The most difficult question you can ask any Aromatherapist is ‘What are your Top Three oils?’, but I’ll give it a go!

My number one oil can change daily depending on my mood and who I am working with at the time. I might open a tiny bottle of an essential not used for a while and think ’this has got to be my favourite, why have I neglected it for so long?’, then that can all change the next day!

Having said that I nearly always return to the classic oil Frankincense, mainly because of its power to visibly calm and comfort. It is my oil of choice when I am faced with an obviously anxious or nervous client, one drop, sniffed from a tissue, soothes and balances the emotions, helping to overcome stress by slowing and deepening the breath.

There have been numerous studies carried out to try and discover why this oil can have such a profound impact on our sense of calm. Frankincense contains molecules that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, enabling it to carry much-needed oxygen into the brain, as well as stimulating the limbic area of the brain. It is this calming and grounding quality of frankincense oil that proves to be beneficial in treating depression, anxiety and low moods. It is also for this reason that frankincense has been prized for thousands of years to help meditation and contemplation. Add to this its excellent reputation as an antiseptic, its valuable use when treating all respiratory conditions and the fact that it has proven anti-ageing properties it is easy to see why this oil remains firmly at Number One of my top three chart.

So what oil could possibly follow frankincense at the number two spot? It has to be Geranium, simply for its wonderful floral, grassy fragrance and for its superb balancing properties. This is the oil I recommend to all my female clients due to its regulating effect on the hormonal and the nervous systems, and the smell makes it a pleasure to use. I also use this oil on my male clients as they too benefit from its balancing properties but I would blend it with a masculine fragranced oil such as Sandalwood or Vetiver.

And in at number three is Rose otto. The fragrance is sublime, both warm and comforting, one sniff transports you to a summer garden filled with beautiful blooms. Because of the cost I reserve this oil for my skincare blends and for anyone experiencing loss or bereavement of any kind. Its ability to bring about emotional balance never ceases to amaze me, Rose has a spiritual influence and is used to balance and open the Heart Chakra.

We spend one- third of our lives asleep. Sleep is as vital to humans as the air we breathe and the food we eat. Without sleep we become ill as good quality sleep helps our brain function, gives us a general feeling of well-being, aids our concentration, improves memory and mood and boosts our immune system. Most people function on far less sleep than they really need, this is due to modern lifestyles affecting our sleep patterns.

Aromatherapy offers a safe and natural aid to sleep problems without any of the side-effects sometimes experienced with sleeping tablets. Most people will be aware of, and may have used lavender to help them drift off. But did you know that lavender in larger quantities acts as a stimulant and can actually keep you awake? Two or three drops on a tissue placed inside your pillowcase is sufficient. Lavender is considered to be the ‘mother’ of all essential oils; it is a gentle balancer and has a strong action on our emotions, calming any imbalances. But there are many other essential oils that can aid a good night’s sleep.

An Aromatherapist will choose essential oils for sleep problems according to their individual effects. Any oils that are soothing and balancing are good to relieve anxiety and stress. Roman chamomile is a good oil as it helps calm the central nervous system. Bergamot has a refreshing aroma and is calming and sedating. It helps to balance moods, and can help prevent bad dreams. A warm bath (be careful with the temperature as a hot bath can be too stimulating just before bed), with a blend of bergamot  and chamomile (2-3 drops of each oil) added to the water once the taps have been turned off, can provide the right level of relaxation to ensure a good quality night’s sleep.

My favourite way of encouraging sleep is a foot massage whilst sat in bed. I use a blend of 2 drops of lavender and 1 drop of ylang ylang in 10ml of carrier oil or a light lotion, massaged well into the foot from the sole to the ankle. By ensuring that the whole of the sole of the foot is massaged various Reflexology points are stimulated, and this in turn helps to relax the body and encourage good sleep patterns. A Reflexologist will be able to demonstrate specific points to concentrate on should this be of interest to you.  Cover the feet with a pair of warm socks following the massage; keeping the feet warm is important as cold extremities can significantly impair the process of falling to sleep.

If waking during the night is a problem then aromatherapy can help break this cycle too. It does take a little time as the body needs reprogramming, ensuring that you stay asleep. On waking in the night have a pot of aromatherapy cream by the bed within easy reach, take a little of the cream in your hands and rub the palms together to release the essential oil vapour, then place the hands either side of the nose to create and aromatherapy ‘tent’, then breathe deeply and slowly for several breaths, keeping the eyes closed. This can very often be just enough to send you drifting back off to sleep.

Stress is one of the main causes of sleep disorders, so learning relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and yoga can help. Massage and Reflexology have been proven to be the most effect alternatives to medication, combined with essential oils, the body learns to relax, stress levels are reduced                                                         and refreshing sleep follows naturally.

For further information about essential oils, prescription blended creams and lotions as well as Reflexology and Massage, please do not hesitate to contact me.