Do you find yourself staring at the ceiling for hours unending waiting for sleep to overpower you every night? Do you wish to be like your spouse who is already off to dream world as soon as his or her head touches the pillow? Insomnia is one condition that could leave you miserable throughout the night, and irritable throughout the day. This is because your body needs those periods of rest and sleep to reboot and recoup. When you keep facing sleeplessness night after night, your body is denied the opportunity to rest and this will affect your health physically, psychologically, mentally and emotionally.
Truly, it's heartbreaking to see some people who are suffering insomnia just give up trying and accept sleeplessness as their new normal. This doesn't have to be the case especially when you consider the adverse effects of those sleepless nights on your health. Sleep is very essential for our health and wellbeing. Lack of adequate sleep could result in health problems such as heart diseases, depression, hypertension, diabetes, kidney diseases, stroke, obesity, and so many others.
Fortunately, there are some natural and safe ways to fall asleep fast and enjoy restful nights. One of these natural means of falling asleep fast is through the use of essential oils.
If you're tired of counting sheep or popping pills every night in order to sleep, essential oils can help you fall asleep faster. With essential oils you can relax easily, unwind faster, sleep soundly and get some quality night rest. If you need an effective natural remedy for insomnia that actually works, this article is for you.
Essential Oils And How They Work
Essential oils are concentrated oil obtained from some plants. They have a strong fragrance and do possess medicinal properties. Essential oils are commonly used in aromatherapy, a traditional healing practice that involves using aromatic compounds from plants. Using essential oils to improve sleep quality dates back to several centuries ago, and there are many essential oils that can improve your sleep and help you enjoy a rejuvenating night rest.
You may be wondering how merely perceiving the fragrance of essential oils would bring your sleeplessness to an end. It may interest you to know that essential oils are highly medicinal. These highly concentrated oils are very therapeutic and possess strong healing properties when used in the right proportions and through the right methods. Essential oils have been proven to work very effectively as natural remedies for insomnia. This is the essence of this article; to show you the best essential oils for promoting sleep, how they work and how you can use the essential oils to naturally fall asleep faster.
How Essential Oils Help You Sleep Well At Night
Naturally, the human body is wired to react and respond to any scent it perceives. The millions of olfactory receptor cells in your nose pick up a smell and transmit it straight to the part of your brain responsible for memory and mood. Now, the fragrances of certain essential oils elicit positive mood changes and feelings of relaxation when they hit your brain. These fragrances interact with your nervous system and cause it to release signals that relax your mind and body thereby inducing restfulness and deep sleep.
In addition, some essential oils for sleep are effective at relieving stress, reducing headaches, alleviating pain and aches, countering stress hormones, and combating depression.
Moreover, when you incorporate inhaling essential oils into your nighttime routine, you'll begin to find it much easier to doze off faster at night as your brain will start associating the smell of the essential oils with bedtime. This is a great way to correct disrupted sleep patterns and manage insomnia.
Effective Essential Oils To Help You Fall Asleep Naturally
It's very important to note that not all essential oils have the ability to make you fall asleep. In fact, some essential oils are known to do just the opposite. Hence, it's very crucial to know the exact essential oils that are beneficial for a good night's sleep. Also, ensure to source your essential oils from credible sources to be sure your essential oil is pure and unadulterated.
Check our shop for your high-quality 100% pure and natural essential oils for sleep.
10 Best Essential Oils for Sleep
Lavender Essential Oil
This is one of the most popular essential oils for sleep. Results from several studies confirm that lavender essential oil is effective at inducing sleep and rest. Lavender essential oil has many therapeutic properties that naturally enhance your chances of sleeping well at night. The oil lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, calms your nerves and relaxes your mind; the same processes your body goes through before you naturally drift off to sleep. Lavender essential oil also reduces anxiety, relieves stress and helps you unwind at the end of the day's activities.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
This essential oil eases insomnia and helps make sleeplessness become a thing of the past. Ylang Ylang essential oil sets your body up for sleep by slowing down your heart rate and your blood pressure, just as your body would naturally do when you're about to sleep.
Frankincense Essential Oil
This oil is a potent natural sleep aid that has been in use for thousands of years. Frankincense essential oil relieves stress, promotes relaxation, and helps you hit dreamland fast.
Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil is another essential oil used in aromatherapy to treat insomnia. This essential oil lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, thus prompting your body that it's time to go to bed. It also promotes a healthy night sleep by relieving your body of stress, and making you sleep deeply through the night.
Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Sweet orange has an intense sweet, citrus fragrance. This essential oil is a very good mood-lifter. It promotes a good night's sleep by uplifting your mood, relieving stress, and enhancing a feeling of calmness and peace. These conditions your body to naturally drift into deep sleep.
Cedarwood Essential Oil
The woodsy fragrance of cedarwood essential oil is calming and relaxing, and can help you unwind and fall asleep fast at the end of a stressful day. It contains chemical compounds that have sedative properties, and has been shown to improve total sleep time and sleep quality.
Mandarin Essential Oil
This is another powerful essential oil for sleep you should have in your home if you're battling sleeplessness. Mandarin essential oil has the ability to uplift your mood, reduce anxiety and stress level, calm and relax your body to a peaceful and sound night sleep.
Clary Sage Oil
Clary sage essential oil is one of the most effective essential oils for treating insomnia especially in people suffering depression or dementia. The oil effectively lowers stress hormone levels, combats depressive thoughts, calms and relaxes your mind. Clary sage oil naturally soothes you into sleeping deeply throughout the night.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Particularly beneficial for sleeping with ease when you're hit by flu or cold virus. Eucalyptus oil clears blocked sinuses, relieves aches and pain, and decongest stuffy nose. With these pesky symptoms out of the way you are able to enjoy your 40 winks peacefully.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Although peppermint essential oil doesn't directly affect sleep, just like eucalyptus essential oil, it promotes a sweet and restful night by alleviating symptoms of flu, cold and seasonal allergies.
How To Use Essential Oils For Sleep
Essential oils for sleep can be used in many different ways. It's recommended you try out different methods and settle on what works best for you. Here are some ways you can use your essential oils to promote a deep and relaxing sleep at bedtime.
The best way to maximise the benefits of your essential oils for sleep is by incorporating them into your bedtime routine. Whatever method you choose, do it routinely at the same time each night. Not only will you enjoy the direct benefits of a good night's sleep, but also your brain will pick up on your new routine and will cause your body to voluntarily yield to sleep at your scheduled bedtime.
1. Diffusing essential oils for sleep
This is the best method of using essential oils as sleep aids. It's safer, more convenient and delivers long lasting effects. Diffusing your essential oils make the oil particles available in the atmosphere for you to inhale. You can either use a humidifier or better still, a diffuser to inhale your essential oil.
Diffusers offer a more convenient way to inhale essential oils. They break the essential oil down into tiny molecules and then disperse them into the air for easy inhalation. Diffusers are easy to use, and you can use it at home, work or in your car.
To inhale your essential oils with a diffuser, add about 3-6 drops of the oil into 100 ml of water or 6-12 drops to 200 ml of water, depending on the capacity of your diffuser. Diffuse for 1-2 hours, starting about 30 minutes before your bedtime.
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2. Direct inhalation
Place a drop or two of your favourite sleep essential oil blend on a tissue or handkerchief and take deep breaths to inhale the oil. Remember to do this about 10-20 minutes before bedtime.
3. Topical Application
Another way to use essential oil for sleep is by massaging essential oils diluted with a carrier oil, such as jojoba oil and fractionated coconut oil, directly onto your skin. (We recommend 3-5 drops of essential oil per 15ml of carrier oil) The active ingredients will seep into your bloodstream faster through your skin. You can massage it on the back of your neck, forehead and/or wrists.
4. Steam inhalation
This method involves adding 3-5 drops of essential oils for sleep into a bowl of steaming hot water and inhaling the essential oils vapour. Throw a towel over your head and inhale the oil for about 8-10 mins. (Remember to keep your eyes closed to avoid any eye irritations.)
5. Warm Bath
Taking a warm bath with your essential oils for sleep in your bath water is another effective way of combating insomnia. Few minutes before you retire to bed, dilute 4-6 drops of essential oil with 2 teaspoons of carrier oil and add to your bath. Soak yourself in the bath and relax for 10-15 minutes.
Best Essential Oil Blend For Sleep Time
Here's our favourite essential oil blend for sleep.
6 drops Lavender
4 drops Bergamot
2 drops Mandarin
Add the oils to 200ml of water in your diffuser and diffuse for 1-2 hours, preferably around your bedtime.
To wrap it up, essential oils may just be the exact solution to your sleep problems that you've been wishing for. Using essential oils to improve your sleep quality naturally is an effective remedy for insomnia and some other sleep disorders. Incorporate essential oils into your bedtime routine, and say goodbye to sleeplessness and disturbed sleep. Sweet dreams!
