magickalconnections

Nobody knows exactly why or when the 1000s of years old knowledge of plant medicine and magic has been mostly lost or forgotten and replaced with ‘modern’ medicine.

Insomnia has plagued humanity since the dawn of time. Uses of lavender to combat this debilitating condition date back to ancient Rome when it was added to baths, most likely not just because of the luxurious smell, but also because of its well known calming and sleep-inducing effects.

Across time, lavender has proven itself as a natural sleep aid.

From Ancient Egypt to Rome, lavender had its place in rituals as well as daily uses like perfumes, baths, and even the infamous Egyptian mummification process. This herb has also traditionally been used to heal anxiety and as a natural sleep aid.

In modern times, more and more people are looking for traditional or alternative methods to combat mild to severe sleep disorders, which have now become one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases. 

Lavender stands out because many clinical trials have been conducted researching the herb’s effectiveness in improving the quality of sleep. And low and behold, although larger studies are needed, there is no doubt that lavender is indeed helping many patients in getting the much-needed snooze and shut-eye.

How does lavender induce sleep?

Lavender, in its essential oil form, contains chemical components such as linalool, linalyl acetate, and camphor. These substances are known to reduce agitation, restlessness, and aggression by interacting with the nervous system. They act as anxiety relievers and sedatives.

All of these emotional conditions are the culprits why sleep does not want to come over us easily. Our brain is simply too busy and unable to shut down.

Ways to replace the sleeping pills with lavender for natural sleep:

If you’re ready to ditch the sleeping pills, it’s worth trying out one of these ways to get much needed sleep to stay healthy and sane in today’s world.

Aromatherapy:

• Get your hands on some high quality lavender essential oil and a diffuser. I like the ones that come with a tealight. The subtle candlelight adds to the calming effect the evaporating lavender oil has. Put it in your bedroom at least half an hour before you plan to go to sleep and consciously inhale the lavender aroma while taking deep breaths.

• Add a few drops and even fresh lavender flowers to a hot bath before bedtime.

• Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used undiluted on the skin without irritating or burning the skin. Since the sensitive skin will absorb the active ingredients in lavender essential oils very rapidly, a nice massage with this oil will rapidly invoke Mr Snooze in only 19 minutes.

• Prepare a lavender infusion before going to sleep. It’s best to prepare an infusion (tea) with fresh lavender leaves and flowers, but dried lavender will also do the job. Lavender teas that come in sachets are only good if you like the taste, however, they don’t do anything significant to help you sleep.

How to prepare your infusion: 

• Bring a cup of water to the boil and take it off the heat to cool down a little 
• Add a small spoonful of fresh or dried lavender (you can use a tea ball)
• Cover and steep for 5 minutes. 
• Strain the plant material and enjoy!

• Sew dried lavender flowers into a pouch and put it under your pillow at bedtime to promote a more restful sleep.

Let’s not forget the magic!

There are medicinal plants and herbs out there to cure any disease from colds to skin conditions to cancer. 

But let’s not forget the energetic and magical power of plants. 

Lavender has a purifying and protective energy. Keeping dried sprigs of lavender in the house will cleanse the energy from negative vibrations, jealousy, and hexes.

Instead of sewing a pouch, you can also put lavender sprigs directly under your pillow to add protection to your sleep.

Using plants for energy work is not witchcraft, it’s simply acknowledging the energetic influence of the plant and asking it to share that energy with you so that you can achieve a certain goal, in this case a restful sleep protected from nightmares and other influences you might believe in.

To fully take advantage of the magic, talk to the lavender plant. Ask its permission to use its energy, tell it you respect and love it, let it know what your intention is (I want to sleep peacefully tonight), and don’t forget to thank the lavender plant for its assistance. 

Especially if you have suffered an emotional trauma, it can be very difficult to sleep which will in turn have a ripple effect on your entire well-being. 

I hope this article was helpful and if you try lavender as a natural sleep help, please let me know your experience.

You can pick one of the suggestions, or why not use several at the same time. Maybe you discovered a use of lavender that was not mentioned – I would love to hear all about it.

A lavender bath while sipping on lavender tea infused with honey, listening to soothing music in a bathroom lit with candlelight. Then making your way into your bedroom that’s already impregnated by the luxurious smell of lavender from your diffuser, and – if you’re lucky – having your partner ready to put you to sleep with a relaxing lavender oil massage – Sounds like the perfect night to get the most restful sleep of your lifetime!