Just a drop of lavender on your pillow at night will help you sleep well – right? No, sorry, it’s not as simple as that. Essential oils can definitely help you relax and adjust your weird sleep patterns, but you’ll have to do a bit more work than opening an oil bottle. Read on to find the best essential oils for sleep, and what you need to change…….
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sleep!
If we don’t sleep well all sort of problems can start happening. When this becomes more frequent, the daytime can be very challenging. Lack of sleep can be the cause of so many other health problems, but at the very least we simply can’t function well during the day. If bad sleep patterns prevail they can become habit, and then it’s all downhill. Here’s what you need to do to prepare for essential oils to help you sleep:
- Drink less coffee and/or don’t have caffeine in the afternoon
- Exercise more frequently, even if that means a walk around the block
- Stop watching TV at least an hour before bed
- Stop all screen time ie phones and computers at least an hour before bed
- Set up healthy patterns – eat about the same time each day, go to bed about the same time, wake up about the same time
Other hints:
- Have a cup of relaxing herbal tea about an hour before bed
- Have a warm bath or shower before bed
- Start stretching and force yourself to yawn in the evening (I read that somewhere and I’ve tried it and it works!)
- Have a book at your bedside – this always sends me to sleep
timing is everything
Daily habits are important if you are having difficulties sleeping. Of course the clock can be the devil when you’re staring at it every night – 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am ……… It may only take you a few days to reset your body clock, but it could take weeks. In the evening (perhaps after dinner), start your essential oil diifuser to help you unwind. Here are your oils:
Lavender
The classic sleep and relaxation oil, lavender is a healing herb that’s been around for centuries. This is a panacea (helps everything) in my opinion. The art of aromatherapy comes into play here as too much lavender can be too stimulating, so the key is to mix your oils to get a perfect soothing combination.
Vetiver
Sometimes referred to as “The Oil of Tranquility”, vetiver is a very strong oil and you’ll only need a couple of drops in each blend. It is a cooling oil and very grounding and centering. Great for meditation and stress.
Marjoram
Another ancient herb, marjoram will help induce relaxation and works wonderfully with its sister, lavender. Marjoram is an oil to treat pain relief, grief and anguish, so is perfect to help you turn off the events of the day, and the anxiety of tomorrow.
Frankincense
Frankincense is the oil to help you take deeper, slower breaths. By breathing deeply you will automatically slow your heart rate, calm your mind and allow yourself to “be”. This is a classic oil for meditation and asthma.
Bergamot
Bergamot is not a classic sleep oil, but it’s a lovely oil to help with anxiety, and mixed with some other oils, can add some sweetness to your blend. In fact all the citrus oils (lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, grapefruit) are light and blend well with most other oils so are always handy to have nearby. They will add happiness and lightness to your blends.
The Chamomiles – Roman and German
Both these oils are relaxing oils. German chamomile is blue due to a chemical change during distilling, and is an anti-inflammatory oil for the body. It works synergistically with lavender in this regard. The scent is not as pretty as Roman chamomile, which has a honey sweetness to it, and could be better for you to use for this reason. Why not double up and have a relaxing chamomile tea in the hour before bed too?
Sandalwood
I regard Indian (Mysore) sandalwood as a sleep inducing oil due to its traditional uses, and it’s powerful energetic presence. This oil has many uses for the body but excels when treating the mind and emotions. It is a beautiful and expensive oil to use, but when it comes to sleep I’d say it’s worth buying a bottle. It will cover you in a comforting, soft yet strong, blanket of love. Other woods could be used in its place and I’d recommend cedarwood Virginian (which is actually a juniper, not a true cedar). Australian sandalwood could be a bit too stimulating with its hint of the hot Australian bush.
Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com
And now some blends for your diffuser –
In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil, which could be too much for some diffusers, so check the recommendation of each unit and adjust thee recipes accordingly.
“Universal Flow”
Lavender 10
Frankincense 8
Bergamot 7
“Depth”
Marjoram 6
Roman Chamomile 7
Orange 8
Vetiver 2
“Cool”
Mandarin 10
German Chamomile 4
Cedarwood Virginian 6
Lavender 5
“Intuition”
Sandalwood 6
Lavender 6
Marjoram 4
Orange 11
“The Way”
Frankincense 10
German Chamomile 2
Vetiver 2
Sandalwood 5
Lime 6
I’ve got these gorgeous chamomile flowers in a teapot nest to my bed – sweet dreams!
By now you have the idea so go for it! Mix those oils baby!
Let me know how you go and –
remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.
Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.
suzannerbanks 