Under my
sink, I have a library of aromatic concoctions, each to ease a specific kind of
"bad day." These bath oils contain specific formulations of
aromatherapy oils for the relief of specific stress-related symptoms. Here are
some of my favorite bath-time remedies for a bad or stressful day.
1. Melt away muscle pains. Use a combination of
muscle-relaxing, anti-inflammatory essential oils to ease muscle pains after a
day of hard work. These oils can eliminate headaches, backaches, and pain in
your arms and legs caused by chasing the kids, rushing to work, cleaning the
house, or hitting the gym.
If you're
like me and tend to experience muscle pain when you're stressed, apply five
drops of allspice oil and five drops of cinnamon oil to your bath to give your
skin a warming, relaxing sensation. Alternatively, you can use four drops of
peppermint oil, five drops of eucalyptus oil, and two drops of wintergreen oil
for a chilling, ice-pack pain relief. Combine both oil combinations for an
unusual, effective, icy-hot aromatherapy bath.
2. Erase irritability. You're spent the
entire day arguing with your teenager, trying to rescue a struggling friend,
and trying to revive a struggling marriage. At the day's end, you're ready to
rip out your own hair and the hair of anyone around you. Agitation and
irritability are extremely common problems that most women face at least
occasionally. Several bath oils can help to soothe your tense, angered nerves.
Splash
five drops of neroli, three drops of lavender, three drops of chamomile, and
two drops of bergamot into your bath after an tooth-gritting, hair-pulling bad
day. These fragrances help me to relax and eliminate some of my anger on those
days when the entire world seems to tick me off. I also highly recommend a
margarita or two to enhance the effects of the aromatherapy.
3. Kick your worries to the curb. I
suffer from an incurable case of the whatifs. Every day, a million whatifs run
through my mind. What if my daughter gets sick? What if I become unemployed?
What if all of my friends are secretly against me? What if every publisher in
the world rejects my magnum opus? These worries and anxieties are a recipe for
daily disaster, but several treatments can help.
If a
worry-filled day has you feeling down, blend five drops of geranium oil, four
drops of chamomile oil, and four drops of basil oil into your bath. A few drops
of rose oil and frankincense oil can also help, particularly if your worries
and anxieties relate to a mood disturbance such as depression. A phone call to
a friend might also be helpful.
4. Get a little pep. A bad day can make
you feel sluggish, drowsy and gloomy. Instead of locking yourself in a dark
room and spending the next several hours in bed, look for a more proactive
solution. No, the answer isn't coffee-- although that certainly can help in
some cases. Instead, turn to energizing aromatherapy oils to give you back your
mojo.
For the
rainy-day blues and depression-related fatigue, I use three drops of rosemary
oil, three drops lemon oil, three drops frankincense oil, and two drops of rose
oil in my bath. If you can handle the fact that you'll smell like a hippie,
patchouli and sandalwood are also extremely helpful. You'll feel far more
energized, your mood will improve, and your day will be a little brighter
because of these rich fragrances.
5. Get some sleep. Fighting a bad day
with an aromatherapy pick-me-up may not always be the answer. In some cases,
your best bet is to curl up under a cozy blanket and simply sleep off the
worries. When you simply need to snooze away a bad day, sedative aromatherapy
oils are often your best bet. They can help you get the most of a good night's
sleep, without all the side effects associated with strong sedative drugs and
anxiolytics.
Sprinkle
four drops chamomile oil, four drops lavender oil, and three drops of juniper
oil into a hot bath for a luxurious soak. After a few minutes, you'll be ready
to snooze peacefully for the rest of the night-- and you'll awaken refreshed
and ready to greet a newer, better day.
Of course, if mood disturbances are causing enough trouble that they are
disrupting your daily life, get in touch with your health care provider for
treatment guidelines.
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