1) Add dried Valerian root to a warm bath to ease tight muscles.

2) Add one drop of rosemary essential oil to 1 tsp. of sweet-almond oil, and use it to give yourself a gentle neck- and shoulder-rub. Pregnant women and those suffering from epilepsy or asthma should avoid, as rosemary oil is highly stimulating.

3) The oil of St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum) is great for massaging away muscle and nerve pain. The most effective oil is made from fresh (not dried) flowering tops of the plant, so it isn’t easily homemade. Luckily, commercially made versions are widely available.