As I said in the first part of this mini-series on aromatherapy, this practice has become a huge trend! Those little blue bottles can be found at drug stores, natural food stores, and online directly from distillers. With this abundant supply, it is, however, very important to be a perceptive consumer.

Unless it says on the label that it is pure and organic, there is a good chance what you are buying is a manufactured scent to resemble herbs and florals. It is important to distinguish between essential oil and fragrance oil. Now that this is out of the way, here are just a few great benefits from using essential oils.

Improving Your Sleep

In a previous article How to Clean and Care for Your Mattress, I presented a simple recipe to clean and refresh your mattress including a sieve, baking soda and lavender oil! Lavender has long been known as a soothing scent, and as such, it is ideal to use at bedtime on your mattress, pillow or diffused. Whether your child is struggling with sleep, or you have trouble catching those zzzzs, diffusing lavender is just one ideal solution.

Cleaning Your Toilet

If you are a fan of non-toxic cleansers, I have just the thing. Making scented and chemical free toilet cleaning bombs are actually “the bomb”. Everyone is raving about how simple it is to mix one cup of baking soda, half a cup of citric acid, a tablespoon of water and 30 drops each of peppermint, lavender and lemon essential oils. Once you’ve created a paste add them to silicone moulds in your preferred shape, let dry, and then store in a mason jar. Whenever your toilet needs refreshing just drop one of the bombs in and watch it fizz, clean and deodorize!

Source: DIY Natural

Refreshing Your Room

Adding your favourite essential oil to distilled water can easily create a room freshener and a quick spritz on your hot skin will cool it right down! Essential oils such as lemon, tea tree oil, rosemary and yes lavender all carry antibacterial properties which are fantastic in your natural cleansing solutions. A wild orange spritzer or diffuser will work wonders on uplifting the mood and freshness of your living space. For more cleaning with essential oils ideas, I recommend you visit sites like Hello Glow and OH, The Things We’ll Made.

As I mentioned earlier, many essential oils are antimicrobial and not only help rid our living space of little microscopic pests but are great to use on sprains, bruises, burns and rashes. Always do a patch test before applying any essential oils on your skin.

It is best to remember that although we tap into nature’s bounty to help us live healthier and cleaner, some things in nature can also be toxic. When I suffer from a bad cold, I stopped reaching for the boxes of remedies found at the drug store. I now grab my eucalyptus, tea tree and some rosemary essential oils, and add to my diffuser or my steamer. After taking a few deep breaths, I can begin to feel the mucus breaking up. It can work very quickly if you start at the beginning of your symptoms.

Although essential oils are not recommended to be ingested, used topically and diffused in the air are now being widely used for many ailments from menopause to headaches to insomnia. There are many sources online and my copy of The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood is always close by.

Angela, Your Sleep Expert