Sleep Essential Oil Blends

Do essential oils work for sleep?

Many essential oils and essential oil blends are incredibly functional for sleep, as their gentle scents can affect the olfactory system in the brain to help calm the mind and encourage deep sleep.

Although research is still limited, many studies have shown the positive effects of essential oils on sleep quality for young and older adults.

This is particularly the case for essential oils containing the natural compound linalool. According to a study conducted in Japan, this compound can affect the olfactory system in the brain, positively affecting your mood with no real side effects.

Popular essential oils for sleep such as lavender and clary sage contain this compound, contributing to their effectiveness against sleep issues as well as their ability to relax the mind and body.

What essential oils help with sleep?

Some of the best essential oils for sleeping and relaxing your mind include:

•         Lavender
•         Bergamot
•         Cedarwood
•         Clary Sage
•         Ylang Ylang

Lavender is perhaps the most popular choice of the sleep essential oils on this list, with its high content of linalool contributing to several sleep-promoting factors including relaxation, emotional balance, and stress relief.

Bergamot essential oil also heavily contributes to the emotional balance needed for a peaceful night’s sleep. Bergamot is known to help lift low moods and reduce feelings of worry, as well as help reduce fatigue overall.

Cedarwood is a natural sedative that has been known to help improve both the length and the quality of our night’s sleep. A grounding oil, cedarwood can stop our minds from wandering and help us feel secure before bed.

Clary sage, like lavender, also contains high levels of linalool, facilitating a sense of calm and wellbeing in the mind. Clary sage is also a popular oil for balancing hormones and preventing mood swings, helping you feel more in tune with yourself and your emotions before bedtime.

Ylang ylang, like cedarwood, is a natural sedative and can help promote stress-free sleep by influencing the hippocampus region in the brain. This, in turn, can help us produce more serotonin to calm and relax us.

How to use essential oils for sleep

One of the most popular ways to use essential oils for sleep is by diffusing them. Adding a few drops of an essential oil or essential oil blend to a steam diffuser or oil burner is a great way to naturally spread the scent of the oil throughout your bedroom without it intruding too much on your night-time routine.

You can also add a few drops of your chosen oil to your pillow before bed, so you can directly inhale the scent within close range as you fall asleep.

Alternatively, you can try combining the essential oil with a carrier oil like jojoba or sweet almond and massaging it into your skin or onto your pulse points before bed.