​

July 31, 2024

Goodness! August is tomorrow, Reader!

Does that sound crazy to you, too? Time seems to be going faster and faster these days. I wish there was an herb to slow it down a bit! 😂

But I can tell you how to enjoy these speedy days better---and that's to get some restful sleep. I know you know this already, but I think you'll enjoy knowing some herbal and aromatic things you can do to help you and yours!

I've been studying sleep for over six months now, and have been experimenting on myself. I can 100% say that I've dialed in some habits and improved the quality of my sleep in a number of ways because I've been tracking a variety of different aspects of my sleep. It's been pretty interesting. I'll be sharing more on this later!

You don't just need "enough" sleep, though. You need "GREAT" sleep. Here are some of the reasons why:

• Good sleep helps with your memory consolidation and learning--no matter what age you are
• Sleep helps you to regulate your emotions and therefore better manage stress levels
• Your judgment and decision making improve
• You're better able to solve problems, too
• It helps you conserve energy so you're ready for big energy bursts when needed
• Sleep is the time when your body is doing its healing magic by repairing damaged tissues and growing or changing what needs to grow and change
• SUPER important: Sleep helps your body fight off infections and diseases and keeps your immune system healthy

There are four total stages of sleep. It's fascinating when you can see these stages of your sleep on a graph.

Did you know that insomnia isn't necessarily caused by lack of total sleep, but instead by a lack of a specific stage of sleep called REM? So, even if you're getting enough sleep hours in, if you're not dreaming enough, you could still be tired and cranky the next day and even be considered an insomniac by a medical doctor.

Here are the stages of sleep and a bit about what happens:

1) "Awake-ish" sleep. These periods only last for a few minutes, hopefully. For me, if I wake up in the middle of the night, I have to really try hard not to start thinking.....

2) Light sleep. You spend about half the night in this phase of sleeping...going in and out of course. Your brain activity slows down, and bursts of energy are apparent that scientists believe help with memory and learning. This is the consolidation stage.

3) REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. This is your dreaming time. You need over an hour or so total dream time per night in order to have had a healthy night of rest. If you don't get enough dream stage sleep, you may be considered to have insomnia. This may result in some mental health issues.

4) Deep sleep. This is your slow wave sleep, and it's during this stage that your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure decrease and growth (repair) hormone is released. A healthy amount of deep sleep should be around 10% to 20% of your sleep time.

We cycle in and out of these stages throughout the night, multiple times.

How to Get a Good Night's Sleep

• Get out into the natural light first thing in the morning for 20 minutes--this helps to set your circadian rhythm---the body's natural rhythm for hormone release
• Commit to a regular sleep schedule
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine for yourself
• Comfort! Have a bedroom that is cool, dark, and quiet.
• Turn off all screens one hour before bedtime
• Exercise daily---especially early in the day
• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the hours before bed.

Herbs and Oils to the Rescue!

Here are some articles and videos I've shared, and the first one is brand new. These all have tips to help you out!

1) Essential Oils to Help You Sleep

Some essential oils have some profound effects on your sleep time, the quality of your sleep, and how pleasant your sleep is. Some are relaxing, some are sedating, and some calm stress. Here are my favorites to try! Running a diffuser without the lights for 30 minutes to an hour (for adults) in your bedroom may just be the thing you need.

When I wake up in the middle of the night, I turn to my clary sage, sweet marjoram, and patchouli! I put a drop of each into my palm, rub them together, then "cup" my palms over my nose. Works every time!

Here are some more tips:

​Essential Oils for Restful Sleep (new video)

****************

2) Herbs That Can Help you Sleep

Herbs....yes. They can be SO wonderfully helpful, and this is due to the specific mechanism of action each plant has on your brain chemistry.

​Herbs for Sleep (video)

​De-stress and Relax: An Herbal Tea Recipe (article)

******************

3) Need Dreams? Herbal Dream Pillows to the Rescue!

In this video, you'll find out about herbal dream pillows, why they work and how to make one!

These make great gifts too!

​Herbal Dream Pillow (video)

***************************************

That's a wrap for today's quick note!

If you're ready to learn herbalism in any way, shape or form, I'm here for you, and I hope you'll decide to jump into a course! Check out the School of Botanical Arts & Sciences! ​

Click the image above for information on the school and to choose which course is best for you!

"This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." ---Psalm 118:24

"This is a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before." ---Maya Angelou

Have a beautiful, blessed day and

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Have you thought about joining us in the Confident Herbalist Tribe? It's a completely next level herbal and aromatic community. Mr. V. says it's time to increase prices due to the high value....so be sure to check it out if you're ready to dive into the best herbal community and group of course materials ever! Prices will be increasing soon....

​

​

​

​