Essential Oils for Better Sleep
Getting a peaceful night’s sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Many rely on medication as a sleeping aid, however, there are better, natural alternatives to achieve a good night's rest.
Essential oils soothe your anxiety and can help you relax before going to sleep. Not to mention they are affordable, natural, and easy to use.
In this article we have laid out four essential oil options for better sleep that you can begin adding as a part of your sleep regimen today!
Can Essential Oils Help with Sleep?
Fragrances can either have a stressful or calming effect on your body. For instance, have you ever smelled a strong perfume only to end up with a terrible headache? While some scents can negatively affect you, there are others that can be beneficial and provide you with a soothing effect.
Smells prompt your nervous system to relay sensory data to your brain. For instance, when you inhale the aroma of essential oils, your olfactory receptors stimulate a calming effect on your brain, which can act as a sensory therapy for your body to prepare you for sleep.
An important point to note is that essential oils are adaptogens, which means that they affect every person’s brain differently. For example, while one person may find a rose scented essential oil relaxing, for another person, it may be rather stimulating. This might mean some trial and error is needed on your part to find the best oils to help calm your body.
Remember to pick the oil that you find most soothing and try to add it into your sleep routine. Eventually after you add it to your nightly routine, your brain will associate the fragrance with relaxation and will help your mind and body relax and de-stress before sleeping.
Lavender Oil
Scent: sweet, woody, floral
How to Apply: Use a few drops of undiluted lavender oil to your skin (feet, temples) or combine with water to spray onto a pillow or bedspread.
Lavender oils have a variety of therapeutic and curative properties. They are known to be effective in the treatment of several neurological disorders. Lavender oil can also act as a mood stabilizer and a sedative.
According to a study, Lavender and the Nervous System, an aromatherapy study conducted on mice showed that repeated application of lavender demonstrated a more rapid sleep onset with longer duration of sleep.
Lavender's fresh floral and sweet scent will help you fall asleep after a tedious day. It is known to improve sleep quality and alleviate symptoms associated with mild insomnia and restlessness.
Chamomile Oil
Scent: sweet, herbaceous, floral
How to Apply: Apply a few drops to your feet before sleeping or use in a diffuser for aromatherapy.
We have all heard of chamomile tea, but did you know that chamomile oil is commonly used as a sleeping aid? Chamomile oil helps reduce anger, stress, anxiety, and relaxes your nerves. After a stressful day at work or home, using a few drops of chamomile oil in your diffuser or rubbing it on the bottom of your feet can help you calm down, relax, and sleep better.
Chamomile oils are also inhaled as vapors as part of aromatherapy as they stimulate neurotransmitter receptors to help provide sedative effects that help you fall asleep easily.
Bergamot Oil
Scent: citrusy, fruity
How to Apply: Use in the shower before sleeping (inhale fumes or add a few drops in your shampoo) or apply a few drops to your shoulders or neck and massage gently.
While most citrusy essential oils are not used for sleep, bergamot oil can have a calming rather than stimulating effect. Bergamot oil helps slow down your heart rate, reduces feelings of anxiety or depression, and lowers your blood pressure.
Bergamot oil comes from the Citrus Bergamia tree, which is a mixture of lemon and orange tree. The citrusy notes in bergamot oil can freshen up your bedroom space and give you a relaxing and soothing feeling before going to sleep.
Bergamots are high in flavonoids which are great relaxants for tension and stress. An anxious mindset can be a huge impediment to your sleep and using a natural aid, such as bergamot oil, can help ease that mental stress.
My Relief™ Essential Oil Roll-On
If you are experiencing mild to moderate headache or tension before sleep, it is important to address that before you try and go to sleep. Our My Relief™ essential oil roll-on is a natural distinctive blend of peppermint, spearmint, lavender, and chamomile essential oils. With two of the above-mentioned essential oils that offer sleep aid in this roll on, our My Relief is sure to help you feel more relaxed before bed, especially if you are feeling a headache come on.
To use, simply apply the oil to your neck, palms, temples, or behind your ears for added relief.
Incorporating Essential Oils in Your Nightly Routine
Essential oils are one of the most natural, effective ways to help relieve numerous physical and neurological problems. Start incorporating them in your nightly routine to see how beneficial they are to your sleep. The more you use them, the more your body will associate them with sleep.
While these oils may help you get a better night’s sleep, it is important to establish a proper routine before bedtime to ensure effective results. Below are some suggestions to help you establish a healthy nighttime routine, incorporate essential oils, and ultimately replace those restless nights with improved sleep.
- Try to complete any cleaning and chores you wanted to accomplish for the day so you do not have the constant stress of those incomplete tasks hanging over your head
- If you are too tired to finish a task or project, set up a reminder in your phone or calendar so you are not constantly thinking about it while you try to drift off to sleep
- Brush your teeth, moisturize your skin, take a warm bath; pamper yourself.
- Do not use your phone or laptop before going to sleep as screen time before sleeping can easily become of the worst bedtime routines
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Use clean sheets
- Keep your essential oils near your bed so they are easily accessible
- Lastly, apply the oils directly on your skin or spray them on your bedspread or pillow and drift into the dreamland of peace and relaxation!