Dream on! An 'essential' guide for a good sleep

How did you sleep last night? If, like an increasingly large proportion of the population, you suffer from insomnia or generally find it difficult to clear your mind at bedtime, here's a little something you can pop on your bedside table. I’ve always been intrigued by the senses we have, and losing even one would be life changing. No tasting mum’s cooking, no watching your favourite trash TV, no cuddling with your dog and feeling how soft his ears are, no listening to your girlfriends re-cap a bad date, no smelling the roses/the coffee/clean laundry.

Which is why I think we should make the most of our senses and push them to the sensory limits.

My grandad went blind a few years ago. He was a computer nut, a woodworker and loved watching the cricket at the WACA. Fast forward to now, his life is completely different. Really, all he wants is a good nights’ sleep because the sun no longer controls his body clock.

This got me thinking about ways to relax and calm the mind to drift off to sleep when you’re limited by the senses you do, or don’t, have. I always breathe very deeply to fall asleep, so to enhance the benefits of focusing on breathing for relaxation I started to look into aromatherapy.

Here's a really simple pillow mist that lasts forever and has all the right ingredients for a solid night's sleep.

“Dream On” Pillow Spray Lavender, orange & lemongrass

According to Smell Boffins & Researchers, lavender produces calming, soothing and sedative effects when the scent is inhaled. Lemongrass revitalises the body and relieves the symptoms of jetlag, clears headaches and helps to combat exhaustion and stress-related conditions. Orange helps balance emotions and stimulates optimistic thinking...Just what grandpa ordered!

You will need: ♥ Lavender essential oil ♥ Sweet Orange essential oil ♥ Lemongrass essential oil ♥ Water ♥ 30-50mL plastic spray bottle (re-use an old hair product container, or buy new)

This is dead easy. Fill the bottle up to about 1cm from the top (excl. where the cap screws on). Either straight from the bottles, or using a pipette, add:

6ish drops of Lavender 4ish drops of Orange 4ish drops of Lemongrass

You might need more if you’re bottle is bigger than about 50mL, or if you want a bit more oomph! Shake well, spritz on pillows and bed linen, sleep tight all night!