LAVENDER is one of the best known and most versatile Essential Oils around. It can be used aromatically, topically, and internally. LAVENDER has many, many benefits, but let’s focus on the big three that are relevant to the athlete: sleep, stress, and skin.
SLEEP
Sleep is vital to our physical, mental, and emotional tasks, whether that’s running a marathon or running kids to after school activities. Split-second decisions such as who to pass the basketball to or how to compensate for a miscalculated jump while airborne are compromised when you haven’t gotten the quality and quantity of sleep needed to function.
Calming and relaxing, LAVENDER Essential Oil is one of the best oils you can use to get a good night’s sleep. It has several components that help you relax and rest.
PRACTICAL USES
• Add a few drops to pillows, bedding, or bottoms of feet at bedtime.
• Add a drop or two to nightly moisturizer.
• Take internally for a peaceful sleep.*
• Diffuse prior to and at bedtime to help promote a restful sleep environment.
• Add a drop or two to your water or tea at bedtime.
STRESS
Athletics can be stressful, whether you’re competing at the Olympic level or in a T-ball League. You’ve trained for years, your teammates are counting on you, and the crowd is watching your every move. Talk about nerve-wracking!
LAVENDER Essential Oil can help with physical, mental, and emotional stress. It helps ease feelings of tension and may help soothe and calm the nervous system.
PRACTICAL USES
• Take internally to reduce anxious feelings.*
• Add to bath water to soak away stress or apply it to the temples and the back of the neck.
• Diffuse during times when you’re trying to relax, meditate, or visualize your victory.
• Apply topically to the chest or back of the neck prior to competition to help calm nervous jitters.
SKIN
Not all training environments are ideal for the skin. Sometimes you’re working outside for hours under the hot sun. Other times, you’re sweating inside a humid gym. Or maybe you spend hours in chlorinated water at the pool or out in the wind on the ski slopes.
Wherever you train, your skin can pay the price of your dedication.
Fortunately, LAVENDER Essential Oil is chock full of components like linalool that are nourishing and moisturizing to the skin.
PRACTICAL USES
• Add to moisturizer, cleanser, face mask, or other beauty products to help nourish dry skin.
• Add to shampoo or conditioner to help keep the scalp looking clean and healthy.
• Apply topically to minor irritations or to soothe skin discomfort when you’ve spent too much time in the sun.
• Apply topically to blemishes to help reduce their appearance.
QUESTION – SLEEP, STRESS, OR SKIN: WHICH ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO USING LAVENDER FOR?
