The world is full of sleep-deprived individuals trying to survive and manage life. Scientists suggest that humans need to get at least eight to ten hours of sleep a night, which by that time request, sleep is viewed as a luxury for most. However, the reality of a sleepless society results in declining personal health and wellness.

Bryn Carden, a student, studying Finance with a Real Estate Concentration at Texas Christian University while pursuing an entrepreneurial career, considers self-health a passion and says that sleep is something that people with busy schedules do not have to sacrifice. Sleep is an essential cornerstone to good health, and being adequately rested possesses more benefits for overall well being than skipping a solid night’s rest.

What Happens to Health When Sacrificing Sleep?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that a third of the human population is sleeping for less than seven hours a night. Besides the common grumpiness and grogginess that comes with lack of sleep, more severe health risks can come with not getting enough shut-eye.

Not getting enough sleep can cause the body to have poor functioning, cognitive and reflex responses. During a clinical trial sleep study, researchers found that individuals getting no more than six hours per night for two weeks had declined in cognitive functions and reflexes just as drastically as people who had received little to no sleep for two consecutive nights.

Lack of quality sleep can also lead to health issues such as weight gain or even a shorter lifespan. When not getting the proper amount of sleep, the body can increase unhealthy cravings or hunger, leading to weight gain and even obesity. When a person reaches their necessary REM (rapid eye movement) cycles, their body can sufficiently serve the peptides and healthily regulate appetite.

The founder of Fatigue Science states that sleep is as essential to the body as food and water. In other words, people should stop sacrificing sleep and aim to productively rest by following these tips to better sleep.

How to Sleep Well

Entrepreneurs, college students, and anyone with a busy schedule are familiar with the importance of time efficiency. Approaching sleep with a time-efficient mindset will set anybody up for better sleep success and health results.

Try sleeping in colder temperatures between sixty and sixty-seven degrees for those who toss and turn in their sleep. Finding warmth under covers and amidst pillows will help settle the body for a good night’s rest.

During the day, avoiding caffeine after noon while fitting in thirty minutes to one hour of sweaty exercise will greatly assist in reaching those REM stages when it is time to sleep. And with the mention of time, scheduling a bedtime that stays the same regardless of the week’s day will establish a regular sleep-wake cycle, leading to fewer all-nighters and more effortless and healthy sleep.

On stressful days, even after establishing a sleep-wake cycle, adding time for a bedtime yoga routine or meditation will relieve tension that negatively affects sleep time.

About Bryn Carden

Bryn Carden is a versatile young entrepreneur with a deep sense of compassion and the desire to help make the world a better place. In 2017, she founded Styles for Smiles – a company selling bracelets to support the Smile Train Organization. The proceeds from selling Bryn’s designs have already helped fund cleft palate repairs for 16 children in developing countries.

Nancy Mello is a psychic, animal intuitive, and clairvoyant based in Connecticut who believes that both science and spiritualism should coexist. Through her work, Nancy has seen the incredible benefits that being able to connect with “the other side” brings to her clients.

The fact that there is no current scientific explanation for Nancy’s abilities leads many to dismiss her as a liar, something which is very hurtful for the mother of 2. Nancy is always worried that her children will be teased/bullied because of what their mother does for a living.

The truth is Nancy knows her abilities are real and has been able to produce amazing results for the people she’s worked with. While this evidence is all anecdotal, Nancy believes it’s a great starting point for more research to be done to understand her abilities.

Nancy’s end goal is to help fund research into her abilities so that people (herself included) can get a better understanding. She has even flagged she would be willing to undergo CAT scans of her brain to figure out what synapses are firing differently for her than other people.

All of this is reflective of Nancy’s sincerity in what she does. She never seeks to scam or rip people off – she seeks to use her abilities in an honest way to give her clients the answers they are looking for.

Whether she is helping a daughter connect with her deceased father, or helping a family find a lost pet, Nancy gives 110% of herself to the task. Nancy admits that it can sometimes be exhausting doing what she does, but she cleverly spaces out her readings so that she never gets overwhelmed.

Hopefully, one-day science will be able to advance enough that we have full-understanding of the abilities of Nancy and others like her.

Defining what a carrier oil is can be quite problematic; however, the name is mainly self-explanatory. Its purpose is to act as a vehicle for an essential extract; in other words, dilute the essential extract. This is because essential extracts are very potent and can cause irritation if applied/absorbed into the skin without any dilution.

If you are new to this industry and don’t have the necessary knowledge or understanding of what constitutes the “perfect” carrier oil, we recommend reading this beginner’s guide. We’ll run through all the basics, including the types, the process, find the best provider and dilution methods.

Will my carrier oil be scented?

Because essential extracts are scented, your chosen carrier oil will likely not be scented (or at most, possess a light scent). This is because you don’t want your chosen solution to affect or undermine your essential extract’s therapeutic properties.

How should I make my selection?

When selecting your carrier oil, there are several critical factors you need to consider. These are as follows:

Absorption

Some liquids absorb more effectively into the skin than others. Coconut is one of the most effective and has been used by tropical communities for centuries as a natural moisturising agent. Other types are far less effective, so we recommend doing your research or getting in touch with a specialist in the industry.

Skin type

You should also choose your carrier oil based on your skin. For example, some substances might cause skin irritation or worsen a condition you have (such as acne or dermatitis). So, if your skin is more prone to outbreaks, acne or is naturally sensitive, you’ll want to find a carrier oil that is gentler on the skin.

Odour

If you don’t want a product with a distinctive odour (since this might ruin your product’s aroma), then make sure you choose an odourless option.

Shelf life

In addition, the shelf life of your carrier oil is something you should consider if you intend to store the product for an extended period. This is important for buying in bulk since they will need to keep quantities of the substance for possibly weeks and months. Make sure you have a cool/cold space large enough for your order!

Mixing your carrier oil with essential extracts

If possible, we strongly recommend that you only purchase your health and beauty products from a provider you trust. Additionally, you should never apply your solution without first performing a patch test. This way, you can ascertain that the solution won’t spark an allergic reaction or any form of irritation.

Performing a patch test

Here are the steps for performing a patch test to verify the safety of your chosen solution:

1. Spread a small amount of carrier oil on your forearm (inside of the wrist works well)
2. Cover the spot with a bandage or cloth, so it properly absorbs into the skin
3. Leave the area for 24 hours and check to see if irritation has occurred or is occurring
4. Rinse the skin if it has become irritated and note which carrier oil has caused the reaction.

Be mindful of allergies

As a reminder, you should be aware of solutions that contain ingredients to which you might be allergic. For example, if you have a nut allergy, you should steer clear of an oil containing tree nuts (such as sweet almond, apricot kernel and argan).

The dilution process

Once you have established that your chosen carrier oil is safe to use, we recommend adhering to the following guidelines. For adults:

• 5% – 15 drops of the essential extract mixed with 6 teaspoons of the carrier oil
• 3% – 20 drops of the essential extract mixed with 6 teaspoons
• 5% – 30 drops of the essential extract mixed with 6 teaspoons
• 10% – 60 drops of the essential extract mixed with 6 teaspoons

For children:

• 5-1% – 3 to 6 drops of essential extract mixed with 6 teaspoons

Storage tips

When it comes to storing your carrier oil, you need to be precise. It would help if you always stored the solution in a cool, dark place (such as a refrigerator). Furthermore, you should also keep them in a dark glass bottle if possible. Generally, the packaging in which they are delivered should be how they are kept and stored in your home.

Finding the best provider

When it comes to health and wellness products, whether it be body butter, carrier oil or floral water, you want to ensure that you are buying from the best. If you are unsure where to start or what you should be looking for, then follow these steps below:

Start with the internet

If you want a premium carrier oil for your beauty supplements cupboard, then the first place to start is the internet. Using the web is the ideal place to start any research journey, as it allows you to collect information from various relevant search results in a convenient, punctual manner. Use a range of keywords like best raw cosmetics provider or distributor to pinpoint what you are specifically looking for. You can widen or narrow your search at your own discretion. Start jotting down the names of providers or wholesalers that operate in your area so that you can begin a comparative analysis.

Sample some products

It would help if you put your comparative analysis into practice; in other words, purchasing the same product from a few providers to ascertain whether there are any demonstrable differences between the options (consider price, quality and value). We suggest that you start small with your first purchase since the last thing you want to do is place a hefty financial investment into a provider that turns out to be underwhelming. When picking a carrier oil, you should purchase a small 30mL bottle from each prospective seller. This way, if you’re happy with the products, you can invest more in the future, with great peace of mind.

Finalise your selection by checking their reviews

Before 100% committing to a chosen provider, we recommend doing a quick assessment of their online reviews. It would help if you mainly concentrated on reviews on neutral sites that a third party monitors, so you are getting genuine reviews. A few negative reviews are standard for all businesses since things can go awry, and some customers just have unrealistic service standards. However, a higher percentage of negative reviews, such as over 20%, indicates a broader problem. Steer clear!

Most common types

To sum up this article, we’ll briefly run through the most popular solutions available in the market.

Sweet almond

With a lovely nutty scent, sweet almond is very popular (even though it is scented). For people with nut allergies, don’t use this product in your health treatments. For those not allergic, we recommend using sweet almond for massages, bathing and soaps.

Rosehip

While the name might suggest that it smells like roses, you’ll be pleased to know that it doesn’t have a strong scent at all. The solution is derived from the seeds of the rosa rubiginosa bush. When the flowers wilt and die, the petals fall away, revealing the rosehip underneath. The liquid is pressed from the rosehip seeds and is high in vitamins A and C.