If you have insomnia or recently started suffering from staying asleep during the night, whether or not if it’s chronic or situational, it can be stressful wither way. Having a wandering mind that wants to stay awake all night while your body chooses to rest, doesn’t make for a good night and it’s even worse when you have a busy day ahead.
The good news is there’s an easy remedy that can fix this unfortunate issue: essential oils. Going beyond their powerful scents, essential oils act as an all-natural alternative to help reduce stress and anxiety and helps to provide you with a good night’s rest.
One of the main reasons why essential oils are so effective is because they are highly concentrated, so it’s best to dilute the oils before using them. Whether you choose to make a sleeping mist concocted of your favorite essential oils and base oil or you place a few drops in your diffuser before calling it a night, there are plenty of ways to use the following essential oils to help you relax and sleep better through the night.
Vetiver
Distilled from the roots of the plant, vetiver is a grounding and calming essential oil that has a rich, earthy aroma. It may take a while to get used to the scent, so try combining it with other essential oils, such as lemon or patchouli, to create a powerful, yet relaxing scent.
Ylang-Ylang
This powerful essential oil not only has a beautiful floral aroma, but it can alleviate stress and anxiety, promote relaxation, as well as, reduce hypertension- all while quickly drifting you off to sleep. Mix a few drops of ylang-ylang with somealmond oil and apply to your skin as you would any moisturizer.
Neroli Oil
Extracted from the blossom of the bitter orange tree, Neroli oil produces a calming effect, lowers blood pressure levels and reduces stress and anxiety. Place a few drops of neroli oil into your diffuser 20 minutes before you’re ready to go to sleep.
Lavender Oil
Of course, lavender oil has to be on this list. Lavender oil is one of the main essential oils used to create a calm and stress-free environment that helps to improve your mood and sleep quality.
Roman Chamomile
This oil has been used for centuries as a traditional and healing medicine to treat eczema and other skin irritations, sciatica, and other ailments. Additionally, chamomile tea has been used as a mild sedative to reduce anxiety, calm nerves and treat both nightmares and insomnia.
Cedarwood
One of my favorite essential oils to use when I’m seeking relaxation is cedarwood - it’s relaxing scent helps to clear my mind to create a calm, grounding environment. Mix a few drops with bergamot essential oil when you’re feeling stressed or in need of some much relaxation.
Shawna Davis is a wellness journalist and the founder and creator of the wellness lifestyle blog, Froing and Flowing. Beyond the blog, she is a certified yoga instructor, wife, dog mama and is a natural hair enthusiast that’s passionate about health, wellness, and natural beauty. You can follow her on Instagram @itsshawnadavis.