3 Ways Castor Oil Packs Can Help You Sleep Better

3 Ways Castor Oil Packs Can Help You Sleep Better

3 Ways to Improve your Sleep with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

3 Ways Castor Oil Packs Can Help You Sleep Better

Written by: Annika Carroll Sleep Expert, CEO of Sleep Like a Boss
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer. B.A.

Est. reading time: 12 minutes.

Are you struggling to find support for sleeping problems?

Does it take you forever to shut your eyes?

Do you wake up between 1 and 4 am with a racing mind and it takes you forever to fall back asleep? Keep reading because we’re going to explore the 3 ways Castor Oil Packs can support you and your sleep.

So, you’re exhausted and can’t keep up with your kids because you have nothing left at the end of the day, right?

Has your performance at work and your relationships started to suffer?

You’ve Googled “sleeping problems” and “sleeping solutions” and tried everything you could find to help you sleep.

All you want is to:

  • Fall asleep faster
  • Get a good night’s rest
  • Start your day full of energy
  • And have your kids get tired before you do 

My name is Annika Carroll, I’m the CEO of Sleep Like a Boss and a certified sleep & health coach helping women get their sleep and energy back.

I also have ample personal experience with burnout and sleep anxiety.

May I share my story?

I was a very successful Senior HR Manager in the corporate world for 15 years.

Sleep was my superpower. My colleagues and friends called me the energizer bunny.

When my son was born extremely prematurely, I experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

But I didn’t know that at the time.

I ignored all my symptoms, pretended to be strong, went back to work after a year, and gave it all I had.

I never really asked for help – because that was not anything I would do.

I all of a sudden got sick a lot with everlasting ear infections, bloating every night, and couldn’t eat anything anymore without digestive issues.

I kept going.

Until one morning when I just couldn’t anymore.

My husband had to take me to the doctor – burnout!

And with that, my sleep problems started.

I would go to bed at night, fall asleep and then lie awake between 1 and 4 am EVERY single night for months.

I started being afraid of going to bed. I was afraid of having to deal with another bad night and another dreadful day.

It took me 2 years, multiple doctors, 2 naturopaths and a functional practitioner.

And I can proudly say that today, I have my sleep & energy back!

That is how I came to help women struggling with sleep problems.

Because it doesn’t have to take that long.

Chronic sleep deprivation is a major problem in today’s world

Queen of the Thrones recommend to sleep well to properly recharge

And it is not talked about enough.

Working to exhaustion is still ingrained in a lot of us, agreed?

Throughout my journey and studies, the one thing I have learnt about sleep is…

The ability of the body to get a good night’s sleep depends on two things:

A rested mind and a healthy body.

 

And that is where I have found Castor Oil Packs to be a great addition to my personal and my clients’ toolbox.

So, let’s explore 3 ways Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs for Liver and Castor Oil Eye Compresses can be used to…

Because all these are foundational for a good night’s sleep. Makes sense, right?

1. Can Castor Oil Packs Calm Down your Nervous System?

Are you stressed to the max?

Falling asleep in a stressed state is impossible.

You see, our bodies need to feel safe to calm down and fall asleep.

If we are stressed, our body releases cortisol – a stress hormone also known as the “awake hormone”.

We need good amounts of cortisol to get going in the morning and have energy throughout the day.

However, cortisol signals the brain to suppress melatonin – the hormone that makes us feel sleepy.

So if our cortisol levels are too high at night, we might have sleeping problems like falling asleep.

And how can Castor Oil Packs help with this?

Well, the connection of the organic cotton sherpa to the skin of a Castor Oil Pack for Liver has a calming effect on your nervous system which promotes the production of your “feel good” hormones:

Dopamine and oxytocin.

Improve your health and support of Feel Good Neurotransmitters with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs
It’s like when someone gives you a hug or a cuddle.1-2 Sounds wonderful, agreed?

The release of oxytocin creates a feeling of trust and safety in the body and reduces stress.³

This lowers cortisol and allows melatonin to be released and that helps us fall asleep.

How about a Castor Oil Pack for your eyes?

I’m talking about a Castor Oil Eye Compress.

Research shows that wearing a Castor Oil Eye Compress naturally reduces anxiety14 and increases melatonin15-16-17 so you can fall asleep and stay asleep. Amazing, right?

2. Castor Oil Packs Reduce inflammation in your body

Inflammation is your body’s response to an invader such as bacteria or viruses, infections or injuries.

Think of a paper cut on your finger.

That’s an acute inflammation your body is trying to heal.

Symptoms like leaky gut, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, joint pain & fatigue can be symptoms of a so-called chronic inflammation.

But how does your body fight this inflammation? With cortisol!

Cortisol is not only a stress hormone, it’s also an anti-inflammatory.

So, whether you have a paper cut or leaky gut, your body uses cortisol to fight inflammation to help you heal.

In an acute case (the paper cut) this is great.

But, chronic low-grade inflammation can become one of the saboteurs of good sleep.

In this case, the body releases cortisol to fight inflammation during the day and night.

This suppresses the release of melatonin leading to sleep problems.

Fluctuations of the Rest and Alert Hormone by Queen of the Thrones

How do Castor Oil Packs help regulate inflammation?

Research shows that Castor Oil works as an anti-inflammatory when applied to the skin, because of the ricinoleic acid component4.

This way it can help lower inflammation5-6, which leads to less cortisol being released at the wrong times.

So, by applying Castor Oil Packs before you sleep you’re regulating inflammation by…

  1. Promoting lymphatic drainage12-13 with your Liver Pack & Eye Compress.
  2. Reducing stress7-8-9-10 that creates inflammation in your body.
  3. Supporting gentle liver detox11 with your Castor Oil Pack for Liver.

Sounds good, agreed?

3. How does my liver impact my sleep?

Another sleep saboteur can be an overburdened liver.

The liver’s job is to rid our body of toxins.

What kind of toxins?

  • Alcohol
  • Pesticides
  • Medication
  • Synthetic and used-up natural hormones
  • BPAs from plastics
  • Chemicals in body lotions and cleaning products
  • Food additives, and and and…

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our liver is most active between 1 and 3 am.

Are you waking up at this time on a regular basis?

Well, your liver might be in need of some love.

If the toxic load the liver needs to clear gets too high, the liver can become overtaxed.

Contributors can be excess hormones, especially estrogen and cortisol, and/or toxins released from a pathogen in your gut or food sensitivities.

When the liver needs support, it triggers your body to release cortisol.

And elevated cortisol levels at night cause – again – sleeping problems.

Castor Oil Packs can help your liver!

A Castor Oil Pack for Liver worn overnight can work wonders for sleep solutions.

This technique has been around since the late 19th century and is widely used in the naturopathic community.

First the action of ricinoleic acid penetrating the skin to support the liver in its efforts to get rid of toxins while you sleep!

Then, the combination of both the Liver Pack and Eye Compress naturally enhances nightly melatonin production for a deeper sleep.

And the application of the Castor Oil Packs weighted with Castor Oil help with anxiety relief and promotes calm.

So you can sleep better! Sounds good, right?

“But Annika, I am so tired, I don’t really want to try anything new and messy.”

I hear you. And I had similar concerns.

I discovered Castor Oil about two years ago.

I was intrigued and willing to try almost anything to get better sleep.

But when someone on social media ruined their couch by staining it with Castor Oil, I kind of lost my excitement.

This oil is so rich and sticky, that it can be really messy.

But I had read about it and after my osteopath recommended it for my c-section scar I started researching it.

It just seemed so much work to buy organic flannel, sit there with a towel wrapped over it – and get everything all messy.

And then I came across Queen of Thrones® Castor Oil Packs for Liver.

The easiest, fastest and cleanest way to do Castor Oil Packs.

Yes, they can still stain a little, so I wouldn’t sleep in my favorite nighties when I wear the pack.

I use my liver packs most nights and a lot of my clients use them too with great success.

Most of us have livers that can use a little bit of love.

And just that is sometimes enough to get better sleep.

So if you’re looking for a sleep solution tool that can help calm nervousness or anxiety and support your sleep, try a…

  1. Queen of Thrones® Castor Oil Pack on your liver.
  2. Plus a Queen of Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress on your eyes.

Here’s to a good night’s rest and to your kids getting tired before you do.

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Annika Carroll Bio

Annika Carroll is the CEO of Sleep Like a Boss, an international network of Sleep Coaches who help insomniacs who want to sleep but can’t.

Annika is a former HR Manager and a special needs mom, who has recovered from burnout and anxiety twice in the last 5 years. She was a Type A stress addict, who rode on adrenaline and cortisol for years ignoring her body’s signals like a pro. Today she helps ambitious women as a Sleep and Health Coach to get their energy & sleep back and avoid burnout.

Social links:

www.instagram.com/_annikacarroll/

Website:

www.sleeplikeaboss.com

Annika Carroll Queen of the Thrones affiliate
Click here for references

1 & 7. Walker SC, Trotter PD, Swaney WT, Marshall A, Mcglone FP. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847.

2. Inga D. Neumann, Oxytocin: The Neuropeptide of Love Reveals Some of Its Secrets, Cell Metabolism, Volume 5, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 231-233, ISSN 1550-4131, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2007.03.008.

3. Carter CS, Kenkel WM, MacLean EL, Wilson SR, Perkeybile AM, Yee JR, Ferris CF, Nazarloo HP, Porges SW, Davis JM, Connelly JJ, Kingsbury MA. Is Oxytocin “Nature’s Medicine”? Pharmacol Rev. 2020 Oct;72(4):829-861. doi: 10.1124/pr.120.019398. PMID: 32912963; PMCID: PMC7495339.

4 & 6. Vieira C, Evangelista S, Cirillo R, Lippi A, Maggi CA, Manzini S. Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8. doi: 10.1080/09629350020025737. PMID: 11200362; PMCID: PMC1781768.

5. Boddu SH, Alsaab H, Umar S, Bonam SP, Gupta H, Ahmed S. Anti-inflammatory effects of a novel ricinoleic acid poloxamer gel system for transdermal delivery. Int J Pharm. 2015 Feb 1;479(1):207-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2014.12.051. Epub 2014 Dec 24. PMID: 25542985.

8. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120

9. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571

10. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

11. Holm T, Brøgger-Jensen MR, Johnson L, Kessel L.Glutathione preservation during storage of rat lenses in opti-sol-GS and castor oil. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 19;8(11):e79620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079620. eCollection 2013. PMID: 24260265.

12. Holmes GM, Browning KN, Babic T, Fortna SR, Coleman FH, Travagli RA. Vagal afferent fibres determine the oxytocin-induced modulation of gastric tone. J Physiol. 2013 Jun 15;591(12):3081-100. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.253732. Epub 2013 Apr 15. PMID: 23587885; PMCID: PMC3832121.

13. Moore JE Jr, Bertram CD. Lymphatic System Flows. Annu Rev Fluid Mech. 2018 Jan;50:459-482. doi: 10.1146/annurev-fluid-122316-045259. PMID: 29713107; PMCID: PMC5922450.

14. Ricardo JW, Lipner SR. Utilizing a Sleep Mask to Reduce Patient Anxiety During Nail Surgery. Cutis. 2021 Jul;108(1):36.doi: 10.12788/cutis.0285. PMID: 34397356.

15. Miller MA, Renn BN, Chu F, Torrence N. Sleepless in the hospital: A systematic review of non-pharmacological sleep interventions. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2019 Jul-Aug;59:58-66. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2019.05.006. Epub 2019 May 24. PMID: 31170567; PMCID: PMC6620136.

16. Rong-fang Hu, Xiao-ying Jiang, Yi-ming Zeng, Xiao-yang Chen, You-hua Zhang. Effects of earplugs and eye masks on nocturnal sleep, melatonin and cortisol in a simulated intensive care unit environment. Published online 2010 Apr 18. PMID: 20398302.

17. Khoddam H, Maddah SA, Rezvani Khorshidi S, Zaman Kamkar M, Modanloo M. The effects of earplugs and eye masks on sleep quality of patients admitted to coronary care units: A randomised clinical trial. J Sleep Res. 2022 Apr;31(2):e13473.doi: 10.1111/jsr.13473. Epub 2021 Sep 12. PMID: 34514653.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

How to Use a Castor Oil Eye Compress for Seasonal Allergies

How to Use a Castor Oil Eye Compress for Seasonal Allergies

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

How to Use a Castor Oil Eye Compress for Seasonal Allergies

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Marisol Teijerio ND (inactive) & Melanie Swackhammer, BA

Est. reading time: 9 minutes.

You may have heard of using Castor Oil Packs for Liver as a natural way to support colon cleansing, liver detox and lymphatic drainage, right?

But, have you considered a Castor Oil Eye Compress as a way to relieve itchy eyes from seasonal allergies? You’re in the right place.

You see, a Castor Oil Eye Compress helps relieve itchy eyes from seasonal allergies due, in part, to the Castor Oil’s natural antihistamine properties1 natural anti-inflammatory effects2.

The other part? It’s the gentle compression.

Because the Eye Compress functions much like a weighted, warm blanket helping with promoting oxytocin3-4 and dopamine5-6 , bringing calm and relaxation.

Sounds wonderful, agreed?

Plus, this simple act of wearing a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress stimulates reflex zones on your face around the eyes which directly influences certain detox organs, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

So, as soon as you start wearing the Eye Compress you will begin to feel relief from irritated, red, itchy or swollen eyes thanks to seasonal allergies.

Now, you might be wondering…

But how do I know it’s seasonal allergies?

You’re not the only one suffering!

Seasonal allergies are actually quite common. You probably will see others around with similar symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis. Sound familiar?

With symptoms most commonly experienced in spring and fall, then calming down in the summer.

You see, allergic conjunctivitis, from seasonal allergies, affects the gentle mucous membranes of the eyes and can present with these common and aggravating symptoms:

  • Itchy
  • Red
  • Watery
  • Inflamed
  • Sore
  • Tired eyes!

It can feel like you’re walking around with a blindfold on with a dark cloud following your every move, agreed?

These symptoms are triggered by the immune system that releases histamine-containing mast cells which help your body in expelling those invading allergens.

So, much unlike a stye in your eye or pink eye, allergic conjunctivitis usually affects both eyes and looks and feels much like you’ve been chopping up potent onions all day! Can you relate?

In seasonal allergies, this life-disrupting and usually extremely uncomfortable set of symptoms of the eyes persists all day and night.

This means you can’t focus during the day and of course, you then can’t sleep at night.

How a Castor Oil Eye Compress helps improve seasonal allergies

By applying a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver with a Castor Oil Eye Compress you are supporting and regulating inflammation of the liver7, while addressing those acute and painful eye symptoms!

You see, the eyes are the window into the liver.

And in Chinese medicine, the liver opens up into the eyes.

So, when there is heat or inflammation in the liver due to the effects of seasonal allergies the eyes will become sore, red and inflamed as a result.

Making not only your eyes that you are feeling in seasonal allergies, but inflammation of the liver too!

Although, it makes sense that our most pressing and disrupting symptoms is where we first look for natural solutions, agreed

And in seasonal allergies, it’s the solution for immediate eye relief that we so desperately seek!

But, allergy symptoms are simply just “love letters” from your body!

Warning us of inflammation and an excess of histamine being produced in response to an extreme amount of allergens that are too much for your body, specifically your liver and immune system to handle.

How Castor Oil Packs help to promote restful sleep

Additional to wearing a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver so you can support:

  • Regulating inflammation
  • Liver detoxification
  • Lymphatic drainage
  • Colon cleanse

Your itchy eyes will get relief from seasonal allergies while also wearing the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress which supports:

  • Lymphatic drainage8
  • Natural anti-inflammatory effects9
  • Natural antihistamine properties10

by:

A. Improving sleep – without the need for taking over-the-counter allergy pills that end up with you waking feeling groggy and tired

B. Shifting the body into a relaxed, parasympathetic11-12 state of rest & digest

So that you wake up with relief from seasonal allergy symptoms, and feeling better!

Would you love to know more? Click here for your free eGuide so you can know all there is to know about Castor Oil Compresses

The best part? You’ll get the full image below and much more. Amazing, right?

You’ll also know how to use your Castor Oil Eye Compress as your new sleep-aid to help improve your sleep and wake up feeling rested and ready for your day!

But wait, there’s more!

Are you someone who also struggles with constant eye styes? Or maybe your patients do, right?

Are you curious to know what causes a stye, and are wondering if a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Eye Compress can be used to help shorten the lifespan of your stye?

Good news, my next blog on ‘Castor Oil For Styes in the Eyes’ has even more answers to your questions!

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in…

  • Recommending our easy-to-use tools to the people you serve.
  • Practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice in clinic or online.
  • Or becoming a Wholesale Partner

Contact us at: royalty@queenofthethrones.com

Click here for references

1, 10. Zamani H, de Joode MEJR, Hossein IJ, Henckens NFT, Guggeis MA, Berends JE, de Kok TMCM, van Breda SGJ. The benefits and risks of beetroot juice consumption: a systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2021;61(5):788-804. doi:10.1080/10408398.2020.1746629. Epub 2020 Apr 15. PMID: 32292042.

2, 7 Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8 PMID: 11200362 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11200362

3. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28162847.

4, 11. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120.

5, 12 Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571.

6. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

8. Li Y, Zhang J, Wan J, Liu A, Sun J. Melatonin regulates Aβ production/clearance balance and Aβ neurotoxicity: A potential therapeutic molecule for Alzheimer’s disease. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Dec;132:110887. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110887. Epub 2020 Nov 2. PMID: 33254429.

9. Jaén RI, Sánchez-García S, Fernández-Velasco M, Boscá L, Prieto P. Resolution-Based Therapies: The Potential of Lipoxins to Treat Human Diseases. Front Immunol. 2021 Apr 23;12:658840. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.658840. PMID: 33968061; PMCID: PMC8102821.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.