Sleep Help Is Here: Learn The Best Essential Oils For Sleep
Contents
- Top 10 Aromatherapy Oils
- Types of Essential Oils for Sleep and Ways to Use Them
- Edens Garden Lavender Essential Oil
- Healing Solutions East Indian Vetiver
- Aviano Botanicals Roman Chamomile
- Majestic Pure Ylang Ylang
- Kis Oils Bergamot Essential Oil
- Healing Solutions Sandalwood Essential Oil
- Plant Therapy Essential Oils Marjoram
- Now Foods Cedarwood Essential Oil
- Edens Garden Valerian Essential Oil
- Plant Guru Clary Sage Essential Oil
- Essential Oils Buying Guide
- Things You Need to Know When Buying Essential Oils
- About "Grading"
- Bottling and Storing
- Labeling
- Suppliers or Companies
- Cost
- Conclusion
- Sources
Our bodies need sleep to survive and to thrive. A good night's sleep is very elusive for some people, sufferers of insomnia.
Do you suffer from insomnia?
If you do, you're not alone. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute calls insomnia a common sleep disorder, and roundups like trendstatistics put the number of Americans with sleep problems in the tens of millions.
Many people use essential oils as part of a relaxing bedtime routine. A pleasant scent can help you unwind, but the evidence that aromatherapy improves sleep is limited.
Essential oils are not a replacement for medical treatment. If you have trouble sleeping 3 or more nights a week for more than 3 months, that's chronic insomnia, and a doctor can help. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a proven first step.
You've got plenty of options when it comes to essential oils that are good for sleep. I'm going to be sharing my list of the best essential oils for sleep and essential oils for insomnia as well as my knowledge of oil blends and how you can find essential oil recipes for sleep.
Many people enjoy these oils for the medicinal and health benefits they're said to have, though research on most of them is thin. By sampling these oils, you'll find what works best for you, just remember than what works for you may not work for someone else.
Top 10 Aromatherapy Oils
Types of Essential Oils for Sleep and Ways to Use Them
Aromatherapy for sleep has been around for a long time. You can use the oils in several ways, through diffusion or indirect inhalation.
A diffuser is the simplest option. If you put oils on your skin, dilute them in a carrier oil such as almond or coconut oil first, since undiluted oils can irritate skin. For a bath, mix a few drops into a carrier oil before adding it to the water.
Never swallow essential oils. Keep them away from children and pets, and ask your doctor before using them if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Essential oils also work well when blended together. You can research recipes to blend oils to relieve your sleeplessness.
Now, let’s take a look at some of my favourite products.
Edens Garden Lavender Essential Oil
Edens Garden Lavender Essential Oil (Lavendula angustifolia) is therapeutic grade. Lavender is the most studied oil for relaxation. Some small studies suggest lavender aromatherapy eases anxiety and helps sleep, but NCCIH says it's still unclear whether it works. It has a sweet, floral scent, and lavender has been used for a variety of health issues for millennia, a favorite in the Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures.
Edens Garden Lavender Essential Oil is a product that receives great reviews from customers. The company believes in running a business that values the customer over profit and focuses on the medicinal and healing qualities of essential oils.
Inhaled lavender is considered possibly safe, though it can cause headache or coughing, and it can irritate skin. Use it by diffusion, inhaling it directly, or putting some drops in your bath. Lavender blends well, so you can find or create different recipes using it and other oils.
Healing Solutions East Indian Vetiver
Healing Solutions East Indian Vetiver (Vetiveria Zizanoides) has many benefits including sedative qualities. Vetiver or Khus Khus, as it’s known, is a grass with a pleasant, earthy smell.
People who use Vetiver say it has a calming, grounding effect. Insomnia is often tied to stress and a busy mind, and some people find the scent helps them wind down. There's little research on vetiver and sleep in people.
This oil is very popular in aromatherapy and so many people use a diffuser to enjoy its pleasant scent. Vetiver also blends well with lavender, ylang ylang, jasmine, and a couple of other essential oils.
Aviano Botanicals Roman Chamomile
Aviano Botanicals Roman Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) is a very popular essential oil for insomnia. There are two well-known types of chamomile: Roman and German.
Both are traditionally used for relaxation, and Roman chamomile is popular in bedtime blends.
Chamomile has a long history as a calming herb. Studies have been done on chamomile for anxiety, mostly using tea or extracts rather than the essential oil, with mixed results.
It's a very versatile essential oil, and you can blend it with Lavender for a nice bath or as a massage oil.
Aviano Botanicals is a company based out of Texas. This company believes that essential oils are a gift of nature and it wants to provide customers with the purest, best quality products.
Majestic Pure Ylang Ylang
Majestic Pure Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) Essential Oil has a sweet floral scent that many people find relaxing. Some use it to unwind before bed, though research on ylang ylang and sleep is limited.
Ylang Ylang is a favorite in the aromatherapy world and is also used in perfumes.
When using this essential oil make sure you're cautious and use it as directed. If you're particularly sensitive to headaches, Ylang Ylang can trigger them.
Blend this essential oil with bergamot, lavender and sandalwood.
Kis Oils Bergamot Essential Oil
Kis Oils Bergamot Essential Oil is derived from a citrus fruit. The essential oil is extracted from the rind. You've probably tasted Bergamot without knowing it in a well-known black tea.
Bergamot essential oil is popular in relaxing blends, and people use it to ease tension and stress, which can make it harder to sleep.
Use Bergamot with caution on skin. Citrus oils can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so don't apply it before going out in the sun. Store it in a dark bottle, away from light.
Bergamot Essential Oil blends well with several other oils: Clary Sage, Frankincense, Sandalwood,Vetiver and Ylang Ylang. Try different blends until you find your favourite one, or the one that works best for your body.
Kis Oils is a small company based in Brooklyn, NY. They take pride in offering their customers high quality oils at affordable prices.
Healing Solutions Sandalwood Essential Oil
Healing Solutions Sandalwood Essential Oil is extracted from mature sandalwood trees.
There are three varieties: Indian Sandalwood ( Santalum Album), Hawaiian Sandalwood (Santalum Ellipticum and Australian Sandalwood (Santalum Spicatum).
Indian Sandalwood is the most expensive and rarest and Hawaiian Sandalwood is also expensive. Australian Sandalwood is more commonly used, but experts say it's not as beneficial.
Sandalwood has a warm, woody scent that many people find calming. Claims that it lowers blood pressure or boosts memory aren't backed by good evidence.
Chronic insomnia is linked to higher risks of high blood pressure and trouble with memory and concentration, so treating the sleep problem itself matters. Don't swallow sandalwood or any essential oil.
Many people use sandalwood to feel relaxed and less stressed at bedtime. Don't use this oil undiluted on your skin. You should mix it with a carrier oil like coconut oil or almond oil.
Sandalwood Essential Oil is great for aromatherapy. It blends well with Bergamot, Lavender, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang and more.
Plant Therapy Essential Oils Marjoram
Plant Therapy Essential Oils Marjoram is extracted from fresh and dried leaves of the marjoram plant (Origanum Marjorana).
Marjoram has a warm, herbal scent and is a common ingredient in calming blends. There isn't good evidence that it treats insomnia or lowers blood pressure.
Some people also use marjoram to try to relieve snoring and treat sleep apnea. No essential oil treats sleep apnea. If you snore loudly, gasp or stop breathing in your sleep, see a doctor.
Like any essential oil, marjoram can irritate skin and shouldn't be swallowed. The company, Plant Therapy, aims to provide you with a great experience by providing pure essential oils.
Marjoram Essential Oil blends with Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Tea Tree Oil and Eucalyptus Oil.
Now Foods Cedarwood Essential Oil
Now Foods Cedarwood (Juniperus Virginiana) Essential Oil is extracted from the Cedar wood tree. Also known as Cedar Essential Oil, it has many medicinal qualities.
Cedarwood oil has a woody scent that many people find calming at bedtime, though there's little research on it for sleep.
Be careful here, because Cedarwood oil is very potent. It cannot be ingested and it may cause skin irritations if used in high concentration.
Cedarwood oil is wonderful for aromatherapy. If you’d like to blend it, try this essential oil with Bergamot, Cinnamon, Frankinsence, Juniper, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, and Neroli.
As a company, Now Foods has been in business since the 60’s. Its vision continues to be to meet customers’ needs for health foods that are affordable and high quality.
Edens Garden Valerian Essential Oil
Edens Garden Valerian Essential Oil (Valeriana officialis) comes from the Valerian flower. It's a plant that's been used and studied for centuries, it's therapeutic uses being described by Hippocrates, and you may have tried Valerian tea in the past. Valerian root supplements have been studied for sleep with mixed results. The essential oil has been studied much less, and many people find its earthy smell strong.
Valerian essential oil is potent, so use it wisely and don't swallow it. Like other oils, it can cause skin irritation or possibly an allergic reaction. Eden's Garden is a company that provides and sells essential oils that are 100% pure with no additives.
Plant Guru Clary Sage Essential Oil
Plant Guru Clary Sage Essential Oil (Salvia Sclarea) is distilled from the leaves of the Clary Sage plant. In some circles it's called Muscatel Oil.
Clary sage has a herbal, slightly sweet scent and is often used in relaxing blends. Claims that it treats depression, lowers blood pressure or helps with addiction aren't supported by good evidence.
If you have depression or another health condition, talk to a doctor rather than relying on essential oils.
Ask your doctor before using it if you're pregnant. Lastly, Clary Sage Oil blends with citrus fruits, Juniper, Sandalwood, Lavender and Pine.
Plant Guru produces and sells various essential oils. Their goal is to provide quality essential oils at a fair price.
Essential Oils Buying Guide
Many essential oils suppliers sell their products online and in health food stores. Buying online is usually cheaper than buying in brick and mortar stores.
There are many suppliers to choose from and purchasing essential oils can be very confusing. Before making a purchase, know the reason you are buying essential oils and what is the outcome you are hoping to accomplish.
Things You Need to Know When Buying Essential Oils
About "Grading"
There's no official grading system for essential oils, and FDA approval isn't required for aromatherapy products. Some sellers describe grades like this:
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Grade A is the label some sellers use for pure, unadulterated oil.
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Grade B is a natural/food grade essential oil that's organic and certified, with a small amount of trace chemicals.
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Grade C is for perfumery and is highly concentrated. It contains some chemicals and solvents.
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Floral Water means water soluble fragrances. It's low quality and synthetically made and mostly used for skin products.
Treat "therapeutic grade" as a marketing term. Look instead for the plant's botanical name, the country of origin, and a supplier that shares test results.
Bottling and Storing
Essential oils should be stored in a brown glass bottle, not clear glass or plastic bottles. Don't buy bottles with rubber eyedropper type bulbs on top. Concentrated oils can degrade some plastics and rubber over time, and light and air break the oils down. When purchasing essential oils, also need to be sure the bottles are well sealed.
Labeling
Look for labels that include the plant's botanical name, common name and show that the essential oil is 100% pure. An example is that the botanical name of Lavender is Lavendula angustifolia. A good label also states the origin of the oil.
Suppliers or Companies
Research and evaluate the reputation of the supplier and their knowledge of the industry. Read customer reviews about the companies before making purchases. Make sure the suppliers and companies are reputable and trustworthy.
Cost
The old saying, “you get what you pay for” often holds for essential oils. Oils from rare or slow-growing plants cost more to produce. Be careful of vendors that sell all of their oils for the same exact price, as some oils are more expensive than others.
One example is that Indian Sandalwood is very rare, so it'll be more expensive than Australian Sandalwood, which is much more common.
If an essential oil is really cheap, then it should send up a red flag. It's wise to research the average cost of the essential oils before making a purchase.
Conclusion
Choose the best essential oils for sleep and relaxation by trying out the products on the list above. These essential oils can be inhaled or applied to the skin, but follow all recommendations and label warnings before use. Don't swallow them, and keep them away from children and pets.
Essential oils are potent and should be diluted in a carrier oil before they touch your skin. Examples of carrier oils are: almond, coconut, grapeseed or olive.
You can create blends to fight your insomnia and can create recipes or conduct research to find additional resources about essential oils. Through trial and error, you'll find what is most effective for your body.
The most important thing is that you get to the point where you can enjoy a good, uninterrupted night of sleep with the help of essential oils and aromatherapy. Natural doesn't always mean safe, and aromatherapy works best as one part of a calm bedtime routine.
If you still can't sleep after a few weeks, or you have loud snoring or daytime sleepiness, talk to a doctor. Persistent insomnia is treatable.
Sources
- Lavender: Usefulness and Safety, NCCIH
- Aromatherapy and Essential Oils (PDQ), Patient Version, National Cancer Institute
- Insomnia, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
