The night after a big test or competition ought to include a good, deep, restful sleep, but in my household, it rarely does. We celebrate, of course, and go over all the details of the victory or defeat many times, reliving it in our minds and speech for hours afterward. By the time I finally fall into bed, I’m both charged from the day and utterly exhausted by it. In truth, post event slumber is as almost as restless as pre-event sleep.
I learned a long time ago how to quiet my mind with deep breathing and visualization. When I was much younger, that was enough. I’d focus on breathing into my belly, so my lower abdomen and stomach would gently rise and fall with each breath. That alone often relaxed my body and mind. Sometimes I’d visualize myself resting and relaxed in the glow of victory knowing I’d done my best.
With lavender’s help, my body usually relaxes pretty quickly, but my mind doesn’t always follow suit so easily. Stress, especially associated with competition and testing, gets my mind stirred up. Sometimes, my thoughts seem to be racing with the Olympic track team just when they ought to be winding down into the lovely quiet of deepest night. Skullcap and spearmint are my best friends on nights like that. Heck, I’ve turned to them by day as well to help tame my thoughts, too. Both are from the mint family, and both grow like weeds once they’re established, which may be exactly why I keep coming back to them. They help ease my adrenal system into a slower pace and reduce my  racing thoughts to something with which I can effectively deal.
