‘Sleep when the baby sleeps!’ Everyone tells you this when you have a newborn, and it probably sounds like good advice to them. Except it’s impossible. And not just because the baby sleeping is the only time you can do the six loads of waiting laundry, or wash your dishes, or eat something, or shower for the first time in three days — it’s also impossible because when you have a new baby, you can’t just relax.
Believe me: No matter how tired I am, I’ve been having trouble falling asleep since my daughter was born more than five months ago. Chalk it up to a racing mind or parental adrenaline, but I’ve tried everything I can think of: wine, reading a book, put-you-to-sleep podcasts, deep-breathing techniques, wine again. Nothing helped until I was sent the Sleep Well aromatherapy stick (full disclosure: My job as a health writer has its perks). I rubbed the mix of lavender, ylang-ylang, and palmarosa on my wrists and neck like the tube suggested. The smell was addictive at first waft — calming and just a little sweet. I wanted more. I started reading in bed, and held my book in one hand and the stick in the other, taking deep breaths of the blend while concentrating on the text. I read for maybe five minutes before falling asleep. I did the same thing the next night, and it knocked me out again. This is good stuff.
The blend is now a crucial part of my nighttime routine. Every night I hit my pulse points and hold it under my nose while I read. I’ve even started spreading it on the bottom of my eye mask so the scent stays with me as long as possible. I now take it with me when I travel. I probably should order a case. (There’s a chamomile version for stress relief and rosemary for focusing, too.) I can’t believe I’m saying this but: It’s better than wine.
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