Essential Oils as Natural Sleep Aids
Do you often have troubles falling asleep or staying asleep?
Do you wake up feeling unrefreshed or even more tired than when you went to bed the night before?
Do you have a lack of energy or problems concentrating?
Are you irritable or aggressive towards others?
Do you find yourself depressed and even anxious?
Are you more easily stressed out?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions you likely have a sleep problem.
Millions of people around the world have sleep problems, ranging from a mild problem that occurs only on occasion to a very serious and chronic problem like insomnia. Many seek the help of over the counter drugs or drugs prescribed to them by their doctor.
However, the larger problem here is that they, the medication, can become highly addictive thus becoming less affective over time and starting a vicious circle of changing the drug every so often or increasing the dose to help you to fall asleep and stay asleep all the while still waking in the morning feeling unrefreshed or very groggy.
For most the lack of and problems with sleep stem from our over active and very crazy lifestyles; being constantly inundated with information and technology always at our fingertips it is hard for most to stop and unplug. Our Smartphones are always within arm’s reach and virtual connections are a must, but it is always so hard to put the phone down or to not look at it when a “dingle” of an app goes off.
There are multiple reasons that can cause the lack of sleep or problems with sleep. The following are a few examples of the most common causes that can lead to sleep problems; there are of course many others.
- Stress
- Worrying too much
- Lifestyle
- Jet-leg
- Shift work
- Illness
- Emotional pain
- Physical pain
- Light
- Noise
- Caffeine
- Nicotine
- Alcohol
- Medication(s)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Overthinking
- Smartphones
Essential Oils can help
Essential oils offer us a great and non-addictive alternative to sleeping pills and other medications.
The following is a list of different essential oils that can be used to help with sleep problems or a lack of sleep. These oils will help you fall asleep, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling refreshed.
(Be sure to consult your doctor prior to making any major medication or alternative health choice decisions).
- Bergamot: helps to decrease depression, anxiety, insomnia and compulsive disorders thus calming a person down. Commonly found in Earl Grey tea, candies and colognes.
- Chamomile: helps to calm the body as a whole of specific aliments.
- Clary Sage: helps to calm the body and soul. Relaxes a person and helps to relieve tension especially muscle tension.
- Frankincense: relaxes the body and mind. Helps to increase ones awareness, spirituality, mental focus and meditation.
- Geranium: helps to normalize hormones and in decreasing depression and anxiety thus calming the body to help it relax. Has been known to be used as a sedative, but for some can be a stimulant.
- Jasmine: is a nervous-system sedative meaning it helps to calm the body and mind helping to decrease headaches, insomnia and depression.
- Lavender: is a nervous-system sedative helping to calm the body and mind helping to promote sleep and to calm the “nerves”. It also helps to boost ones mood.
- Lemon: helps to increase mineral absorption. Helps with mood and increases ones general well-being over time.
- Marjoram: is a sedative that can be used for sleep as well as for pain such as muscle pain, headaches or cramps. Helps increase emotional stability and decrease the feeling of loneliness and rejection.
- Melissa: similar to that of lemon as it is from the leaves of the lemon balm herb. Helps to decrease depression, anxiety, nervousness, distress, shock and insomnia due to its sedative properties.
- Myrrh: used since ancient times to help inspire meditation and prayer. Helps to ground one and become more in-tune with themselves; mind and body.
- Neroli: helps with depression. Reducing depression, fear and anxiety turning it into positive energy to help reduce fatigue and insomnia.
- Patchouli: helps to decrease nervousness and depression. Helps to put things into perspective without over worrying or stressing one out thus helping to calm a person.
- Rose: helps to calm and support a person. Helps to relieve stress and depression to help calm a person.
- Sandalwood: gives a sense of being grounded and helps to ground a person thus helping to decrease insomnia and depression. Aids in relaxation of the body.
- Valerian: very effective sedative used to treat sleep problems. Aids in decreasing depression and headaches.
- Ylang-Ylang: is a strong sedative and helps to calm the body and mind.
Each of these essentials oils can be used alone or together. There are a few different methods of use and application for the oils to be administered and used. To get the most out of your oils be sure to use them properly. Always follow the instructions set out for each use because improper use could lead to more problems. Here are a few methods of use and application that can help and induce sleep.
- Bath: 3-15 drops on bath water
- Compress: 5 drops to 1 cup of water
- Creams and lotions: 3-6 drops for every ounce of cream
- Inhalant: 3-5 drops in a bowl of hot water
- Lightbulb ring: 2-3 drops
- Massage or body oil: 10 drops per ounce of carrier oil
- Room spray: 20 drops per 4 ounces of water – shake before each use
- Sitz bath: 5-10 drops
To aid in sleeping using a spray to spray the room and/or pillow before bed, using a diffuser prior to bedtime and as you sleep, using an inhalant prior to bed or using the oils in a bath or lotion prior to bedtimes will help you to go to sleep faster, stay asleep and to wake up refreshed and energized.
It is also important to remember to decrease your stimulants prior to bedtime. This means turning off the TV and Smartphone at least an hour before bedtime, do not have caffeine or nicotine right before bed and try not to exercise prior to bed as these increase your blood circulation and stimulates the brain too much before bedtime thus making it harder for you to fall asleep.
You need to calm your body and mind before bed to make it easier to relax and that will make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Happy sleeping!
2 thoughts on “Finally.. Great Sleep! 17 Essential Oils that Work as Natural Sleep Aids (& How to Use Them)”
This is awesome, I love your site. Can’t wait to learn & be reminded of how to incorporate the oils I’ve been collecting & using over the years. (And realize that what I have been using just by intuition is actually correct!) Its quite amazing how your mind and body tell you ??? And what a difference you feel if you listen & respond. I love your knowledge and will continue to learn. Thank you
Effective oil for sleep and lowering bp while on Atenolol. Do not want to add another rx. 71 yrs.? young 25 mgs atenolol 2xs daily…anxiety as I do not sleep,due to long-term use of beta blocker. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I know you do not give medical advice. TY?need to sleep???????