Essential Oils for Sleep
Let’s talk about getting some zzz’s. Do you suffer from insomnia? Sleep deprivation? Lack of sleep? Or just plain old having trouble falling asleep? I know that I do. There was a time in my life where I would fall asleep sitting in my lazy-boy. The minute my head hit my pillow, I was out. Then shit changed. It switched to laying awake in bed for hours. Finally falling asleep only to awake a few hours later. Tossing and turning, no real rest. So I’ve been going on only a few hours of sleep for quite awhile now. I’ve tried a few different prescription sleeping pills. However, I’ve never been able to use them for more than a day or two. They all leave me feeling so foggy brained. It’s hard to get up for work the next morning when you are in a “sleep hangover”. So I decided, why not put my oils to work and see if I cant find a blend that works for me. So let’s talk about what we are looking for in an oil that will aid in sleeping. There are specific therapeutic components that have sedative properties. These are the ones we will focus on to help us create some sleep blends.
Oils that have the following components provide sedative qualities: Myrcene, Terpinolene, Borneol, Linalool, Terpineol, Anethole, Carvone, Citronellal, Bornyl acetate, Patchoulol, Farnesol, Cedrol. Below is a list of a few oil examples for each chemical component. I picked a few for each category that have at minimum 1% makeup of the component. This is just a short list of some of the more commonly known oils.
Myrcene: Sweet Orange, Lemon, Frankincense, Black Pepper, Ginger, Juniper Berry
Terpinolene: Tea Tree, Lime, Cyprus, Nutmeg
Terpineol: Lavender, Tea Tree, Lime, Black Spruce,
Borneol: Lavender, Tea Tree, Lime, Black Spruce, Ravintsara, Geranium, Ginger
Linalool: Lavender, Geranium, Bergamot, Ylang ylang, Clary Sage, Rosewood
Anethole: Fennel & Anise
Carvone: Spearmint
Citronellal: Eucalyptus, Melissa
Bornyl acetate: (Most conifer oils) Black Spruce, Rosemary, White Fir, Basil
Patchoulol: Patchouli
Farnesol: Ylang ylang
Cedrol: Cedarwood, Cyprus
I know you re thinking, “Okay great, thanks for the science lesson! Now what?”
The best approach is to pick oils that you like the smell of obviously. If you don’t enjoy the aroma, you won’t use the blend. And isn’t Aromatherapy all about the aroma? If you pick a combination of oils that contain sedative therapeutic properties, you can’t go wrong. Now, keep in mind that not everybody is effected the same way by oils, just the same as traditional medication. One may work for you and not your spouse for example. Just like one prescribed medication might work for you with no side effects but for someone else it may not provide any benefits but all the side effects. It can type a bit of trial and error to find a blend that works for you.
There are a few different methods you could try for application. A linen spray, an inhaler, a lotion and a diffuser blend. The diffuser blend can be put on in your bedroom 30 minutes prior to bedtime if you do not want to leave it running while you are sleeping. A linen spray can be used in combination with either the diffuser or inhaler. With an inhaler, you could start to inhale the aroma about 30 – 45 minutes prior to bedtime and repeat every 10-15 minutes until you are ready to lay down, taking that final inhale before your head hits the pillow. If you make up a blend, you could add a few drops into any lotion and then massage onto your body to really help you relax. You could also just rub some into your neck, temples and feet.
Now let’s go to the real reason you are here. Some examples of blends!
*All inhalers should be no more than 15 drops for adults. For children I recommend 6-8 drops total.
*A diffuser idea for kids or adults would be Cedarwood, Lavender and Sweet Orange. Since all diffusers are different, check the manufacture recommended usage. I typically do about 5 -7 drops in my diffuser.
*Bergamot, Ylang ylang, Frankincense in an inhaler or diffuser.
*Frankincense, Lavender, Roman Chamomile would be a beautiful calming blend.
*For a linen spray, I would start with a hydrosol if you have one – I prefer either Roman Chamomile or Lavender, 2 oz. Then add 20d oil to it in a spray bottle. Shake up before spraying. I like Lavender hydrosol of course with Sweet Orange or Mandarin, Roman Chamomile and Frankincense.
Not everyone is a fan of Lavender. So here are a few examples without it.
*Try Frankincense, Bergamot and Melissa in an inhaler.
*Sweet Orange, Juniper Berry, Roman Chamomile would be lovely in a diffuser for someone who doesn’t like Lavender.
These are just a few ideas for you. I’ll put together some more blends and post them soon in a printable format so you can access them easily. Get creative with the oils you have on hand. Use the list above to pick oils that will provide you with the sedative quality needed to get some sleep and see what works for you!
If you need oils, check out my shop. I have carry 7 of the most common oils that I recommend everyone have in their oil arsenal. If you need anything outside of that, I do recommend checking out Rocky Mountain Oils. FYI – I am an affiliate for them and would receive a small compensation if you chose to make a purchase. But I myself purchase from them because they are one of the other companies I have found to provide PURE oils at an affordable price and are willing to back it up with providing GC/MS reports.
Until next time my friends, Much AromaLove <3
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Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. My products and posts are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases. They are not a replacement for doctor prescribed treatment and medication. Not intended for use on small children unless otherwise noted. If you are pregnant, nursing or under the care of a physician for chronic issues, please consult them prior to trying any essential oil products. All products/recommendations are for external use only.
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