Now that we've established the body's natural stress response begins in your mind, calming your mind can help calm your body. It’s a beautiful example of the mind-body connection!

When your mind is deeply relaxed, it’s not sensing danger. Your parasympathetic nervous system is more active. This is when your heart rate slows down, muscles release tension, digestion moves smoothly, and breath deepens. Your body stabilizes its systems and has the chance to repair itself after the stress response.

Because your body and mind are connected, you can approach stress relief from the other direction, too: calming your body can ease your mind.

It’s not possible for your mind to register danger when your body is truly relaxed.

Considering this, it makes perfect sense to use essential oils to soothe your mind and body, especially when it comes to kicking back and relaxing in the evening, or getting more restful sleep at night.

In the next chapter, you’ll learn about 10 essential oils and 6 recipes that can help you feel so serene that you’re ready to slip right off to sleep. You can use them to:

• Calm your breathing
• Comfort head tension
• Ease anxious feelings & nighttime “jitters”
• Get deep, restorative sleep
• Let go of worries
• Massage sore, tight muscles
• Practice meditation & yoga
• Soothe a tight, stressed belly