Stefan and I have both had a lot on our plates for the last few months…and especially the last few weeks. We were both spending long hours on huge projects for work (for those who don’t know, I’m not just satisfied to write this blog and take care of Mack, the house, the dog, the cats and such…I have a few other projects on the side 🙂 .)

We were plodding along, trying to get all of our tasks accomplished, and more and more just kept getting thrown on the pile. We started feelng tired all the time and just weren’t sure how we were going to keep things up. And we’ve probably all experienced those feelings of guilt that hit when you think you’re just not getting enough done. But when Stefan started waking up at night and having trouble going back to sleep, I knew we had to take action fast. Working hard AND not sleeping well has a devastating effect. So I brought out my aromatherapy kit (which is more like an old drawer FULL of oils) and got to work.

There are many different levels of stress and we were close to slipping from the first level that I think most people often operate on (full of tiredness, irritability and even some insomnia), to a more depressed, anxious and helpless state. You may have read my post 10 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself which was my way of starting to deal with all the stress. Using essential oils was the next step…and the results have been incredible.

We started by using two oil blends; one to help us sleep better at night and one to help us wake up in the morning. When the alarm clock goes off at 6am, you don’t always want to spring out of the bed…regardless of how often you tell yourself it’s going to be a great day. The first morning we woke up after using the sleep blend before bed and the morning blend when we woke up, Stefan’s coworkers were asking what he’d done to get that pep in his step. Really, the changes were that noticeable. I also felt way more in charge of everything going on at home and my very long daily to do list, and definitely lost a lot of my grumpy tones.

So if you’re hitting the wall and experiencing some winter doldrums, trying to scurry around and get a million things done before the end of the year, here is something you can try to bring your life back to a happier, more balanced place.

The Sleep Well Blend

  • 14 drops Lemon (Citrus Limonum) essential oil
  • 9 drops Marjoram (Origanum marjorana) essential oil
  • 8 drops Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides) essential oil

Drop oils into a small bottle and shake lightly or roll it between your hands. Add a few drops into a diffuser before you go to bed and burn for just a few minutes. If you use a candle diffuser make sure you don’t go to sleep with it still on! Or put a drop of it under your nose.

Lemon is one of my favorite, highly versatile oils that will help you regulate your blood pressure and deal with chemical stresses such as shoveling in too much junk food, coffee or alcohol, or the general air pollution you encounter like second-hand smoke or in cramped office spaces.

Marjoram helps to reduce anxiety, insomnia and will even help you fight off colds.

Vetiver is really good at helping you deal with nervousness, insomnia and emotional stress like guilt or relationship problems.

The Wake Up Blend

  • 5 drops Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) essential oil
  • 10 drops Lemon (Citrus Limonum) essential oil
  • 15 drops Lavender (Lavendula Angustifolium, officinalis) essential oil

Again, all you need to do is mix these oils together in a small vial. Then you can either diffuse it into a room or place a drop on your finger and rub it under your nose. You might even put it in a small bottle with some water and spray your workspace if you get there first in the morning or when your coworkers all go to lunch.

All three of the oils in the Wake Up Blend are great against chemical stresses.

Clary Sage is great to help you calm your nerves, ease aches and pains, and curb depression.

Lavender is also an incredibly popular oil in our house and works wonders on blisters when mixed with chamomile. But it is also great to reduce nervous tension and helps to calm you.

**This tip was featured on Homemaker Mondays, where you can find lots more tips, recipes, crafts and more.