September Blog – Sleep Secrets

Getting a good night’s sleep begins way before bedtime. Your whole day will affect and build up to a good night’s sleep or not!
It is important to develop good routines. It’s patterns that the body enjoys and comes to rely on, that doesn’t mean that spontaneity is bad, but our natural circadian rhythm or body clock likes regular patterns, and the more ‘in harmony’ they are with nature, the better.  Avoid anything stimulating like coffee, tea, or energy drinks from 12 noon. In the afternoon, don’t drink stimulating drinks containing Caffeine, stick to a herbal tea and make it a soothing blend after 6 pm if you enjoy a hot evening drink. Go for Chamomile or elderflower tea. When unwinding, do not drink peppermint tea or fruit tea as they will stimulate and awaken your senses.

Stay hydrated by ensuring you drink 2 litres of good quality water throughout the day. I like voltic water. Obviously you don’t want to drink water close to bedtime in case you are woken to use the toilet, but most heart attacks happen at 3 am in the morning when we are most dehydrated, so making sure you are hydrated is a very healthy thing to do especially if you have underlying health issues. Water is also the best beauty product you can give yourself.
Ensure that you save a little ‘exercise time’ during your day – a short 10 to 15 minute exercise session of walking or stretching built into your daily routine will make a difference! Even just standing burns more calories than sitting so you can exercise anywhere. Outside in the fresh air is best and will reap rewards regarding your quality of sleep!

Try not to have any electrical or Wi-fi devices in the bedroom i.e. charging your phone, watching TV before settling to sleep is definitely a No! These are really are bad for our body’s energy. If you must have them, surround them in crystals or place a ‘Peace Lily’ in this space as these will absorb any negativity.
Black out curtains during the summer months can also help. Our body likes total darkness or use and eye mask. I love space masks; they warm up when you open them. I use an additional chamomile eye gel too underneath the mask so that I get the darkness and warmth whilst the soothing Chamomile softens my wrinkles whilst I am sleeping.

Whilst we sleep, our skin is working extremely hard, and this is why it needs water. It is important to thoroughly cleanse your skin before bed and apply a good night cream or serum. Take time to relax and unwind whilst you are cleansing – ‘set the scene’ light your Allumi T Lights before you run a relaxing bath or shower, and whilst the dancing flame works with the relaxing Essential Oils, before you step into the warm water, massage the Divine Allumi Bath/Shower Oil into your tired body, and feel your body releasing the stresses of the day.

If anxiety keeps you from sleep, then again this is something you need to deal with earlier in the day. Start by changing your breathing pattern as
deeper breaths calm the body and mind. Use your Allumi Organic Wand Roller throughout the day, at just £10, these are great, you can carry it in your pocket, and discretely roll the Organic essential blend beneath your nose inhaling the calming oils any time during the day, and no-one needs to know that it is for anxiety and stress – its smells amazing so roll it on your pulse points too!
Foot massage is another self-help tool – by massaging your feet before bedtime, Ancient Indian Philosophy believes that this will keep the snake from your door! – i.e. whatever thoughts are consuming your mind, these should disappear and clear your mind before your slumber!

After a relaxing bath or warm shower, there are plenty of essential oils to aid sleep, when it’s time for some rest and relaxation, the essence of Allumi Zen Body Oil is perfect to help you unwind, creating mental stillness and quiet! As the Oils of Sandalwood, Lavender and Ylang Ylang escape as you massage, the notes of Vanilla and Geranium help your body and mind relax whilst your skin is encased and nourished with these divine oils.

Appreciate this quiet time as you massage your body, concentrating on your feet and pressure points and at the same time enjoy the additional essential oils and fragrance of the Allumi T lights flickering flames…..
Our new Allumi Organic Sleep Balm is infused with Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Sweet Marjoram. When blended together, they are even better, working in unison to aid a blissful sleep! This sleep balm can be used on your arms, upper body and chest or massage your feet to ground your energy before settling down to sleep.

Clary sage and lavender together bring a perfect sleep remedy. In fact, a very powerful sleep remedy. Do not use if you have had alcohol as this may induce nightmares. Put a drop of each oil on your pjs or on a tissue on your pillow and gradually your sleep should improve. Vetiver is another oil that is good for creating tranquillity in the bedroom. In India it is known as the oil of tranquillity, it is especially useful if hot flushes and night sweats are causing sleep issues.

Magnesium bath – Epsom salts in a warm bath also encourages sleep by drawing the heat from the body organs allowing the body to relax. Himalayan salt is also useful as it surrounds the body in negatively charged atoms that have the effect of being near the sea and blows the cobwebs away.
Routine is key to getting a good night’s sleep. In Ayurvedic medicine they suggest bed by 10 and up by 6. These are the best hours for sleep and our bodies benefit from the hours before midnight. If you need background music for sleep, then using an Alexa can help. Plug it in outside your door and ask it to play sleep music, but ensure you set it to a timer – Alexa can be extremely helpful.

When you have applied your Allumi Sleep Balm and are relaxed and settled into bed, take a few deep breaths in and out, and feel the stresses of the day slowly fade and disappear…. Finally, I am going to share a little secret with you about Marma Points. These are secret energy points situated all over the body, but the one to aid sleep is at the top of your head. Now rest the heel of your hand on the brow bones stretching your palm up over the forehead. Where your middle finger lands, is the Mardi Marma – now gently circle 35 times clockwise on this Mardi point – no thoughts, just relax, unwind and enjoy your sleep lovely people – sweet dreams!…….. Namaste ….. ‘Scent with Love’ …………

‘Scent with Love’

Ally and Allumi Team…xxxx