The 9 Best Essential Oils for Sleep and Their Blends That Can Drive Away Your Insomnia
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While a vast number of individuals typically adhere to their bedtime schedules and awaken rejuvenated, ready to embrace the day ahead, there exists another group, equally numerous, who resort to sleep medication with the hope of achieving at least six hours of rest before their alarm signals the start of a new day. After extensive research and gathering evidence over the years, scientists, health professionals, and physicians have reached a consensus: sleep is a treasure not to be underestimated. Although it’s a fundamental right, the luxury of experiencing invigorating sleep doesn’t come easily to everyone.
About 70 million Americans suffer from some sleep disorders and about 4% of the adults US citizens depend on prescription medication for getting proper sleep. This data comes from a 2014 Center for Disease Control and Prevention USA. The numbers may seem staggering, but they are correct. Not getting enough sleep every night, lying awake staring at the ceiling while your brain feels shut down or waking up too tired to leave the bed each morning are severe signs of fatigue and the lack of quality sleep.
You should never ignore these signs. However, there are at least another 50 million people in the US, who do not want to consult a physician or a sleep expert for their sleep-related issues. It is because they do not think of it as a long-term chronic disorder and also because they believe that all sleep-related problems warrant prescription medication. While modern science and tech have been providing us with easy one-pill-a-night solutions, they are not without side effects. As a result, it keeps a lot of people from seeking a possible answer to their sleep problems.
If you are thinking about trying medication, here are a few things you should know.
Now, you must be wondering why people take sleeping medication at all if the health risks involved with the practice are so high. It is mostly because long-term insomnia, delayed sleep onset, and poor-quality sleep usually have worse effects on the brain and the body, than sleeping medication does.
We need sleep for normal functioning, maintenance of health and our wellbeing. Here are the few reasons why you should probably pay a little more attention to your sleep than you already do.
Several painters, mathematicians, and scientists often state that they got their best ideas while they were sleeping. It is not at all surprising since connecting the dots using the information we already have is more natural in the subconscious, while we are sleeping.
The average child between the age of 6 and 12 needs about 10 hours of sleep, teenagers need about 8 hours of sleep and adults can function with 7-9 hours of sleep. The elderly usually need more sleep since their bodies need a longer time to heal. The case is similarly applicable for the sick. The sick may require up to 10 hours of sleep per day.
The longer a person sleeps, the faster his or her body heals. It is just one reason why many people go into a pseudo-hibernation mode when they contract the flu or have stomach flu. Sleeping helps the body to conserve energy by restricting movement and saving more for the repairs. A sleep-deprived brain is a tired brain. Sleeping is not a luxury for the kids and the elderly only. Even a healthy adult needs their regular dose of sleep for the best performance every day.
These provide reason enough for any responsible adult to look for healthier alternatives. Thanks to the advancements of modern sciences, people have found evidence on how essential oils can stimulate nerve signals, relax muscles and calm the senses. Some of the more potent, natural aromatic oils can act just as well as any sleeping medication or chemically generated compound to induce sound sleep in adults.
Just like medication, not all essential oils for sleep work efficiently for everyone. These are naturally occurring aromatic compounds. Therefore, their action depends on the presence of several receptors in your body, levels of natural hydrocarbons, and other essential minerals needed for the activity of these aromatic compounds. So, here’s a list of the nine most active essential oils that can change the way you sleep at night from today!
Ylang-ylang means flower of the flowers. This essential oil gets its name due to the strong and sweet smell of the concentrate. The flowers that produce this oil are prevalent in the Orient for their hypertension controlling and/or treating properties.
Researchers have been exploring the beneficial effects of Ylang-ylang, and right now, hundreds of cosmetic brands use this essential oil in their products. Healthcare brands are manufacturing directly consumable forms of this essential oil for their patrons.
The presence of terpenes, sesquiterpenes, quinines, and anti-oxidants make it extremely desirable to people looking for a relaxant, somnolent, and an antidepressant from the natural sources. There are several ways you can use Ylang-ylang for getting a good night’s sleep.
Too much Ylang-ylang can cause nausea and headache. You can mix it with bergamot oil, lavender and sandalwood oil to unleash its calming powers.
Valerian essential oil can reduce stress and fatigue with continuous use. While the powers of valerian root were common knowledge among the alternative medicine experts in the Eastern countries, the Western countries are currently exploring valerian’s medicinal properties.
Since ancient times, people involved in alternative medicine have been using valerian essential oil to improve sleep quality, enhance cognitive abilities, and heal fatigued muscles. Once people referred to it as the “heal all” oil, now it finds extensive use in aromatherapy. You can use it in a carrier oil mix for massages, or you can directly use it in your tea. In fact, getting your hands on some valerian root would be quite remarkable since you can brew herbal tea directly from either the dried root or fresh roots.
Roman Chamomile or chamomile is famous for its sedative effects and healing properties. Several talk shows, health shows, and movies have shown how chamomile can help people fall asleep faster without struggles each day. Only a few do not know about its sedative properties.
You can make tea from the flowers or use the essential oil from chamomile to achieve desired results. For centuries, kings and commoners alike have used it to fight their battle against delayed sleep disorders, insomnia and poor quality of sleep.
It is powerful enough to induce sleep in adults, yet gentle enough for children. Aside from being a sleep aid, chamomile can also relieve arthritis pain, improve heart ailments, and boost digestive powers in adults and children alike.
Neroli or bitter orange blossom essential oil has a sweet citrus like smell. It is fruity and floral at the same time. You could easily say that it has a terpene-like top note. The light floral fragrance can calm your senses with its dual note effects. Depending on the career oil you are using, neroli can act as a top note or a base note.
You can blend it with clary sage, frankincense, chamomile, orange, myrrh, palmarosa, rose, Ylang-ylang, lemon, mandarin or juniper for the best calming effects. The best way to enjoy the benefits of neroli is by using it for aromatherapy and bathing. The right amount can not only help you get sound sleep, but it can also help you get glowing skin with long-lasting relief from acne.
You can commonly find notes of neroli in perfumes, makeup, and creams. You can infuse it with your herbal tea or merely use it in your summer skin spray mix. It soothes your skin, prevents breakouts, controls sebum and takes care of sun damage when you use it in the right blend. You can also mix it with carrier oils and use it as massaging oil on your entire body. Use it with your cold compress to treat neuralgia. You can dip a cotton ball in some essential oil and leave it by your bedside for sniffing all throughout the night.
Cedarwood oil can help restore your sleep-wakefulness balance with a few drops per day. It has a signature woody aroma that is both aromatic and comforting. It has the power to cleanse and calm. In addition to its calming properties, cedarwood oil is also famous for its anti-hair fall properties, weight loss effects, skin soothing properties, and treatment of selective allergies.
Cedarwood has found numerous uses around the globe in households and houses of healing. Here are a few ways you can use it to experience better sleep.
You can also inhale the aroma of this oil directly. Soak a cotton ball in a few drops of oil and put it inside your pillowcase or open the bottle and inhale the fumes for over 30 seconds for feeling the calmness. The best carrier oils for cedarwood include coconut oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oil. It is ideal to choose one and mix the cedarwood oil with it before use.
Several other essential oils blend well with cedarwood oil to enhance its calming abilities. You can try Ylang-Ylang, lavender, sandalwood, vetiver, neroli, jasmine and bergamot for the best results. Each of these has a distinct aroma, but all of them have soothing effects on the nerves.
Sandalwood oil contributes to anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and astringent effects in human beings. It is also responsible for carminative actions. Above all, it balances all the organ systems and biomechanics. It brings forth the necessary homeostasis the body requires for proper functioning. Sandalwood has a powerful sedative effect which further helps to boost adequate health, memory, and immunity.
There are three main types of sandalwood and essential oils. The Indian sandalwood is the most effective among the three, Hawaiian sandalwood follows close. The Australian sandalwood finds more use in the commercial cosmetics industry and has fewer known positive effects on health.
Various researchers show that sandalwood oil can boost alertness. In part, because it can help your body find the rest it needs each night and in part because the distinct sweet aroma of the essential oil awakens the nerve synapses.
When buying sandalwood essential oil always try to go for the Indian sandalwood variety. Experts source this oil from the heartwood of the Indian sandalwood tree. Although the tree is now scarce and the oil is expensive, due to the concentrated bioactive aromatic compounds, you will require only 2-3 drops each time to experience a superlative quality of sleep.
Marjoram essential oil has multiple uses besides the regular culinary use. It has been popular as an analgesic, digestive, diuretic, sedative and hypotensive. Just like other essential oils, several active compounds make marjoram one of the most popular essential oils in the history of aromatic oils.
It has a protective and enhancing effect on the nervous system. Marjoram can improve cognitive functions and enhances sleep quality. Marjoram has multi-faceted uses. Here are a few ways you can experience the relaxing and healing effects of it at home.
In the Mediterranean region, people have been using marjoram essential oil for centuries. The oil usually comes from the distillation of dried leaves or fresh leaves of the knotted marjoram plants. It has scientifically proven medicinal uses. It contains several therapeutic compounds like alpha-terpinene, cymene, terpinolene, linalyl acetate and terpinols. The combined action of these compounds along with others promotes muscle relaxation, reduces pain and controls anxiety. Marjoram is excellent for inducing relaxation of the nervous system, and it improves sleep.
Vetiver is a widespread grass usually found in the tropics. It is very common in India. The Indian tribal communities have been using vetiver for centuries to weave mats, room separators, and curtains. Even without mechanical extractions the wet or dried grass releases a sweet, soothing aroma that instantly cools the body, releases the heat trapped inside the systems, and helps the muscles relax and promote sleep. It is a complex mix of some essential oils that has found a stronghold in the treatment of insomnia, ADHD, and depression too.
You can create your mix of vetiver essential oil by soaking the roots in boiling water for 2 to 3 hours. Since vetiver mostly contains aromatic compounds, you must remember to close the lid of the container as the water boils or you will end up losing all the aromatic compounds.
The qualities of the oil come from the calming properties of the biochemical components from the roots of the grass. It has a very fresh, herbaceous smell that is not unlike the calming smell of freshly cut grass right after a refreshing bout of rain. It is indeed one of the most complex essential oils that can boost the immune system, repels bugs, stimulates muscle relaxation, and promotes sound sleep. It is one of the safest essential oils with very few possible side effects. It is safe for the new mother, infant, elderly and for people undergoing chemotherapy. Try it at home for busting stress after a long day.
Frankincense essential oil is an excellent product of the Boswellia sacra tree. The oil has a unique aroma. It comes from the sap or the resin of the tree. The resin is quite thick since it has a high consistency of carbohydrates and aromatic compounds. Distillation of this resin produces the highly concentrated essential oil for aromatherapy and healing treatments.
Frankincense has found several mentions in popular literature, alternative medicine, and modern medicine. In the last decade, the popularity of this essential oil has grown steadily due to its soothing and sedative properties. It has alpha-pinene, limonene, beta-pinene and alpha-thujene. These are a few compounds you can also find in several other essential oils including lemongrass and lemon. Monoterpenes are the other ubiquitous aromatic compounds in Frankincense essential oil that contribute to its characteristic smell.
While Frankincense is quite powerful in inducing good sleep, you can blend it with lemon, wild orange, sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang, rose, and geranium to enhance its healing powers. Adding other aromatic essential oils can add an extra dose of sweetness, freshness or spice to the eponymous warmth of frankincense essential oil.
Before you can go out and buy a bottle of your favorite essential oil, you need to know a few secrets that no one is possibly telling you.
Essential oils can help you fight off insomnia successfully, but only with correct use. They are very powerful and do not take a lot of time to elicit their actions. They should not make you feel light-headed, dizzy or nauseous. In case you are feeling out of sorts, you should stop using the particular essential oil and consult your doctor.
Co-founder of Counting Sheep and Sleepaholic