Old folks always say that joy comes in the morning, but I, for one, cannot relate. As a creative with a never-ending to-do list, waking up can be stressful AF, but according to Alicia Keys, the secret to seizing the day is setting intentions in the morning. In a recent interview with Vogue, the singer shared the details on the wellness-inspired self-care routine and dished on how she starts every day by lighting a candle and getting her thoughts all the way together.
She explained:
"I usually get up pretty early. My husband's usually a little bit mad because I'm out of bed so early. He's like, where are you going? I might do a meditation. I might do an early workout. I might just sit in some silence."
"Once all of that's done, I come into my bathroom and I love candles. I'm a candle fanatic. I light my candle and I believe in setting an intention, there's something about lighting something––something burning that's very sacred. And I will think about what it is that I would like for myself for the day."
Alicia explained that women, especially during this time, should delegate more time to pour into themselves, even if that just means taking a few moments in the bathroom to breathe.
"Take that time for yourself and if you feel overwhelmed...escape to your bathroom and just take some breaths in, exhale—do that about 10 times."
For the 8 wellness-inspired self-care must-haves that Alicia can't live without, scroll below!
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Osmosis +MD Deep Clean Detox Cleanser
Amazon
"I've always cared about skincare but…I didn't always have good skin. Everybody's different. You have to keep trying to find what's good for you. Sometimes it takes a minute. My favorite thing to use right now is Osmosis +MD Deep Clean Detox Cleanser. My skin kind of requires a little bit more strength when cleansing."
Sacred Rose Water Spray Body Mist & Aromatherapy
Sacred Rose Water
"Basically, just spray your whole body, like around a thousand times, as much as you need it. And you take it in, breathe it in, you smell it in. What I love about Rose is that it's literally a heart opener, which is why, you know, one would give another person that they love roses. It really does open your heart and don't we all need that? We just need to open your heart, open yourself, just be ready to receive all the good intentions."
X-Treme Cream Propolis Sunscreen SPF 45+
Walmart
"It really smells quite good. And it's also a sunscreen. Well, for me, like I said, my skin is very, very sensitive. So I go very light, very light because cream sometimes can be a little bit heavy. We like to make sure our face has sunscreen on it. It's so good for you."
Gotukola Natural Spring Pure Keratin Hair Mask ($37)
Amazon
"I definitely noticed the haircare treatment is definitely super important. First of all, to give it a break and also just to really put some good nutrients in there. So yes, my hair has taken its share of beatings and right now, it could use a trim, a cut. It could use a lot of stuff right now, but you know what, here we are and we're going to do what we can do in our own little bathroom. And that's also good. So I'm going to go ahead and leave this in all day because it's cool. And then at night, I'll wash it out or in a couple of hours."
Watch Alicia Keys' Guide to Wellness-Inspired Beauty | Beauty Secrets below:
Featured image via Vogue/Beauty Secrets
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In fact, aromatherapy is quite powerful when it comes to promoting calm and relaxation, helping to put you into an optimistic mood, reducing stress, preventing insomnia, and improving how soundly you are able to sleep throughout the night. And so, since I’m such an essential oils fan (and I truly am!), let’s get into 10 that will help you to rest well — thanks to the way that they smell along with a few other benefits that they are able to offer you too.
Essential Oils for Better Sleep
Getty Images
1. Lavender
When it comes to essential oils that are best for you in the “rest and relaxation department,” lavender may be the most popular one. That’s because it is well known for doing everything from reducing pain and inflammation and making menstrual cramps less intense to lowering anxiety and increasing your melatonin levels. On a super scientific note, something else that’s cool about lavender oil is it works with your body’s neurotransmitters in order to reduce restlessness if you happen to be someone who doesn’t sleep soundly due to tossing and turning all throughout the night.
2. Cedarwood
Although I’ve always liked the earthy scent of cedarwood, something that caused it to earn my respect was reading about how it’s an all-natural way to improve the attention span of children who’ve been diagnosed with autism and ADHD. Beyond that, as far as calming oneself goes, cedarwood oil is able to soothe arthritic discomfort, reduce coughing (if a cold is what’s keeping you up), decrease the itchiness and irritation that comes with eczema, lower your stress levels, and, yes, improve your quality of sleep if you’re someone who happens to rest yet not really…rest well.
Unsplash
3. Patchouli
Another oil that has a solid reputation for decreasing bodily inflammation is patchouli. Some other things that make it stellar are the facts that it helps to ward off depression-related symptoms (if that is what keeps you up at night), puts you in a better mood, boosts your immunity (so that being under the weather doesn’t prevent you from catching some zzz’s) and it even intensifies your libido — ‘cause chile, ain’t nothin’ like the sleep that you get after having an orgasm…or two. Oh, and it absolutely must go on record that patchouli oil also acts as a sedative if you’ve been dealing with insomnia as of late as well.
4. Marjoram
Women who are looking for an all-natural way to regulate their hormones (check out “5 Signs Your Estrogen Is Too High. 5 Signs It's Too Low.”) might want to speak with their doctor (or homeopath) about trying marjoram oil. Some research says that it can help to balance hormones which can make PMS and the latter stages of perimenopause more tolerable (which can make falling and staying asleep easier to do too). Marjoram is also helpful when it comes to reducing pain, easing digestion, and alleviating anxiety.
Plus, since marjoram is an oil that is high in magnesium and magnesium is a nutrient that can help you to get to sleep, stay asleep, and then wake up feeling refreshed — so long as you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding (you should consult your doctor first if you are because it can sometimes produce side effects in your case), you definitely should give marjoram a shot.
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5. Ylang Ylang
Typically, when I think of the essential oil ylang ylang, what comes to my mind is how it can make for a very eventful evening…if you catch my drift (check out “Ultimate Climax Hack? 10 Scents That Make It So Much Easier To Orgasm”); however, it can actually help you out in more areas of your life than just your bedroom. Ylang ylang is another oil that helps to reduce pain and anxiety. Something else to keep in mind about ylang ylang is if you’re having a hard time falling asleep due to something like a headache or even respiratory issues, putting a couple of drops into a diffuser could bring some relief. That’s because ylang ylang is also classified as being a sedative — one that can even help to lower the blood pressure in your bae (healthy men) if need be.
6. Fennel
As a doula, something that I’m well aware of is the fact that fennel seeds can help (some) mothers to produce more breast milk. It doesn’t stop there, though. If sleep is evading you due to gas or constipation, fennel oil can help you out there. Some scientific research also says that it’s the kind of oil that can help you feel less anxious if you’re trying to rest after a long hard day. And, since fennel is known for making sleeping better when it’s in tea form, I don’t see why it wouldn’t do the same thing as an essential oil too.
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7. Valerian Root
If you’re looking for the kind of essential oil that will help you to relax, on pretty much every level, look no further than valerian root. The properties in it are going to help to calm your nervous system, soothe headache tension, lower your stress levels, decrease menstrual cramp discomfort, bring relief to hot flashes (that come with perimenopause) and yes, it’s an all-natural approach to insomnia as well. Although many choose to use it in supplement form, applying valerian root oil to pressure points like your feet can also provide a very relaxing and impactful effect.
8. Jasmine
If you check out my article, “8 Natural Aphrodisiac Scents, Where They Go & How To Make Them Last” from back in the day, you’ll see that jasmine is another essential oil that is considered to be a pretty potential one if you’re looking to boost you (or your partner’s libido). I get why too because its floral-meets-fruity scent can be quite sensual. Beyond the bedroom, jasmine can help you to feel less stressed and anxious, experience less menstrual-related discomfort, and make you feel less depressed — and yes, it contains properties that qualify the oil to be a sedative. This is especially the case if you blend it with another soothing essential oil like lavender.
9. Clary Sage
If pretty much nothing but perimenopause symptoms are what’s keeping you awake at night, you might want to keep a bottle of clary sage oil on your nightstand because it can help to decrease night sweats by naturally “leveling out” the estrogen that may be on a bit of a roller coaster ride in your system right through here. Other things that this oil can do is reduce stress and help to relax your system. Not to mention the fact that if menstrual cramps are what’s keeping you up, some women say that rubbing some of the oil (add a carrier oil like sweet almond or avocado to the oil to dilute it a bit, please) to your abdominal region can provide quite a bit of relief.
10. Vetiver
Final one. In my opinion, it’s kind of surprising that vetiver essential oil isn’t mentioned more in the holistic care space. For starters, it has been celebrated for providing support for children with ADHD as well as decreasing nervousness and anxiety in adults. Some other ways that this oil can benefit you is it’s the kind of aphrodisiac that raises testosterone levels while lowering cortisol ones (cortisol is a stress hormone that’s in your body) which can intensify orgasms and promote great rest — and yes, it’s also mentioned quite often in the sleep-inducing space.
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You know, I once read that since 2010, the amount of people who rely on sleeping pills to get to sleep has pretty much doubled. Since the side effects of the long-term use of over-the-counter sedatives include things like headaches, muscle weakness, digestion issues, and even louder snoring and sleeplessness, consider trying one of these essential oils before popping a pill. As you can see, not only can certain oils help to lull you to sleep — but they can help in so many other areas too. Happy resting, chile.
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Featured image by Mavocado/Getty Images