The Best Essential Oils for Sleep
There's nothing more rewarding than a night of good sleep. After a long day of gruesome work, clean sheets and a cozy room are like industry-grade magnets that pull us straight home.
But how often does one get a good night’s sleep? Even when we’re already enveloped in our warm blankets, the mind is still racing. We squeeze in one episode from Netflix, or watch one Youtube video and then another. We're tossing and turning until the sun is up.
A lot of people are exhausted but not a lot of people get that desired rest. Study shows that adults get less and lesser time to sleep, despite coming to bed early.
Essential Oils Help the Body to Sleep
While undisrupted sleep is increasingly becoming difficult to achieve, there is available relief. Essential oils provide relief to those bothered with insomnia and restlessness.
Essential oils are affordable tools to enhance the quality of life. It's also easy to add to our nightly routine. They can also be used in traditional methods such as aromatherapy and acupressure massages. One study points out that infusing a blend of sleep-promoting essential oils is more effective in improving sleep quality than acupressure.
Essential Oils for Better Sleep
Cedarwood: Cedarwood has been long used to treat problems on the skin and hair. When used as an aromatherapy treatment, cedarwood oil has been found to have sedative qualities. It’s perfect for those experiencing bouts of insomnia. Add a few drops to your bath or infuse them near your bed. Study shows that you will sleep longer and won’t wake too early.
Clary Sage Oil: While it is nicknamed “The Woman’s Oil” due to its benefits for women in labour, menstruation and menopause, the Clary Sage oil is also a great antidepressant. It is a natural sedative that can reduce stress hormones in your body. It’s so calming that it will surely give you a good night’s rest.
Jasmine Oil: Floral and sweet, one might not consider Jasmine Oil as a good sleep promoter. However, Jasmine oil has tons of benefits that include lowering anxiety, fighting depression and emotional stress. It’s proven to naturally enhance your mood and ease your mind. That'll surely give you rest!
Roman Chamomile Oil: While it shares many of the benefits as the other oils listed here, Roman Chamomile Oil has the interesting benefit of reducing nightmares! In the same way that chamomile tea is calming and anxiety-reducing, this oil is shown to be even more effective.
Lavender: It’s impossible to close this list without including the most widely reputed essential oil for sleep. Not only does it improve sleep quality, but the scent itself is also calming. It can help calm toddlers who are restless and adults who have mild insomnia.
How to use the essential oils for sleep
You may be unsure of how to use the essential oil for better sleep. Here are simple guidelines to get you peacefully snoozing:
Add the essential oil to your bath. Soaking in a warm bath is one way to induce sleep. Make it even more effective by adding a few drops of your chosen oil into the water. Soak an hour before your bedtime.
Use a diffuser. There are many diffusers readily available in the market. Fill your room with the calming scent and you're sure to be asleep.
Apply to the body through a calming massage. Mix the essential oil with massage oil and then apply to your body. Or better yet, get a full body massage to completely relax.
Experiment with the scents that work for you and experience a better way to relax. Get satisfying sleep and watch as the rest of your life naturally improves.
"There's practically no element of our lives that's not improved by getting adequate sleep." - Arianna Huffington
