As a speech pathologist, I have learned the importance of engaging the senses over the years. Whether it be for increased attention to task, eliciting speech/language production, or simply elevating a play activity, Sensory input can make a big difference in any routine.
Let's chat aromatics for calming and a simple bed time routine for those kiddos that find it difficult to settle or unwind.
Essential oils and kiddos require a gentle approach. Some kids are ready to stand over the diffuser and breathe deeply while others are little more hesitant and may not care for such strong aromas. The key is to introduce the aromas slowly and gently! Here are some tips to carry over into their bedtime routine.
1. Involve them in the oil selection as much as possible. Pick 3-5 oils to have on hand in the evening. Allow them to open the bottle and smell them. Ask them to pick 1-2 oils that they would like to use for the night. The speech therapist in me will also tell you this is a great way to promote conversation skills, talking about feelings, and using descriptor words. Allow them to drop the oils into the diffuser water. I always say start low and slow. Have them count 3-4 drops out.
2. Let's talk bath time or even showers. Grab yourself a mason jar and fill it with Epsom salts. Allow them to a couple of aromas from your group of oils. Add about 10 - 15 drops to your jar of Epsom salts. Before they hop in the tub, mix in some "sprinkles" aka the bath salts to the water. This will help their body relax and trigger the mind for bedtime. If your kiddo takes a shower, simply pour some salts in the corner of the shower so that the aroma fills the bathroom while they are washing.
3. For the kiddo that needs some extra calm, try using an essential oil inhaler. These are inexpensive on Amazon and you can customize the wick with the essential oils of your choice. I put no more than 5 drops on each wick. This would be a great tool to hold under the child's nose while he/she takes deep breaths or simply discusses their day with you before bed.
Here are some of our favorite bedtime oils to reach for!
If you are unfamiliar with oils, "blends" are a mixture of several oils to create a customized aroma. "Singles", are a bottle of essential oil that consists of oil from a single plant.
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It’s the little things…
Have you ever thought about the benefits of a warm bath? I am not a bath person. However, when I think about the benefits I feel the need to force some downtime in a warm bath to let my body and mind reset.
There is a reason kids love baths. Water play (sensory) is right up their alley. The warm water brings comfort, and if part of a nightly routine, signals to the brain that bedtime is near.
There is a way to take a bath up a notch and make it more appealing and beneficial for all.
Bath salts!
I am not talking about those salts of various colors that smell of perfume at the store. I am talking about bath salts that serve a purpose without adding more stress to our body with strong perfumes or unwanted chemicals and dyes.
You don’t need a complicated recipe. In fact, mine is quite simple! I like to create a large batch of salts without essential oils. I tend to change the oils in the bath based on the need. For instance, if my husband has a sore back, I am going to be using different oils than the ones I may grab for a sniffly kiddo. I will incorporate the oils into the mixture once it is bath time and I know what we are trying to address.
You can find the base recipe below!
Bath Salt Base:
4 cups Epsom Salts
1 cup baking soda
Mix thoroughly in a decorative container and have it ready by your bathtub.
Magnesium is known for its ability to relax the body, support inflammation, and ease discomfort in sore muscles.
Baking Soda can help balance skin pH, is cleansing, provides immune support, and assist in soothing irritated skin.
When using the salts, I add 5 drops of high quality essential oils (total).
The following combinations are some of our favorites.
Aches: Panaway & Frankincense
Sniffles: Lavender & RC
Sweet Dreams: Gentle Baby &Cedarwood
Skin Soother: Melrose & Lavender
Tension Release: Stress Away & Orange
Sick Day: Thieves, Frankincense, and Lemon
You can shop our favorite combinations HERE!
We love these for simple gifts as well. Grab some decorative jars and cute ribbon and give the gift of relaxation!
Sleep troubles are the reason why so many of us dipped our toes into the world of essential oils. Whether it be racing thoughts, anxiety, restlessness, interrupted sleep, or even hormonal issues, the struggle is real. I think it is safe to say that we all have, at some point, looked for support in regards to healthy sleep patterns.
Sleep routines and support, involve so much more than a simple bottle of Lavender for some of us. There can be various contributing factors and the versatility of essential oils allow us to create personalized routines to meet our needs.
Before we dive into routines and recipes, let's chat about the oils we tend to think of when we think of a goodnight's sleep. Tree oils always come to mind! They are warm, cozy, and grounding. Some of my favorites are Northern Lights Black Spruce, Cypress, Pine, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Grounding, and Sacred Mountain. There are also some popular floral scents that tend to calm an anxious mind! Lavender, Valerian, Roman Chamomile, Clary Sage, German Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, and Geranium. Vetiver, Valor, Stress Away, Tranquil, Peace and Calming, Gentle Baby, and Rutavala. I always recommend picking 1-2 good blends and 2 single oils to layer and create a sleep routine with!
At our house, we TRY ( it can be hard), to promote a sense of calm before it is even time for bed! I tend to grab some comforting oils to diffuse right after dinner. A grounding aroma helps to signal the mind that it is the day's end and it is time to chill. This is great if you are prepping kiddos for bed, cleaning the kitchen, or just lounging and watching some TV. I like to call these our " After Dinner" diffuser blends. Here are a few that we tend to rotate between.
3 Peace and Calming, 3 Orange 3 Cedarwood
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3 Valor, 3 Frank, 4 Bergamot
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3 Rosemary, 4 Cedarwood, 3 Lavender
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3 Thieves, 2 Northern Lights Black Spruce, 2 Roman Chamomile
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3 Grounding, 3 Orange, 3 Bergamot
Do you see how I start with a few drops of a blend and then layer my singles with it? I have found that to be key in creating so many blends!
Next up, pre-bed.
Has it has been an REALLY long day? Do you have some kids that can't seem to stop bouncing off the walls? Are you worried about something or feeling anxious? Consider pausing your usual night time routine and taking some time for an Rest Easy Soak! You will need Epsom salt for this. If you want to take it up a notch, grab some baking soda while you are at it. ( thank you Jessica Davis for this recipe!)
Gift idea alert!
This is for a larger batch! Store it in a jar and have it ready to go for those nights when you don't have the energy to do anything extra :) If you find yourself scrambling, just grab 1/4 Epsom salt, add your oils (4-5 drops total), and soak!
1C Epsom salt
1/4C sea salt
1/4C baking soda
15-25 drops Essential Oils ( cut in half for the kiddos)
Favorite oil combinations for a relaxing bath!
Stress Away, Lavender, Orange
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Valor, Frank, Copaiba
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Peace and Calming, Lavender
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Roman Chamomile, Lavender
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Clary Sage, Vetiver, Orange
In preparation to lay your head down, I recommend creating a pillow/linen Spray! Another gift alert! This allows you to use your oils aromatically x2 if you also plan to run your diffuser. Not to mention, the oils can work their magic on anything that may be lingering on your sheets. For the kiddos, we call this "No More Monster" spray or " Sweet Dreams" spray. If you have never created one, you are missing out! Here is our favorite recipe:
2 ounce spray bottle (find here)
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Cedarwood
10 drops Orange
Top with witch hazel and spritz linens before bed! Tie a bow around the top and give as a gift. Have guests coming? Create one for them and leave by their bedside!
Time to prep that diffuser in the bedroom! I recommend doing this about 30 minutes before you hit the hay. This allows the blend time to make it's way through the air. Try using the same strategy as above when creating your blend. You will also want to turn the diffuser to the intermittent setting before you fall asleep to ensure that your diffuser runs all night long. Also, do not forget to turn that light on your diffuser off.
Favorite "Shut Eye" diffuser blends:
4 Stress Away, 2 Vetiver, 4 Bergamot
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3 Peace and Calming, 4 Bergamot, 3 Cedarwood
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2 Northern Lights Black Spruce, 2 Frankincense, 4 Lavender
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2 Clary Sage, 2 Cypress, 2 Cedarwood, 1 Vetiver
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3 Gentle Baby, 4 Orange, 2 Frankincense
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3 Valor, 2 Cypress, 4 Lavender
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2 Sacred Mountain, 1 Vetiver, 2 Northern Lights Black Spruce, 2 Bergamot, 2 Orange
Right before you lay your head down, grab a roller or your favorite calming oils and use them topically. There are some wonderful roll-ons available through Young Living, if you are not interested in creating your own. There is Tranquil, Valor, Peace and Calming, and RutaVala ( this one works really well for us). I recommend massaging your bedtime blend into the bottoms of your feet and the back of your neck. If I am really loving the aroma, I will often apply to my wrists. If you would prefer to create your own roll-ons ( another great gift idea), you can find the rollers here.
Favorite Bedtime Roll-On blends: ( top with liquid carrier oil once oils are added to the bottle)
10 Vetiver, 20 Lavender, 10 Bergamot
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20 Valor, 10 Orange, 10 Northern Lights Black Spruce
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10 Grounding, 10 Roman Chamomile, 10 Cedarwood
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15 drops Cedarwood, Lavender, and Orange
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15 Stress Away, 5 Vetiver, 15 Lavender
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10 drops Clary Sage, 5 drops Cedarwood, 10 drops Bergamot, 5 Northern Lights Black Spruce
And the holy grail of all the calming blends....LIQUID CHILL ROLLER
50 Lavender, 30 Valor, 30 Stress Away, 15 Patchouli, 15 Vetiver
Dilute with 40 drops of carrier oil in a 15 mL bottle are roller fitment cap.
