Essential Oils for CrossFit: Rest

I just pulled some facts from the CDC website... "An estimated 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorder1... Persons experiencing sleep insufficiency are also more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as well as from cancer, increased mortality, and reduced quality of life and productivity.1" And straight from doTERRA's website, "Getting adequate sleep is essential to recover physically and mentally from the demands of daily life. Quality sleep is vital to how you feel each and every day because it is essential to support your body’s natural recuperative and restorative processes."

Sleep, in other words, is SO important. When I talk about sleep in my essential oil classes, I usually relate it back to the first few paleo challenges I did at my gym - we earned points if we slept over a certain amount of hours. I'd never really considered sleep as something to truly cherish and applaud myself for getting 8+ hours until that challenge. Then when we had kids, I never knew just how sleep deprived I could really get. If you're struggling with your children's sleep schedules, this is your permission slip to call a sleep counselor (check out The Cradle Coach). 

Now that my kids are 2 and 3, we have our routine mostly down, and we're out of the stage where they wake up at night (for the most part). Also, I work out in the mornings, but I know so many people who work out late, and it takes them so much longer to relax at night and longer to fall asleep. With a few of these oil tips + tricks, you can help support restful sleep for yourself. I think part of it is creating a restful routine for yourself, so while this list encompasses all that is "ideal" in an evening for myself, maybe pick the one that calls to you the loudest and ignore the rest until you've mastered that one, then add in a second tip... in other words, don't get overwhelmed. 

1. In the evening, especially if you work out at night, consider a bath with about a cup of bath salts, and a relaxing essential oil, such as lemongrass (also helps soothe sore muscles) or lavender. Combine 3-4 drops and a cup of salts BEFORE you get into the bath so the oil dissipates. 
2. When you get out of the bath, use your fractionated coconut oil and some frankincense to massage into your face, neck, and any areas where the skin could be supported. Not only is frankincense amazing for overall wellness and reduces the appearance of skin imperfections, it promotes feelings of peace and balance. 
3. Put some Serenity (Restful Blend) in your diffuser with Breathe (Respiratory Blend). This combo lulls me to sleep within minutes! 
4. Try out the Serenity Softgels. The combo of the softgels + the oil on my temples and in my diffuser is the best for supporting restful sleep! While the oil helps me to calm down immediately, the softgels help me into the state of a deep sleep, and the best part is that I wake up the next day before my alarm goes off with a ton of energy. And for you parents out there - don't worry, they're non-habit forming, and they don't make you groggy, so you can still get up for the middle of the night wakeups without feeling icky about it. 
5. I love Clary Sage essential oil as well - this is the Oil of Clarity and Vision and is so soothing and peaceful to me. So topically, Serenity goes behind my ears, Breathe across my chest, and Clary Sage across my forehead. 

There are so many options for essential oils for restful sleep - for example, my husband loves cedarwood and vetiver (smells like a campfire), some people love wild orange and lavender, and others love Balance. The key is taking action on O N E of these tips that will support you in working towards those 7-9 hours of sleep your body is craving. A great option: start with the Home Essentials Kit (for the month of November it's 20% off) and make sure to schedule a call with me so we can come up with your own routine that works for you based on the oils in that kit... which will solve the vast majority of what goes down in your household. 

Check out annabordner.com/the-community to learn how to get started and I can't wait to welcome you into our community!