naturelles”, Robert Jauze, 2011).