Rachel Holm is our resident JSHealth Expert on all things natural healing – essential oils, DIY beauty rituals, self-care, chakras, energetic recalibration – the list goes on! She is also the co-founder of HANAKO therapies, an all-natural range of organic essential oils that embrace the power of raw essences to support, balance and uplift the mind, body and spirit! Today she shares her natural beauty rituals to aid in a more restful, rejuvenating sleep. Enjoy x
Sleep is everything! Sleep is where we allow our bodies to rejuvenate, replenish, rest and heal on many levels yet why is it that so many of us suffer from sleeping issues?
The world is at our finger tips in regards to technology, internet and social media. Gone are the days when you never called anyone at night time after 8pm…. Gosh even 7pm.
So here I’m going to give you a few natural rituals to help you gently let go of the day and allow yourself the nourishment and replenishment it deserve. By taking a small step and incorporating just one or a few new rituals to your night time wind down can begin a transformation of new healthy sleep habits and patterns.
- An hour before bed switch off the technology, lower the lighting and put on a candle. Candles can be a great symbol of the end of the day, the flame can be symbolic of burning up any excess unwanted energy around your energy field and blowing out the light, means it’s time to rest, dream and let a new day begin. Let this be a mindful practice of winding down and letting go of the day.
- Writing/ journaling is a wonderful way of letting the day go, it allows you the time and space to vent whatever needs to be vented or to simply let go of the tight holds of anything that has taken place that day. Try not to think about what you’re writing, instead just let whatever needs to flow out to flow out. There is no need to read it back or worry about neat hand writing, this is a creative tool to simply express and release anything that needs to released. It’s another great tool for keeping the mind free and flowing and allowing wonderful new ideas to come forth.
- Pour yourself a cup of Chamomile tea. Chamomile is not only good for your immune system but helps to ease tension and insomnia, helping you to calm down and drift off into a peaceful night’s sleep.
- If you have a diffuser then pop this on and place in a few drops of Lavender and Chamomile pure essential oil, if you don’t have a diffuser, then boil the kettle and place a few drops of Lavender and Chamomile into a bowl of steaming water and place it next to your bed, take a few deep breaths and let the aroma fill your lungs and the surrounding air.
- Run yourself a warm bath: In a nylon stocking or muslin cloth place in; 2 tablespoons of calendula blossoms, 2 tablespoons of chamomile flowers, 2 table spoons of lavender buds, 1 tablespoon of ground oatmeal, 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts and 10 drops of pure lavender essential oil. String it to the top of the tap and let the water run through it as you run the bath, once the bath is filled untie and let it float in the bath. Soothe the psyche, let the muscles relax and let yourself drift.
- Sesame oil foot massage: A common practice that has been around for thousands of years and used in Ayurveda traditions is a foot massage with Sesame oil. A self-massage or foot massage with sesame oil helps increase circulation, beat fatigue and promote sound sleep, supporting the nervous system, joints and muscles. It is a wonderful way to ground and balance the energies of the seven chakras due to the many acupressure points on the feet. We can often neglect the feet, yet it is the feet that is the beginnings of our foundations and where we connect and draw on the earths energy to stand tall and to stand strong, and after a long day, what better way to pay them respect for carrying you through than with a lovely massage.
- I AM…Bliss is one of our aromatherapy elixirs that is not only lovely to mist over the crown of the head and around the body before getting into bed but a spritz over the pillow is an absolute dream. This blend is lovely for anyone that suffers from anxiety and overwhelm, helping to bring you back into the present moment, the only moment that matters. It is soothing, calming and very relaxing.
- Body scan: This is a mediation tool that you can use when getting into bed at night. In your mind’s eye, drift over and scan the body. Observing any tension or muscles that are tight, any colours or sensations of warmth, coolness or tingling. Breath into any areas that show up asking for attention. With each exhale soften and relax in the area and with each inhale fill the space is with golden healing light, or any colour that feels nurturing and soothing to you.
I hope this has helped ignite a little night time inspiration for helping to honour ourselves and our magnificent bodies for all that they do in a days work, and may your sleepless nights now be something of the past. Sweet dreams beautiful people.
Love, Rachel x
To find out more about Rachel and Hanako, visit www.hanakotherapies.com or follow HANAKO on Instagram. Read her Day on a Plate here!
