Using a simple DIY linen spray can help you sleep better. 

Most of us instinctively know how good a regular amount of sleep can be, and science backs us up on that. Studies have shown how important sleep is to memory, overall health, longevity, emotional health, and more. For some of us though, sleep is an elusive mistress. I have discovered that regularly using a linen spray can help me fall asleep. It’s not foolproof, but it’s my first defense and it has made a big difference in my life. As someone who has chronic sleep issues, anything that helps me get more sleep, no matter how simple it may be, is life-changing!

You can purchase any number of linen sprays on the market, or, you can make your own, which is what I do. If you are going to purchase a spray, do make sure to choose carefully. Not all linen sprays are created equal. Some commercial sprays have gross chemicals in them that I personally wouldn’t want to spray on my bedding. Indigo Wild makes Zum Mist, which is one commercial brand that I recommend. It is made with only purified water, pure essential oils, and vegetable glycerin.

DIY Linen Spray

Recipe:

Making your own room or linen spray is super easy. Simply use a funnel to combine distilled water, leaving some room at the top for the other ingredients; 2 tablespoons of vodka; and 8-10 drops of the essential oils of your choice in a glass or metal spray bottle. The vodka helps the spray last longer and makes the smell linger. Shake prior to each use.

Tips:

• You can use homemade linen spray as a refreshing room spray as well. In addition to keeping a bottle by the bed, make up a bottle to use it in the bathroom and the kitchen too.
• Use metal or glass bottles as they are nonreactive. You can find bottles at Abundant Health, Aroma Tools, Rail 19, and the Container Store. I prefer the blue glass ones because I like the look of them on my nightstand.
• A few online sources for essential oils are Mountain Rose Herbs, Rocky Mountain Oils, Aura Cacia and Bulk Apothecary. You can also find essential oils at Whole Foods and many natural food stores.
• Don’t be afraid to mix essential oils to create the ideal calming scent for you. I am a fan of patchouli and orange–I find it very relaxing and it helps me fall asleep. If you aren’t so about what scents to mix together, just look at commercial linen sprays for inspiration. That’s what I did.

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Image: Bottle and Flowers from Shutterstock

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If you can’t sleep and are starting to feel a tad… well, unstable, all it takes to get your sanity back is one therapy sesh, say researchers.

When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, sometimes it can feel like the entire universe is conspiring against you: As soon as your head hits the pillow, that’s when your cat projectile vomits on your comforter. Or your neighbor decides to start a band. Or your mind obsesses over that really annoying thing that happened a million years ago. Sigh.

But don’t fret: A recent study published in the journal Sleep suggests a single therapy sesh might be all you need to get back to your snoozefests of yore. (No, but seriously.) Researchers at Northumbria University attempted to treat insomnia in the acute phase (which is when it’s not considered a legit sleep disorder yet), and found that almost three-quarters of participants saw improvements in sleep quality within three months.

Forty adults were recruited for the study, all of whom had been suffering from insomnia for less than three months, weren’t taking meds to help them sleep, and had never received cognitive behavioral therapy.

Twenty participants underwent a 60-minute cognitive behavioral therapy sesh, while the rest were put on a waitlist for therapy and served as the control group. All participants used sleep diaries to track the quality and duration of their sleep for one week before treatment, and were also asked to complete a questionnaire to help gauge the severity of their insomnia.

The therapy session educated participants on things like sleep restriction, where you only spend the time in bed necessary for sleep. They were then prescribed a specific time to go to bed and wake up based on their individual sleep diaries, and were given a self-help pamphlet to better recognize symptoms of insomnia and how to act on them. Meanwhile, the control group received no additional support.

Within one month of the therapy session, 60 percent of participants reported improvements in sleep quality, and that number increased to 73 percent after three months—compared to only a 15 percent improvement from those in the control group.

Sure, the study was small, and yes, it’s too soon to tell if those who can’t sleep can really be cured by cognitive behavioral therapy, but considering two-thirds of participants sidestepped chronic insomnia because of it, I’d say researchers are on the right track.

“There are numerous advantages to treating insomnia during an acute phase,” Jason Ellis, Director of the Northumbrian Centre for Sleep Research and lead study author said in a statement. “If successful, there’s potential for significant savings in terms of long-term healthcare, lost productivity and accidents. Chronic insomnia is a considerable health burden both on the individual and the economy and has been linked to the development of, or worsening of, a number of physical and psychiatric conditions.”

Long story short: You snooze, you win.

How do you deal when you can’t sleep?

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Sleep-deprived woman image via Shutterstock

The post Can’t Sleep? Just One Therapy Session Could Help You Sleep Better appeared first on EcoSalon.