Relaxation Moments

Relaxation for The Mind and Body

The Many Benefits of Solitude

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While no one wants to feel lonely, there are many benefits to spending time alone. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling to concentrate, or just need some time to yourself, a little solitude might be just what you need.

Even if you live in a big city, there are ways to take out some time to yourself without the presence of others.

Everyone would be well-served to have some time alone each day.

Solitude is better than you think! Consider these benefits:

  1. You learn a lot about yourself. It’s hard to give yourself a lot of attention and notice the more subtle aspects of yourself when there are other people and activity swirling around you all day long. Spending time alone gives you a chance to breathe and take a look at yourself.

    1. You have the luxury of noticing your thoughts and thought patterns when you’re alone. You can observe things about yourself that are hard to see when you’re distracted.

  1. It’s much easier to focus. Solitude leads to much greater focus. Imagine having hours of uninterrupted time to focus on a single task or goal. It’s life-altering.

  2. Your creativity will soar. Nearly all of the greatest scientists, authors, artists, composers, musicians, and inventors live in solitude much of the time. Solitude can enable you to achieve the level of creativity necessary to excel in these fields.

  3. You’re more productive. You can get a lot more done when you spend time in solitude. Every distraction requires time and energy to recover and get back on track.

    1. You can often accomplish much more in a couple of hours by yourself than you can in a full day with others around.

  1. You can focus on yourself and your needs. Solitude gives you the opportunity to take care of yourself. You can explore your interests. You can spend your time on yourself. If there are other people around, they usually want you to spend your time on them instead.

  2. Solitude can benefit your mental health. Spending some time alone on a regular basis can do wonders for your mental health. Being alone gives you a chance to unwind and take a break from the stress of dealing with others.

How to Create Solitude

It’s not necessary to live in the wilderness to create solitude each day.

Try these easy strategies:

  1. Shut your door. Getting some alone time can be as simple as hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign and shutting your door. You don’t have to seclude yourself on a mountain top to enjoy some solitude.

  2. Turn off your phone. Turn off your cell phone if you’re truly interested in getting a break.

  3. Eat alone. If you don’t have an office at work, perhaps you can enjoy a little escape during lunch. Eating alone can be a time of peace and relaxation.

  4. Make the most of your weekends. The weekend can be a great time to schedule some time by yourself. Visit the park, sit on your deck, take a long walk, or just at home alone.

  5. Take a trip. If necessary, get out of town for a few days and seclude yourself. Many authors use this tactic to finish a book.

Solitude is great for your mind, body, and spirit!

While the idea of solitude might give you visions of someone living in a cabin in the wilderness, it’s possible to create solitude nearly anywhere.

Spend a little time alone each day and see what happens to your mood and your work. You’ll soon look forward to your period of solitude each day.

The Joy of Laughter

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“Laughter is the best medicine” is a phrase that dates back to biblical times as an old Proverb and people still widely use this phrase all over the world today. That’s because it’s true!

Let’s take a look at what happens inside your body, mind and spirit when you laugh.

Laughter’s Effect on Your Body

Endorphins are released throughout your body, stimulating muscles, nerves, organs and tissues when you laugh. Studies show these endorphins give relief to chronic pain, help to relieve stress and promote functioning of the immune system. Laughter literally helps heal your body.

Laughter and Your Mind

Happy thoughts lead to a more positive outlook on life. When you’re hanging out with friends and having good conversation that produces smiles and laughter, your mind’s producing happy thoughts.

On the other hand, if you’re always around people who never smile and always find something to complain about, you’ll lean toward a more negative outlook on life.

Strengthening Your Inner Being

Laughing causes your inner being to be emotionally and physically strengthened. When you laugh or even smile, your inner being is stimulated in an affirmative way, producing a more positive outlook on life. This helps your body produce more self-healing endorphins, which actually helps your body remain healthy and running optimally!

Boosting Your Spirits

Laughter causes a lift in your spirits, helping you feel uplifted. Laughter not only helps you personally, it’s also very contagious and infectious, which helps those around you feel less stress and anxious.

Don’t you just love it when you hear a baby or toddler laugh? What happens to you? You can’t help but laugh too! Laughter begins to develop in humans as early as 3 months of age and a baby’s laughter is one of the most contagious of all human sounds.

Laughter and Your Relationships

When two people share a funny story or a silly situation arises between two people, there’s a unique bonding that is created. Something special is formed between the two that only they can relate with. It’s an inside joke that is special to those who’ve shared in the moment.

When two people spend a lot of time together in laughter, a stronger, more ever-lasting relationship develops.

In a marriage, studies show couples that laugh together stay together much longer, if not for life. Think about a truly happy couple you know. Sure, every family has their issues and marriage takes work, but chances are they spend a lot of time laughing together. This doesn’t happen by accident either. It can be created and fostered!

When you choose to embrace laughter, you’ll be able to get through many more rough spots in life and come out a happier and healthier person.

Life can be tough, so why not choose to make it more joyous? You can if you choose to.

Always try to find joy in every situation and laugh as often as possible each and every day. Also, by spending more time around positive people, who love life and love to laugh, you’ll be amazed at how you begin to feel on the inside and out!

The Ultimate List of Self-Care Ideas

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Self Care is taking personal responsibility for one’s own physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. It is making yourself a priority, and it is good for your mind, body and soul. Self-care is not selfish and should be your lifestyle. Here are sixty-two self-care ideas for you to add to your daily routine to take care of you.

62 Self-Care Ideas

  1. Support system. Having a support system provides you the opportunity to ask for help, as you need it.
  2. Learn to process feelings. Master the skill of processing your emotions in a healthy way.
  3. Learn to say no! Believe in it, practice it, and use it to avoid overwhelm and over extending yourself that leads to burnout and resentment.
  4. Create, believe in, and enforce your own boundaries. Your boundaries protect you from harm, just as the borders are there to protect countries.
  5. Proper sleep. Good sleep is imperative for physical and mental health and wellbeing. It provides the body with the rest it needs to keep you well, and helps you perform at your best in all that you have to do on a daily basis.
  6. Eat a healthy diet. Good food nourishes the body and brain, keeps your weight at a healthy level, and provides you with ample energy.
  7. Solitude – Spend time alone to clear your mind, gather your thoughts and just slow down, even if it’s just a few moments.
  8. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that makes you focus on the present moment and really pay attention to what is going on, including smells, sounds, feelings, actions, and everything else. This practice offers numerous benefits, with one of the best ones being that it keeps you in the present moment and prevents senseless worry about the future or nagging thoughts of the past.
  9. Get a treatment at the salon, a blow-out, manicure, pedicure, anything that makes you feel good and renewed
  10. Hot aromatherapy bath
  11. Do something that is fun, senseless and makes you relax.
  12. Create a morning routine with mediation, prayer, visualizations, an uplifting podcast, a session on the treadmill or anything that works for you. Morning rituals help get you centered for the day ahead.
  13. Take a few moments and do a facial massage, with botanical oils or your favorite cream
  14. Read a book
  15. Spend time with friends
  16. Drink a hot cup of herbal tea. This is great in the evening to calm your mind and body and get them ready for sleep
  17. Turn of all noise, including phone, social media alerts, and just sit in silence. You can do this easy self-care practice during any one of your days.
  18. Cook. Cooking helps keep you grounded and in touch with what you are eating. Many people find the act of cutting vegetables to be soothing and an inherent part of being human.
  19. Practice gratitude. Gratitude is one of those things that eludes many, as we get caught up in the spiral of daily stress and responsibilities and begin to resent all that we have to do. But look at the flip side, what if you had no job? Being grateful for all we have, even with the frustrations involved helps keep you centered and more calm.
  20. Break free from negative and/or unhealthy people. People who do not serve a positive purpose in your life only drag you down.
  21. Get up slowly without a blaring alarm. Get up a little early so you have time to slowly awake, and have some quite time for yourself.
  22. Create a beautiful garden for yourself to sit in and relax. If you love plants, flowers and trees surround yourself with them as much as possible. Nature is soothing, calming, and restorative.
  23. Practice deep breathing several times each day.
  24. Meditate. This practice only takes minutes, and can be done anywhere. There are many smartphone apps with guided meditations to help you stop and take care of yourself throughout your day. It helps keep you centered, focus, and relaxed.
  25. Do nothing. Yes, take a few moments each day and do nothing but space out.
  26. Plan periods of time without plans. Yes, it is okay to simply have blocks of time during your weekly schedule to do nothing and have nothing planned.
  27. Be spontaneous. The above tip allows you time to be spontaneous, this way you can just do whatever you want, take a drive, read, take a nap, go to lunch with a friend, or just watch TV.
  28. Exercise. All exercise releases feel good chemicals in the brain, reduces stress, detoxifies the body and greatly improves mood. Cardio, aerobics, weight lifting, and even a simple walk around the block are all helpful.
  29. Take a scenic drive
  30. Practice yoga. There is a yoga pose for just about every possible purpose, and yoga has more than sixty benefits for mind, body, and spirit. Its effects stay with you long after each session has passed.
  31. Have sex. Sex promotes relaxation and feel good hormones in the brain. The intimacy nurtures emotional health and feeds your soul.
  32. Recharge with a spa day
  33. Practice positivity. Positive thinking is miraculously healing, and optimists live longer and handle stress much better than pessimists do. Always look for the silver linings in any situation, especially the bad ones.
  34. Be okay with disappointment. Life is full of disappointments, but when we get caught up in the emotion of them it can drag us down, both in spirit and our quality of life. It’s okay to be disappointed with yourself, it’s okay if others are disappointed in you, you are the best you can be at all times.
  35. Be your own best friend. You can certainly figure out what that means for you. Think of the key words, love, honor, support, respect, care for, meet needs, be there for, and meet desires.
  36. Go on a retreat to rest, refuel and regroup your mind and refresh your spirit
  37. Create calming surroundings. Look around your home, your car, and office, are these areas calming or do they create feelings of chaos or tension? Clutter is chaotic, and when you are in a cluttered space, you will feel cluttered on the inside.
  38. Consider your friends and relationships. Do they fulfill you, support your wellbeing, and inspire you to be your best, or do they drag you down?
  39. Consider your routine. Is it chaotic and does it make you crazy? If yes, make changes as needed with a focus on your wellbeing.
  40. Make a list of your greatest qualities and read it often.
  41. Stare at the clouds. Find some grass, lay down, and just watch the clouds float in the sky.
  42. Play like children do. Childlike play feeds the spirit, and promotes emotional health.
  43. Scrutinize your schedule. Take a long hard honest look at your schedule, is it overfilled? Are overly burdened? Make every possible effort to eliminate things that cause overwhelm. You may think everything on the schedule is important, but considering that your wellness supersedes everything else, you will surely find things that can be eliminated, or find help.
  44. Consider nagging annoyances. We all have little things that annoy us and nag at us, and over time this can cause mental and emotional burdens. So fix those annoyances and get rid of them. For example, there is likely something at your house that you have been wanting to fix for a while, but have been putting it off, just fix it so you can stop thinking about it. Perhaps there is someone you have been meaning to call for a while, make the call, and get it done.
  45. Just one thing. Do one thing that makes you happy every single day. Smell a flower, listen to your favorite song, hug yourself, think of those good things that feed your soul.
  46. Unplug. Unplug all electronics for at least half an hour each day. That means your phone, laptop, tablet, social media, email alerts, landlines, all of it!
  47. Evaluate your social media updates. Do you really need to be bothered with constant updates from 100 plus people? This type of information overload is really harmful, it promotes stress and prevents your mind from being calm and centered.
  48. Listen to your body. Get into the practice of listening to your body. So often, we run around doing a million things without noticing hunger, thirst, or exhaustion.
  49. Dance. Dancing is great exercise and the music helps release feel good hormones in the brain. You don’t need to go to a club, you can dance while cleaning, or simply in your living room or office whenever you want.
  50. Stretch. One of the easiest and quickest way to destress and recharge is to stretch. Do it every day.
  51. Plan your meals. Plan healthy meals for the week, if possible cook everything on Sunday and have it ready to serve, this way you will not get caught in the spiral of “too busy to eat healthy,” where you wind up eating junk from unhealthy fast food places.
  52. Practice positive self-talk. Use positive affirmations to remind yourself of how great you are and how much you deserve self-nurture to promote self-care actions.
  53. Spend time in nature. Nature is soothing, refreshing and re-energizes the mind, and spirit.
  54. Splurge. Buy yourself something self-indulgent, just because.
  55. Get some sun. Spend a few moments in the sun each day, don’t forget the sunscreen.
  56. Inhale wellness. Essential oils used in aromatherapy are therapeutic and help create a certain mood, for example lavender for calm, or peppermint to boost energy, motivation, and mood. Aromatherapy can be done anywhere with a small bottle of essential oils on hand you can simply add a few drops to a tissue and place it in your purse.
  57. Laugh. There are many benefits of laughter for mind, body, and spirit. Take time to laugh every day, seek opportunities like watching funny videos on YouTube or comedy channels on cable.
  58. Quick nap. A nap that lasts between 10 to 20 minutes completely rejuvenates your mind and energizes your body so you can tackle anything that comes your way.
  59. Take up a hobby or sport you always wanted to do. Commit to it and make it a part of your self-care ritual.
  1. Candlelit dinner for one. Yes, why not take yourself out for a delectable gourmet dinner and celebrate your own company.
  2. Journal. Many people find journaling to be healing, as it allows you vent frustrations, process emotions and reflect.
  3. Receive love freely. Love is the ultimate healer, no matter how bad things get, love can pull you out. Seek it, receive it and give it, and you have the best self-care medicine there is.

What Is Self-Care

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The definition of self-care is any activity that we do to help us take care of ourselves.  Self-care is good for your mind, body, spirit, life, and soul and NOT selfish.  It is making yourself a priority, a lifelong practice, imperative, and a ritual you should incorporate in your lifestyle.

It is important that you have a self-care plan in place. When you practice adequate self-care, every aspect of your life can be improved upon. However, while it is a simple enough concept, it can be difficult to put into practice.

Did you know there are different types of self-care you can focus on? If you really want to achieve the benefits of self-care, you are going to need to ensure you are utilizing the different types. The question is, what are the different types of self-care and what do they consist of?

5 Types of Self-Care

1. Emotional

Your emotional wellbeing has a huge impact on your happiness and quality of life. Therefore, if you want to improve your wellbeing, you are going to want to focus on emotional self-care.

This type of self-care enables you to better deal with your emotions. You will be able to control the way you feel, rather than letting it control you. You will learn to become more aware of your emotions and express them in a healthier way.

Emotional self-care can include seeing a therapist, listening to music, and keeping a journal.

2. Physical

To stay healthy, it’s important to look after the body’s physical needs. That is, making sure you get enough sleep, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly. However, physical self-care is so much more than just healthy eating and staying active.

When you are focusing on physical self-care, it includes ensuring you are not adopting any unhealthy coping methods such as binge eating or missing sleep to binge watch a series. It means taking time out when you are sick and going to medical appointments whenever you need to.

3. Spiritual

Spiritual self-care is often associated with religion. However, it is basically anything which nurtures the spirit.

This is just as important as your physical and emotional wellbeing. If you want to lead a truly healthy and happy life, you need to make sure your mind, body and spirit are equally taken care of.

Examples of spiritual self-care include surrounding yourself with nature, reading a great book, meditating, and taking time out for personal reflection.

4. Social

Your relationships and social skills can play a large role in your happiness. We all need healthy, strong relationships to be genuinely happy. It is also important to remember that the people we surround ourselves with make a big difference to how we feel about ourselves and how we act.

How is your social circle right now? Think about the type of people you prefer to be around. Consider your romantic relationship, or lack of, and how it can be improved.

Social self-care includes learning to say no if you need to, as well as making time to spend with family or taking that chance and going on a date. It focuses on strengthening your relationships and doing what you need to do to meet your individual social needs.

5. Practical

Another type of self-care you will want to focus on is practical self-care. This relates to the practical aspects of your life such as your finances, career, and organizational skills.

By focusing on practical self-care, you will potentially avoid stressful situations in the future. Taking care of your finances for example, will greatly reduce your stress levels and ensure you are well-equipped to handle any potential future cash flow challenges.

Some practical self-care tasks include creating a budget, taking a course to progress in your career and organizing your closet.

These are just five examples of the different types of self-care. If you are committed to improving your quality of life and becoming happier, you will want to make sure you’re taking care of all of your needs.

However, with so many things to focus on, it is easy to become overwhelmed. So, it is a good idea to start by focusing on one or two self-care tasks until they become a regular habit. Then, you can move on to other tasks to gradually improve your life. 

The Consequences Of Not Caring For Yourself

Ignoring your needs and not taking care of your self has serious physical, emotional, spiritual and lifestyle quality ramifications.

Physical

One of the greatest consequences of a lack of self-care is chronic stress, which numerous studies have shown to play a critical role in chronic disease, including heart attacks, stroke, overweight and obesity and others.

As the stress hormone cortisol surges through the body it causes serious complications, including reduced immunity, deteriorating organ function and accelerated aging of both the mind and body.

Hectic lifestyles that lack some type of self-care component also result in unhealthy diets and lack of exercise that further increase risks for chronic health problems, one of which is type 2 diabetes, which is at epidemic levels in the United States.

Emotional

When we do not take care of our needs, we become exhausted, angry, bitter, and anxious. Often, these feelings can lead to resentment that can spill over into personal relationships, such as marriages. Studies have shown that women who follow a regular self-care routine have happier marriages.

Mental

A lack of self-care can result in depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. In fact, women suffer from depression at a four times higher rate than men do. Burnout, overwhelm and brain fog are some of the disastrous consequences of a hectic lifestyle that does not address self-care.

Spirit

Our spirits can suffer profoundly from a lack of self-care, as our needs go ignored as we place all our attention and energy on everyone else’s needs. Anna Quindlen summarizes this consequence well in her book, Being Perfect, “Someday, sometime, you will be sitting somewhere…. And something bad will have happened: You will have lost someone you loved, or failed at something at which you badly wanted to succeed. And sitting there, you will fall into the center of yourself. You will look for some core to sustain you. And if you have been perfect all your life and have managed to meet all the expectations of your family, your friends, your community, your society, chances are excellent that there will be a black hole where that core ought to be.”

Final Thoughts

Self-care isn’t just about doing what you want. You need to focus on the things your mind and body needs. Knowing the difference between what self-care is and what it isn’t, will help you to establish the most effective routine.

How To Start A Self-Care Plan

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Why A Self-Care Plan Is Important?

To have a self-care plan is important to take care of you in so many ways. When you practice adequate self-care, every aspect of your life can be improved upon. It’s treating yourself well and giving the body what it needs and making improvements for yourself. To successfully achieve self-care, you must have a self-care plan. It’s through that structured plan that you’re going to be able to properly care for your well-being. Self-care isn’t just about brushing your teeth and taking bubble baths. Self-care is for the needs within you. Self-care is caring for your soul, your inner self, and your very being.

Building a Solid Self-Care Plan

A good self-care plan reminds you of what you want to accomplish. After all, you have values, goals, and a purpose in your life. This plan reminds you about what you need to do to take care of you. Using a day planner or making notes to yourself can remind you of your goals and the things you need to do to take care of your body, mind, and soul. Did you know there’s actually many different types of self-care you can practice? Each focus on a different aspect of your life, helping you to improve everything from your health to your relationships. Physical and emotional self-care are the most common types to start with.

  • Your self-care plan gives you a solid foundation for what you want to do and how you can accomplish it.

You should also provide yourself with inspirational quotes and affirmations. This is the spiritual food that keeps you focused on your own personal well being. Not only do you have the reminders of what to do, but you also have little pieces of inspiration around you to remind you of why you’re doing it!

In addition to inspirational quotes, you can hang motivating pictures throughout your home and office. These pictures may be of exotic places you’d like to visit someday, or tranquil images of nature.

Your pictures may be something that you want to attract into your life or may remind you of a positive memory from your past. You can also have a photo of your family to remind you of what’s important to you.

  • Your self-care plan should inspire you and remind you of why you want to take care of your body, mind, and spirit.

Another aspect of your self-care plan is tracking your progress. Let’s say you have a hard time getting motivated to exercise. By keeping a log of your exercise time, you can keep yourself focused on achieving a healthier you.

A food journal is also a good way to track your food choices so you can remind yourself that you need to eat nutritious foods. In addition, you can use a journal to record your mental and emotional health. Write down what’s going on inside of you so you can evaluate your feelings and proactively take care of your mental health.

  • Your self-care plan tracks your progress to help you stay on track toward your goals.

You can use these aspects of planning toward anything in your life so you have that solid foundation you need to take care of yourself. Just make sure to take care of the inside as well as the outside.

Creating a Personalized Self-Care Plan

You may need to motivate yourself to initiate your self-care plan. For some, beginning any new task may be daunting. In addition, you’ll want to be sure you can find motivation along the way to help keep you on track.

Ask yourself about what has motivated you in the past. Use this as your motivation toward the things you need to do to take care of yourself.

A good motivator to keep you on track is to have a family member, friend, or spouse hold you accountable. If you slip up in your efforts to proactively take care of yourself, they will let you know so you can renew your focus and get back on course.It’s important to have some sort of structure in place for successful self-care. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else. Click here for a list of self-care ideas. A good self-care plan will provide you with the vigor, attitude, and energy to enjoy life to its fullest!

Lavender Essential Oil for Stress and Insomnia

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Lavender for stress and insomnia

Lavender essential oil has many uses and is among the most commonly used essential oils in aromatherapy. It is a wonderful natural remedy for a wide variety of both emotional health and physical health problems. 

Lavender essential oil has been used by many to help relieve stress and insomnia. Inhaling the aroma of the oil stimulates certain chemicals in our brain to reduce these symptoms. Its restorative and calming effects make it beneficial for people who have difficulty finding inner peace and getting enough sleep each night.

Its active compounds have been found to work in eliminating other symptoms of anxiety such as restlessness, panic attacks and nervous tension. Stress and anxiety are conditions that benefit from this aromatherapy oil as it helps to increase our serotonin levels. Our serotonin levels affect our moods, so lavender oil is an excellent oil for helping provide stress relief due to its calming effectiveness.

For Stress Relief

The power of lavender essential oil in providing stress relief can also be attributed to its linalool and linalyl acetate content. These naturally occurring phytochemicals give lavender essential oil the ability to be readily integrated into our body’s processes to start acting quickly.

A relaxing way to relieve a stress-filled day is to take a nice warm bath and add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your tub. The pleasant, subtle scent will gently fill the air and make for a more relaxing bath while the feel of the oil on your body is also very therapeutic.

Another way of using this oil for stress relief is to have an aromatherapy massage.

To further maximize the benefits of this oil for relaxation, use an oil diffuser in your home. It will add a clean aromatic fragrance throughout your home whilst providing you and your family with its powerful healing benefits.

Many women find wearing the oil as a fragrance very calming too, however some may need to add a little almond oil or other carrier oil to dilute the strength if the pure oil doesn’t agree with their skin.

For Insomnia

A very common symptom of stress-related issues is insomnia. These are so connected that it can often be hard to determine if the stress causes the insomnia or if the insomnia is the cause of the stress. Therefore it makes perfect sense to attack both problems with the one oil.

The aroma of lavender essential oil can help regulate your blood pressure and heart rate. This will then lead you to a more relaxed state where sleep and stress relief will come easier for you.

Lavender oil won’t stop the dog barking or make your boss a kinder person, but it will assist in relaxing your mind, relieving your stressful feelings and helping you quieten your mind and sleeping. Most problems are less daunting after a reasonable night’s sleep.

Lavender oil can help this without the hangover effect that can be a result of sleeping medications or alcohol.  Tonight before you retire, place a few drops on your pillow and allow the aroma to relax your mind and body.

If you are looking for an all-natural remedy to help relieve your stress levels and get better sleep, then buy a bottle of this pure essential oil and keep it handy. Your medicinal cupboard should never be without it.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

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Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is a calming and beautiful essential oil to add to your collection. The flower of the ylang-ylang tree produces a floral aroma that has the wonderful ability to be able to relieve stress and reduce negative thoughts that can cause depression. It originated from the blooming flowers of the ylang-ylang tree in Asian rainforests.

The flower is visually interesting as the petals droop from the stem. It begins as a bright green bud and eventually blooms into a pale pink color. It almost looks as if the flower has pink claws aiming to grab something on the ground.

However, the oil distilled from this flower is quite important. If you are seeking a holistic option to assist with your overall wellness, consider the many benefits of using ylang-ylang essential oil.

Assistance with Depression and Anxiety

Ylang-ylang essential oil is quite calming and can provide immediate relief for those suffering with anxiety or depression. Although relaxing in its aroma, it also comes packed with a revitalizing aroma that can assist with mood improvement and regulation.

When placed in a diffuser or even mixed with oil and used topically, this essential oil can provide a major mood booster when dealing with difficult experiences.

Regulate Blood Pressure

Ylang-ylang oil can help to lower blood-pressure when taken orally. You can mix this oil with a flavorful oil or even add a few drops into a beverage daily. There are no known interactions between ylang-ylang oil and medical prescriptions. However, you should always consult with your health care professional prior to regular consumption.

Assistance with Insomnia and Sleeping

Since ylang-ylang has a relaxing effect, it can also be useful when you are having problems falling asleep. One way to benefit from this oil is to add a few drops into your nighty tea to receive the sedative effect. This oil can also be placed into a diffuser and inhaled. This will result in an immediate feeling of calm and relaxation.

An Essential Oil of Love

The romantic aroma that ylang-ylang oil releases can help to circulate an energy of love and intimacy. Couples will see a change in their sexual health by mixing a few drops of ylang-ylang into a diffuser and allowing the aromatic benefits to take effect. This oil can also be blended with lotions to be used as massage oil. This offers a sweet and romantic addition to any date night!

A Holistic Fight Against Bacteria

When the body has a build-up of bacteria either internally or on top of the skin, there is an present system of antimicrobial agents that fight against recovery. Ylang-ylang oil has been known to defend against this bacteria and immediate the healing process. When mixed topically or ingested orally, ylang-ylang can fight against bacteria build up due to yeast infections, bites, or even certain viruses.

Supplementary Benefits of Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang-ylang oil is also a great addition to any aromatherapy blend. It can be mixed with earthy or floral notes to create a pleasant scent. Ylang-ylang has also been known to assist with other ailments such as:

  • Malaria
  • Stomach and Digestive Issues
  • Asthma
  • Gout

Ylang-ylang is universally safe to consume and has mild-side effects such as headaches or possible upset stomach. This petite and romantic essential oil can be a great addition to your aromatherapy or even wellness routine.

If you suffer from any medical conditions, pregnant or breastfeeding, you should always ask your doctor before using essential oils or any other complementary type of therapy.

Calming Essential Oils For Relaxation

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Calming essential oils has one of the most appealing characteristics with their ability to create calm. Essential oils are known for being both stimulating and calming. Therefore, its no wonder that they can relieve symptoms of depression while also helping to regulate symptoms of anxiety. Here are some relaxation essential oils that can reduce stress, calm anxiety and relax your mind.

31 Calming Essential Oils

  • Orange
  • Basil/Linalool
  • Sweet Orange
  • Lavender
  • Damask Rose
  • Propolis
  • Lemongrass
  • Lemon
  • Lippia Alba
  • Yarrow
  • Bergamot
  • Vetiver
  • Cinnamon Leaf
  • Cedarwood
  • Lime
  • Grapefruit
  • Eucalyptus
  • Orange
  • Sandalwood
  • Ylang Ylang
  • Clary Sage
  • Jasmine
  • Frankincense
  • Peppermint
  • Copaiba
  • Tea Tree
  • Marjoram
  • Bitter Orange
  • Chamomile
  • Geranium
  • Vanilla 

Calming Essential Oils Blend Recipes

Relax Blend

  • 3 drops of Lavender oil
  • 3 drops of Orange oil
  • 1 drop of Ylang-Ylang oil
  • 2 drops of Patchouli oil

Triple The Calm Blend

  • 3 drops of Lavender Oil
  • 2 drops of Orange Oil
  • 3 drops of Frankincense Oil

Calm Your Spirit Blend

  • 2 drops of Ylang-Ylang Oil
  • 4 drops of Lavender Oil
  • 2 drops of Orange Oil
  • 3 drops of Geranium Oil

How To

For each recipe mix all ingredients in a brown glass container, stores in a dark cool place.

Daily Self-Care Checklist

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If you want to feel better on a daily basis, then you must have a plan for your self-care. You can’t count on having other people to help with your well-being, so you must have a daily plan. You might think that having a plan for your own self-care is a waste of time, but by taking care of your body and mind, you can avoid additional mental or health problems in the future. Use these self-care guidelines to improve the way that you feel.

Emotional Self-Care

Experts believe that your emotional well-being is vitally important, and you may overlook this aspect of your health. You may think that your emotional well-being is good because you are in denial of certain stressful situations in your life, but if you ignore emotional difficulties, then the problems will get worse with time. One of the best ways to understand your emotional health is by taking time to notice your mood. If you are a busy person, then you might not notice that you are feeling anxious, sad or angry until the emotions lead to serious problems.

Physical Self-Care

Physical self-care involves many aspects of your daily life, including eating the right foods, sleeping enough and getting plenty of exercise. If you aren’t consuming a nutritious diet, then you need to create daily menu plans that include fresh vegetables and fruits along with whole grains, dairy products and lean proteins. At the same time, you should have an exercise routine that includes a variety of physical activity. In addition, adults require seven to nine hours of sleep each night to avoid illnesses such as colds and influenza.

Spiritual Self-Care

Spiritual self-care can include traditional religious services, but it also can involve daily practices such as meditation or prayer. You may want to have a quiet area of your home where you can focus on spirituality. This area might have religious figurines, candles or other objects that you can focus on to clear your mind of troubling thoughts. If you don’t understand how to meditate, then you can enroll in a class that teaches you how to focus your mind.

Professional Self-Care

An important part of self-care is visiting professionals for examinations for potential problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus or cancer. If you already have a chronic health problem, then professional self-care includes scheduling appointments with specialists who can help you manage problems with your blood sugar levels or high blood pressure. You can also join support groups that include other individuals who have the same medical condition so that you can learn more about nontraditional ways to improve your physical health.

Psychological Self-care

If you are having emotional or mental challenges, then it is essential to seek help from a psychiatric professional. In addition to having conditions such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, you can have problems with addictions to alcohol or drugs. A psychiatrist or counselors can also help you overcome problems that occurred during your childhood, or they can assist you with relationship difficulties.

Use a Calendar to Keep Track of Self-care

The best way to keep track of self-care is by having a calendar to schedule the times and days for appointments or other activities.

It’s Time to Start Living in the Present

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If you are depressed, more than likely you are thinking too much about the past. If you are anxious, you are obsessing about your future. The best way to handle either of these is to concentrate on the present moment which can help calm you. This is easier said than done, but if you are worried about what you have done in the past, remember there is nothing you can do about it. You cannot change it.

Using experiences of your past is okay since you want to try to avoid making the same mistakes. But, when you are constantly thinking about past events to the point where they stress you out, it’s time to let them go.

You may be dealing with the consequences of something that you were responsible for in the past. However, you are still dealing with the consequences now, in the present, and so you should handle them with that in mind. The most important aspect of the past is to make sure you learn from it.

Planning certain aspects of your future is important. However, nothing is for sure, and any plan you set up may not come to pass. In that case, you’d probably need to change the plan. You may also need to change plans that you’re making now. You’ll need to make decisions now that affect your future. But don’t obsess about this either.

Some people get so hung up on planning for their future that they forget to live their lives in the moment. What happens if you are not around to enjoy those plans? You will have spent your entire life not living the way you should.

Another problem with living entirely for the future is you will miss out on enjoying life with your kids. They grow so fast, and that is one part of your past you will regret, i.e., not spending time and doing more with them. By living in the present and not worrying so much about other time frames, you will have memories with your family that you can always look back on. Family memories are a great part of your past and something that you can happily think about anytime you want.

If you do look back on your life, you will see that everything worked out. When situations occurred, you handled them, and you moved on. Just think about that the next time you find yourself dwelling on the past or the future. Someday, the situation you are experiencing right now will be a part of your past.

Staying Calm Audio Book