Sleep

If people have problems sleeping, very often they’ll grab the lavender in some form & use it in their bedroom. For some this works, and for others it doesn’t. I often hear people say they've had problems sleeping and have found that the lavender has kept them awake. Why? There's quite a few reasons: one may be the type of lavender you’re using and another reason may be the quantity of oil you've used.

Something a lot of people don’t realise is that Lavender actually has a balancing effect on the central nervous system, so in low quantities it helps you to relax and in higher qualities it actually stimulates! If you've sprinkled quite a few drops on your pillow or in your bath, you may find yourself awake for longer than you expected.

So, what can you do?

 - If you do want to use Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia), make sure you're buying a good quality lavender so you can be sure its what it says on the bottle. If it’s a cheap bottle it may well have been adulterated with chemicals that won't have any therapeutic value, which means you're likely not to get the response you hoped for. Its hard to know if someone is selling quality oils, so its worth checking if they're a member of the aromatherapy trade council. The ATC has a list of members who abide by a code of ethics so you know they're aware of where their supply is from and that they have tested the oils being sold to ensure their quality.

- Make sure you only use one or two drops of lavender, so it is more likely to be relaxing.

- Try a High Altitude Lavender, it’s more expensive but it’s grown higher up the mountain so it contains more of a chemical which makes it more relaxing than other types of lavender. It will still be called Lavendula angustifolia, but should state on the bottle that its High Alt Lavender.

- If you don't like Lavender, or you'd like to try something else, you can try Ylang Ylang Complete (Cananga odorata), Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) or Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)

To use any of these oils, simply take a cotton wool ball, add 2 drops and put it inside your pillow case (make sure children or pets cant get to the cotton wool ball). If you want to use them in a  child's room you may wish to invest in a diffuser, personally I find the zen range very good as they include an automatic switch off, and you can also use them as a nightlight. I raved about these so much that Jane Kershaw, Spirit, now stocks them in Bristol!
Make sure you order your oils from a reputable supplier, and always check the Latin names to ensure you have the right oil.

If it's stress keeping you awake then you may find regalar therapies help you to de-stress a little. If you want to use oils and you're in any doubt about them, get in touch with a qualified aromatherapist who'll be able to advise you further.