“I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. ” **sponsored**

Ahhh, sleep…how I’ve missed you…

Everyone knows that it is important to get a good night’s sleep. Experts suggest that a consistent, uninterrupted 8 hours is best. But is that the reality for most of us? Probably not. Electronic devices, anxiety, worry, and the tiny people we love so much often snatch those 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep before you can even blink.

I will be the first to admit that more often than not, a good night’s sleep has eluded me for many years, even before I struggled with the pain from PsA, I would lie awake at night and worry and obsess over any number of things. Once I did fall asleep, I would quickly be awakened by a tiny person for middle-of-the-night feedings or bad dreams. I’ve become so accustomed to a lack of sleep, that I hardly noticed its effects anymore.

When I was first approached to do a review of Qi of Calm, I figured, why not, I could certainly use more sleep! I’ll give it a try. But, I was skeptical. I’ve never really bought into the idea of essential oils and herbs doing anything more than smelling nice. After trying it for several months now, I have to admit to being very wrong.

How do you use Qi of Calm to help get to sleep?

The first time I tried Qi of Calm, I followed the directions as indicated. Without going too much into the science of it, I will say the directions tell you to initially rub a small amount of the lotion over your spleen which is located just under your bottom left rib. Then you can also rub it on the bottoms of your feet, and the lymph nodes located on your neck.

What is in Qi of Calm that will help me relax and sleep?

From the Resonant Botanicals website:

“Qi of Calm™ is a carefully crafted, eclectic assortment of herbs from all over the world blended to harmoniously soothe anxiety, stress and aid with insomnia. Western herbs, such as chamomile, lavender, skullcap, green tea and passionflower are joined by Ayurvedic herbs such as ashwaganda, which is considered a tonic for protection against stress and Brahmi, which is believed to support sattva, or the pure essence of consciousness. Brahmi helps to promote a balanced emotional state and aid with a restful sleep.”

Not being one to know a great deal about essential oils or herbs, many of these names elude me. I don’t know my skullcap from my passion flower, but what I do know is that it works. That says a lot coming from me, given my skeptical nature. On the website, there is a very interesting back story describing how and why the product came to be. You can read more about that story here.

It is hard to describe the feeling of calm that comes over me about 5-10 minutes after applying Qi of Calm. I’ve even used it on my little ones if they are having trouble getting to sleep, it works like a charm. They have even started calling it their “sleepy lotion.” It has a nice scent, and the lotion isn’t greasy at all.

Qi of Calm vs OTC Sleep Aids

I will even go so far as to say that it works better than many of the OTC sleep aids like ZZZquil or Unisom, without the “hangover” that you feel the next day. From a price standpoint, it is a little high, at $20 for the smaller bottle and $55 for the larger. However, I will say that if you are used to using sleep aids for several nights you will actually save money in the long run. You only need to apply a dime sized amount. I use the bottle on myself and my 3 children and it has lasted well over 3 months, being used nearly nightly.

Overall, I would have to say that I am very impressed with Qi of Calm and would give it my full 2 thumbs up, especially if you struggle with anxiety induced sleep issues. Resonant Botanicals also has a product available for pain relief.  Which honestly, I’m kind of anxious to try after the success I’ve had with Qi of Calm.

No matter what you do, when it comes to self care, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best things that you can do for your body. I know, there are just some things we can’t control. Bad dreams will come to little children, colds and coughs will keep us up, life happens. But struggling just to get to sleep shouldn’t be such an obstacle to a good night’s sleep. Take care of yourself.

~Leanne