The pace of modern life can be relentless, leading to countless reasons to feel tightly wound at the end of the day. Unfortunately, this means you often have to be more intentional than ever about unwinding and clearing your head before bed. Since downtime is no longer just a natural part of your day, essential oils like Clary Sage have been stepping up to the challenge of supporting you to achieve optimal wellness and calm despite it all.

Wait, What is Clary Sage?

Clary Sage, also known as Salvia sclarea, is a plant native to the northern Mediterranean Basin. Many parts of the plant can be used but the flowering tops contain terpenes associated with calming effects including linalool (also a major component of lavender essential oil) and linalyl acetate (helpful for externally soothing the body).

Clary Sage is used in both herb and essential oil form and even the seeds have nutritional value—but here are our three favorite ways to incorporate it seamlessly into your day to night transition:

1. A Warm Welcome Home

When you walk in the door, transitioning from the hectic day-that-was into a slower pace doesn’t happen with the flick of a switch. Clary Sage can help kickstart your winddown process, boost your mood, and is the perfect choice for when you need to put yourself at ease.

2. A Peaceful Nighttime Ritual

When used after a steamy shower or just before you dim the lights, Clary Sage relieves feelings of tension due to its linalool content, which is deeply relaxing and helps to turn down the volume of your body, mind, and your day, while soothing those frazzled edges.

3. Before Lights Out

It’s the perfect companion for those nights when you need to quiet your mind and supports a relaxed transition to sleep. Clary Sage has a lulling, earthy aroma that feels very grounding and helps to point your body and mind in the direction of a peaceful night. Pure bliss!

With so many things to juggle on a daily basis, it can be challenging to create space to enjoy some quiet-time and unwind that overworked body and mind. Essential oils like Clary Sage are a great way to start your journey to more relaxation, more often.

So whether you place a couple of drops in a diffuser, massage it in with a blend of other powerhouse ingredients, or inhale it’s aroma in-between work meetings, make your wellbeing and peace of mind a priority and tip the wellness balance back in your favor with a little helping hand from some of Mother Nature’s best.