Joint and muscle relief are more related to sleep than you might think. When we are sore and achy in the body, it can be very challenging to get that restful, restorative sleep.

The common thread is often that muscles are tense and contracted. This is a protective position, like a duck & cover drill. The chemical constituency of the essential oil molecules is like the safety bell, and alerts the cells that it’s safe to open up and relax. It turns out that the state of each cell is never neutral, it’s either open and actively going about its roles or it’s closed and contracted. When we spend a lot of our lives in protective postures, that can cause or muscles to remain in a constant state of tension and contraction. Warm baths, meditation, walks in nature, conversations with close friends, and targeted use of essential oils all help signal to the cells that it’s safe to open up and relax.

Just for fun – Listen this song, Public Service Announcement from the early 2000s. It’s a cheesy song about fire safety, but can also remind us that essential oils alert the cells that the situation is safe. And I hope it makes you laugh! We could all use a good laugh these days.

When experiencing joint and muscle pain the body is definitely going to be in a state of protection and the most powerful essential oils to provide relief include methyl salicylate which which is the same group of chemicals as salicylic acid, the active ingredient found in aspirin. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and is soothing to the tissues.

  • Deep Blue Rub contains wintergreen as well as Camphor, Peppermint, Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Helichrysum, Ylang Ylang, and Osmanthus. It’s my go-to after a workout to relief sore muscles. Also support chronic joint pain, muscle spasms, arthritis, and tension headaches.
  • PastTense Tension Blend also contains wintergreen as well as lavender, chamomile, and frankincense. This one help reduce muscle tension related to various kinds of stress in our lives.
  • Copaiba is a cannabinoid and provides relief by targeting the cannabinoid receptors found widely throughout the body
  • Combination of Lemongrass and Cypress. This combination is warming and increases blood flow to the area.

Choosing the best essential oil for SLEEP depends a lot of the underlying reason there is difficulty sleeping. Lavender is calming and relaxing, and is a valuable oil to have around, but it’s not always strong enough to tackle deeper sleep challenges.

  • Serenity Restful Blend is great to help calm down both thoughts and emotions and get some restorative sleep.
  • Balance Grounding Blend is my favorite and I use it every day. This oil supports stability as we go experiences transitions in our days, weeks, months, and over the course of our lives. In terms of sleep, it helps the mind to shut down.

Some people have coined an expression that using Serenity and Balance together works like natural Xanax. I like to think of this combination at bedtime as a security blanket.

  • DIY Blend: Cedarwood + Bergamot + Marjoram: This blend is like a security blanket and a security guard. I supports having the confidence of being safe, connected, and protected.
  • Juniper Berry Helps calm the mind when fearful thoughts are swirling around. Blends well with
  • Cilantro – Helps to calm the nerves and relieve anxiety so the body can sleep. This is one of the best oils to address difficulty falling asleep. It has a pretty overwhelming smell, but definitely does the job.  I suggest adding 5-10 drops to a very warm beth just before bed.

Sacred Oils – Sacred oils are known to support the connection to the heavens. They are great to enhance prayer and meditation and provide deep cellular healing. 

  • Frankincense – Frankincense is known as the “King of Oils” and has a history of such value and reverence such that that it came along side gold as a gift to the newborn baby Jesus in the Christian Christmas story. Frankincense will add “super power” to any oil that you. It has so much complexity and potential that if you are ever unsure what oil to use, Frankincense will almost always offer some improvement that you are looking for. If I could only have ONE oil ever, Frankincense would be a very strong contender.
  • Sandalwood – creates a sense of calm and positivity. It’s also good for the skin. Rub on the temples, forehead, or wrists at bedtime.

Power Flowers – I would consider using the essential oils of these power flowers when sleep difficulty is related to emotional distress in some way. Diffuse in the room, add to the bath, rub on pressure points or directly over the heart when you feel the need.

  • Neroli – When I lived in Southern California during high school, spring was a memorable time of year when the whole landscape was saturated with the intoxicating aromas of the orange blossoms. Essential oil of neroli is extracted from the flowers of the bitter orange trees, also known as Seville oranges and native to Southeast Asia. Neroli helps to clear the heat and relaxes the nerves. It’s also a very uplifting aroma.
  • Ylang Ylang – Ylang ylang are big, beautiful tropical flowers grown in Southeast Asia and Madagascar. One day I hope to experience this aroma in all of its glory. Also cooling, this is a very special oil that encourages playfulness, positive emotional connection, and generally considered supportive of releasing tension and stress and is nurturing to the heart.
  • Helichrysum – This precious oil from the aromatic shrub and is also known as Everlasting or Immortelle. Besides being cooling, it is anti-inflammatory and helps to clear energy blockages in the body, physical and emotional. It is commonly used for bruising and related pain.
  • Geranium – While we may be familiar with the hearty flowers of the perennial shrub geranium, the essential oil is actually extracted from the flowers and the leaves. Like the other flowers, it is cooling and relaxing. It is good for the skin and has anti-fungal properties and encourages healthy circulation.

Want to start a an essential oils collection, Home Essentials Kit is a great place to start.

Click here to go to my essential oils home page and learn more about my favorite brand of oils.

If you are interested in learning more about essential oils and which ones would be the best for you, email me at sheila@restorativelife.com and we will set up a brief wellness consultation.