Sleep Remedies - Part One

KNOCKOUT DREAM PILLOW

¾ cups dried chamomile flowers

¼ cup dried clary sage

4 drops clary-sage essential oil

3 drops jasmine essential oil

mix the dried chamomile flowers and cried clary sage.  Add the clary-sage and jasmine essential oils.  Use this pillow for those nights when nothing else will do.

EYE PILLOWS

These little pillows are made to lie across the eyes (4x10 inches or 10x25 cm).  Eye pillows are great when you have eyestrain or want to take a short nap.  They also block out light, and the relaxing scent of the herbs helps, too.

LAVENDER EYE PILLOWS

¼ cup lavender buds

¼ cup flaxseed or rose petals

4 to 6 drops essential oil

For a great eye pillow, mix equal amounts of lavender buds with flaxseed. Add a few drops of essential oil of your choice.

Substitutions:  You can substitute rose petals for the flaxseed.  You could also mix half lavender with half rose petals and keep the flaxseed.  Add a few drops of essential oil(s), if you wish.

SLEEP SALVES

These sleep salves or rubs help you get to sleep.   They work when the skin absorbs the properties of the herbs and essential oils.

DREAMY CREAM

½ cup olive oil

2 t melted beeswax

1 t mugwort

½ t rosemary

½ t spearmint

½ t sage

½ t lavender

2 capsules or ¼ t vitamin E oil

gently warm the olive oil.  Add the dried mugwort, rosemary, spearmint, sage, and lavender.  Let steep overnight.  Strain. Heat gently, adding the beeswax to the mixture. And melt on it.  Remove from heat.  Add the vitamin E oil and pour the salve into containers to harden.  At bedtime, rub the salve into your temples to encourage sleep.

LAVENDER OIL RUB

2 cups peanut oil

1 cup lavender buds

Place lavender buds in the peanut oil and seal the jar.  Set in a sunny window for 1 week, shaking regularly.  Strain.  Rub the lavender oil into the temples, neck, and hands before bedtime to help send you to sleep.