Top 10 Signs of Sleep Deprivation and the Top 10 Essential Oils to Help

Sleep deprivation seems to be an epidemic, especially as we age. Whether it's trouble falling asleep or trouble staying asleep more and more people are suffering the effects of lost sleep. 

If you are experiencing any of these top signs of sleep loss its time to start scheduling your 8 hours of downtime!

• Weight Gain
• Memory loss
• Difficulty making decisions
• Impulsiveness
• Decrease in motor skills
• Your emotions are out of control
• You get sick more often
• Eye’s don’t focus as well
• Your skin ages more rapidly and you're prone to acne
• Inability to maintain concentration

Sleep isn’t just a time to dream. 

There is so much going on while we sleep. Sleep is our very own fountain of youth. 

Every cell in our body is in one of two states. It's either in protection mode or work mode. Our cells can’t do the work of rest, restore and repair if they are always on the alert and in protection mode.

During those precious hours of uninterrupted sleep there is a lot going on to store away today's experiences and to get ready for the coming day:

• Energy flow to the brain 
• Brain ‘cleansing’ takes place
• Memories are sorted and stored.
• Newly learned skills are solidified into memory.
• The brain is decluttered.
• Hormone regulation 
• Cellular restoration and repair
• Collagen release for skin integrity
• Cytokine production to boost immunity

Is it really worth ‘losing sleep’ over?

Too often we sacrifice sleep to catch up on work, finish up over-due projects, get out for a night on the town or become captivated by reruns long after bed-time.

The price we’re paying for skimping on sleep isn’t just feeling a little drowsy the next day.

When we trade off sleep time we’re increasing the risk of:

• Obesity.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Depression.
• Increased Pain.

Why can’t I sleep?

For some of us, insomnia isn’t a case of Netflix binging. There is an underlying cause, and that underlying cause can be one of many sources:

• Pain.
• Depression
• Digestive Issues
• Respiratory issues
• Adrenal stimulation
• Hormonal Imbalance
• Busy mind

What can I do?

The good news there is a lot we can do to change our hours of tossing back into a restful rejuvenating sleep.

1. Create an environment for sleep. The bedroom isn’t an office. Get stimulation (electronics) and clutter out of the room. This is a place for you to relax, not crawl over a basket of unfolded laundry and mentally add more to your unending to-do list. Nor is it the place to get a bit more work in.
2. Have a small protein snack before bed. A cheese and butter sandwich is ideal; no bread just two slices of cheese with butter as the filling. This is to supply your body with slow forms of energy; fat and protein, to help regulate blood sugar. If your sugar levels fall during the night you could be waking up because your body can’t get enough energy.
3. Close off the day. Schedule time at the end of your workday to summarize.

• What have you’ve completed?
• Is there any new work that’s been generated by the day's activities?
• What do you need to plan in for the next day?

Getting all of this out of your brain and onto paper allows your mind to let go. Its also going to make you a much better planner.

4. Take care of basic health needs

• Good nutrition
• Exercise
• Adequate hydration
• Relationships
• scheduling in 9 hours a day for sleep (that gives you time to get ready for bed!)

5. Use Essential Oils and supplements

You might be surprised to see supplements as one of the top treatments for insomnia. Supplements help the body to meet its basic nutrition needs. This helps to decrease stress, support cellular function and improve mood. All of these help with sleep.

How to Use Essential Oils.

As for the best essential oils, the best oil for you is pretty specific. It depends on what is causing your insomnia in the first place.

You can diffuse the oils in your bedroom, put a drop or two on your pillow or rub a couple of drops into the bottom of your feet.

Best Oils for Sleep

The baseline  top oils for insomnia are Lavender and Serenity. These both calm and quiet the mind. I use Serenity during the day as well when I find I’m spinning with my ‘to-do’ list.

Because there are so many causes for insomnia understanding why you're not sleeping is really important for choosing the essential oils that are going to help you sleep.

• Many people are surprised to discover that their insomnia is connected to their gut. Using lavender or serenity in combination with Zen Gest or Smart & Sassy are both good choices.
• If roller coasting blood sugar is the problem try using Smart &Sassy along with Lavender or Serenity.
• The busy mind responds well to Vetiver and Serenity.
•  For those with depression using an uplifting essential oil such as Wild Orange, Citrus Bliss or Bergamot along with a calming oil such as Lavender or Serenity
• If pain is keeping you awake try some Aromatouch before bed.
•  If you're a teeth grinder try applying Marjoram at the jaw joint.
•  If you are a smoker try adding in Easy Air to clear breathing.
•  If hot flashes keep jarring you awake try some menopausal support: supplements, phytoestrogen complex, Frankincense and Clary Calm  or Clary Sage
• For more avid dreaming try Clary Sage.

Getting a good nights sleep.

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the top 5 things you can do for your long term health.

As you get your insomnia under control you are going to find some great benefits:

• Sleep time is brain time.
• You are able to look at the ‘big picture’ instead of being reactive.
• Create links between information.
• Think
• Plan effectively
• Learn better
• Better memory
• Lose weight easier.
• Look younger
• Feel more energetic
• Healthier skin

Getting your Beauty Rest

In an article published in the Telegraph May /2015 by Rachel Thompson some serious expert opinions were brought together around beauty and sleep.

Dr Guy Meadows, founder of The Sleep School and a leading UK sleep expert, said: “Sleep is a time for the body to heal, renew and eliminate toxins from the skin,” says Dr Meadows.

“When sleep is reduced, so is the body’s ability to carry out these functions. The study showed significant results over a period of just five days, yet the reality is many people are sleeping in this manner for weeks, months and even years, leading to long term consequences for their looks and how they feel about themselves.”

Dr Lancer, Los Angeles dermatologist to the stars

“As you age, even a night of insufficient sleep shows on your skin, which sags, bags, and dulls. Insomnia can make a person look ten years older because of stress-induced changes in facial tissue. The term “beauty sleep” is more than an expression.”

“Of course, everyone looks better after a good night’s sleep but this observation is backed by science. As the body settles into the deepest stage of rest, growth hormones peak and stimulate cell and tissue repair. Without enough deep sleep, the repair process of your skin will be slowed, resulting in ageing.”

Dr Firas Al-Niaimi, dermatologist for skin clinics

“Sleep deprivation can cause skin damage at a number of levels. It can raise the cortisol levels hence it can worsen inflammatory conditions. Poor collagen formation also takes place with sleep deprivation leading to skin ageing.”

“In addition there is increased oxidative stress at cellular level and the accumulation of the 'oxidative stress' can lead to poor skin quality and premature ageing with poor quality skin. Poor lymphatic drainage and fluid accumulation leads to puffy eyes or the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.”