![Herbal dream pillows have been used for hundreds of years as an aromatic remedy for a good night's sleep.]()
Herbal dream pillows have been used for hundreds of years as an aromatic remedy for a good night’s sleep. Simple and fun to make with your children, these tiny satchels may even offer them sweet dreams ahead!
Herbal dream pillows have been used for hundreds of years as an aromatic remedy for a good night’s sleep. Simple and fun to make with your children, these tiny satchels may even offer them sweet dreams ahead!A few months ago my son began having occasional nightmares. He would whimper and cry out in his sleep, even through my attempts to console him. In the morning he would recall having had an unpleasant dream, although he was not able to tell me much about it.
I mentioned to him that I read about placing herbs under one’s pillow for a night of sweet dreams, and as soon as I did, his eyes became wide and he shouted: “That’s what we have to do!” Later that day we gathered our herbs and he has been snoozing with them in his Spider-Man pillowcase ever since.
Related: DIY: 8 Beautiful Gifts Kids Can Make
I can attest to the fact that he has had fewer scary dreams (no further dreams that have made him cry out) and he even remembers dreams more vividly. He also finds a sense of comfort with the pillow when he goes to sleep for the night or when we travel with it. Herbs are without a doubt healing and perhaps they have done just the trick!
How Do Herbal Pillows Work?
Once called comfort pillows, tiny pillows filled with calming herbs, were used to soothe crying babies. The theory is based in aromatherapy — scent may trigger memories and promote relaxation, among other benefits. Herbal blends may be created to encourage different effects or visions in dreamland.
Herbs and flowers that promote calming and peaceful dreams may include catnip, chamomile, hops, lavender, lemon balm, lilac, mimosa flowers, and rose petals.
Yarrow is believed to bring visions of your future spouse, while calendula is believed to make your dreams come true! Enhanced color and vividness in dreams may occur with lemongrass, mimosa flowers, or mint. Rosemary and cedar are particularly notable for preventing bad dreams and thyme may give you dreams with fairies! Mugwort is believed to help you remember your dreams and assist with intuition.
How to Make Your Herbal Dream Pillow:
Easy peasy!
Simply decide which herbs you would like to use and harvest a teeny bit from each of them. We have used combinations of lavender, lemon balm, mint, rosemary and rose petals with my son.
Related: 6 Fun ways to Teach Children about Plants and Herbs
You may wish to consider a few things when selecting herbs. For children with allergies and sensitivities to smell use caution. Some of the herbs have a very strong smell (yarrow for example) and others, such as chamomile, may trigger allergic reactions similar to those of ragweed. I would also be cautious about using the pillows with the really wee ones.
Once you have your herbs, simply place them in a small satchel and close. If you are really crafty, you can sew your own pillow with cloth. We placed our son’s satchel in his pillowcase and rotate the herbs every few weeks.
Sweet Dreams!
The post DIY for Kids: How to Make an Herbal Dream Pillow appeared first on Mothering.