These Are The Essential Oils I’m Using to Help Me Sleep Better

Essentials work wonders in helping you relax the mind and bring some peace, to help you sleep better and unwind.

Have you been sleeping restlessly since being in self-isolation? I know I have. Although I was sort of a home body prior to COVID-19, being stuck more inside than ever before does bring about a certain restlessness to the mind, the body and soul.

Yoga has been a great tool to help relax my body, especially when I am spending more time sitting than before than before. However, I have noticed that my sleep pattern is also a little erratic.

Waking up at random time of the night, not being able to switch the mind of, even my stomach has been waking me at weird hours of the night telling me I’m hungry. Surely not at three am.

So, I decided to rehash an old story of mine and get back in touch with the use of using aromatherapy oils, which absolutely do work to help you rest better and put your mind at ease. Whether that be using beauty products which have been infused with botanical oils like Lavender (which I have blogged about before).

Hopping online, I restocked with some of my fave beauty products which contain aromatherapy oils which can be used at night in the shower to help you relax better, and I also then looked at a few pure essentials oils for my diffuser to help change the air and relax the atmosphere around me to help me sleep better.

So whether it’s from watching too much television whilst in self-isolation, spending way too many hours on the phone, with an over stimulated mind, here are the oils I am reconnecting back with, to help me sleep better.

Lavender:

This is the most widely used oil for helping people sleep around the world. Known for its healing, soothing and calming qualities, lavender has shown to slow down the nervous system, making it perfect for relaxing the mind before sleep. I love to have this oil on my pillow when I sleep.

Ylang Ylang:

Sweeter in scent to the lavender, this oil is perfect for reducing anxiety and relieving stress. I like to use this oil in the afternoon rather than at night, as I find revitalising after a long day and it helps to calm me for the evening before using my lavender oil.

Cedarwood:

This deep, woody aromatic oil helps to decrease heart rate and blood pressure and provides a calming sense to the mind. It’s perfect for those nights where you can’t sleep and can’t switch off your mind, as it’s has been proven to work as a sedative.

Jasmine:

There’s nothing more calming at the beginning of spring when the first flowers of jasmine begin to flower. This has to be my favourite flower and oil and I love the sense of calm and ease it provides me when I’m feeling stressed. Jasmine has long been known to assist people with anxiety and stress.

Bergamot:

I love this oil in summer on those nights where the temps are so high you can’t sleep. It smells almost like a cocktail of limes and oranges which is super revitalising after a very stressful day; or stressful night where you can’t sleep. It has also been known to help reduce blood pressure, tension and anxiety.

Geranium:

This is an uplifting oil and has been used for many years as a mild sedative. It’s also a common natural oil used in many night facial creams, mixed with lavender, as a way of using skincare products to help people be calm and at ease at night before bed. It’s also a great oil if you wake in the night and need help getting back to sleep.

Clary Sage:

I’ll admit, I don’t use this oil much, but I’ve heard this oil has many health benefits making me want to use it more. These benefits range from an antidepressant, fights anxiety and will calm the nervous system. It’s also been used in some dental clinics to help patients relax before a procedure. I’m not a huge fan of the scent, it’s very earthy. Which is probably why I haven’t used it that much.

Recipe for essential oil mist spray:

Combine half a cup of water, half a teaspoon of witch hazel and four to five drops of your favourite essential oil (mine is lavender). Shake it all up before spraying (always) and mist into pillows before sleep.