We all feel tense sometimes.

Whether it's added stress at work, a tough exam looming over our heads, or the everyday happenings on the news and social media; now and then, we all deserve a break.

To help you make the most of your downtime, we've provided a selection of specially created relaxing diffuser blends that can help ease those tensions and allow a sense of calmness and stability.

Created with a range of essential oils known to soothe an active mind and facilitate inner peace, these blends can all be made right in your own home for use whenever or wherever you may need them.

Blend #1 - Relax and Renew

• 4 drops of Lavender (French) Essential Oil
• 4 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Frankincense Serrata (Indian) Essential Oil

The calming scent of lavender has been used in aromatherapy for years to help improve sleep and reduce feelings of stress and worry. A study conducted in 2015 even concluded that lavender had the greatest positive effect on sleep when tested amongst several other essential oils.

Lemon essential oil has been known to effectively increase levels of positivity in the brain, helping to put you in a better and more relaxed mood before bed. A 2006 study conducted on rats found that lemon oil can also reduce levels of stress as a result.

Known for its smooth and luxurious aroma, frankincense essential oil has long been revered for its ability to enhance feelings of well-being. Like lemon, it can promote positivity and reduce levels of stress, as well as facilitate a calming atmosphere.

Blend #2 - Classic Bliss

• 4 drops of Geranium Essential Oil
• 3 drops of Bergamot Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Lavender (French) Essential Oil

Classically floral and refreshingly sweet, geranium is great for soothing and calming the mind. According to a study conducted in 2015, geranium essential oil is also great for reducing levels of stress and worry, and was proven to do so successfully when tested amongst women in the first stage of labour.

Known for its benefits in balancing emotions and dispelling low moods, bergamot adds the perfect citrus zing to this floral oil blend. This oil's ability to increase positive feelings also makes it an ideal reliever for stress, preparing you for a night of sweet and happy dreams.

The addition of lavender to this blend helps to bolster the sweet and floral elements of the geranium, as well as increase levels of calm and relaxation.

Blend #3 - Fragrant Fancies

• 5 drops of Bergamot Essential Oil
• 3 drops of Patchouli (Indonesian) Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Ylang Ylang (Complete) Essential Oil

Containing a rich and beautiful floral scent, ylang ylang is most famously known as one of the primary ingredients in the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume. It has also been said to help promote healthy sleep patterns and produce a harmonising effect on the mind, due to the natural sedative effects of the oil.

Patchouli essential oil has a contrastingly earthy fragrance that grounds and stabilises, helping to produce a calming and cleansing atmosphere in preparation for sleep. Much like ylang ylang, patchouli has also been found to contain sedative effects on the mind as well as elongate and improve sleep quality.

The use of bergamot here adds to the fragrant sensations of this calming essential oil blend.

Blend #4 - A Night in the Forest

• 5 drops of Clary Sage Essential Oil
• 3 drops of Lavender (French) Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Cedarwood (Himalayan) Essential Oil

Said to be an oil for curing all ailments, clary sage is a beautiful floral addition to any night-time routine. Known for its calming and soothing effects on the mind as well as the body, it has also long been regarded as the "woman's oil", due to its ability to stabilise hormones and dispel low moods by reducing cortisol levels in the brain.

Earthy cedarwood provides this blend with its distinct woody notes that allow it to facilitate a grounding, calming atmosphere in preparation for sleep. Cedarwood has also been heavily associated with positivity throughout history and was even used by the native American to soothe angry and stressed emotions.

Blend #5 - Floral Dreams

• 5 drops of Clary Sage Essential Oil
• 3 drops of Geranium Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Petitgrain Essential Oil

Widely considered to be one of the most positive oils for the mind, petitgrain is a light and floral oil with a distinct citrus scent, making it the perfect aroma for adding to your diffuser on warm summer nights. Its joyful properties help to reduce stress and increase confidence, allowing you to feel mentally and emotionally prepared for the following morning.

Geranium and clary sage are used here to help balance out the citrus aromas of the petitgrain with sweeter, more traditional floral notes.

How to use relaxing diffuser blends Simply add a few drops to your diffuser before bed or sprinkle them into the bath as part of your nightly self-care routine. These blends can also be used for massage. Add to a carrier oil of your choice and rub evenly into the skin for a relaxing and restorative bedtime experience. *Remember to always perform a patch test before use on the skin*.

Each one of these diffuser blends for relaxation carries its own host of properties to benefit sleep and nightly stress reduction, however, feel free to use them at any point in your day where calm may be appreciated.

If these recipes aren't quite to your liking, or you simply don't know where to start, why not try our range of relaxing essential oil blends? Made by our team of in-house experts, these blends are tailored specifically for sleep, meditation, stress relief, and more.

Shop our essential oil range.