Not sleeping properly causes us to be tired, sleepy and have a hard time performing any task during the day.
It is estimated that if you do not sleep well, you use 25% more energy to perform the same task. Day by day fatigue, irritability, lack of concentration and digestive problems accumulate.
The aromatherapy proposes the use of some essential oils to help you sleep and help you fall asleep. It must be taken into account that it must be accompanied by other habits: eating dinner early, not using a cell phone or television in the bedroom, meditating before going to sleep, etc.
Stress is largely responsible for insmonium and addressing it is essential. Below you will also find specific relaxing essential oils to reduce your stress levels and an aromatherapy formula for the bath that helps you sleep.
5 essential oils to sleep better
But there are also relaxing essential oils that act on the autonomic nervous system and help recover a restful sleep. Discover the five with the greatest therapeutic value.
1. Disconnect with mandarin essential oil
This essential oil, very mild, is interesting in case of temporary insomnia when it is difficult for one to disconnect, stop and relax. It is also beneficial for hyperactive children.
- How to use it: in a diffuser (15-20 drops) during the afternoon or before going to bed, or orally (2 drops diluted in olive oil) in the morning and at night.
2. Lavender, the best comprehensive relaxant
Lavender is the star of aromatherapy and also the great nervous system specialist. Thanks to its richness in calming, relaxing and sedative molecules, it has undeniable effectiveness in falling asleep.
- How to use it: in a diffuser (15-20 drops) in the afternoon or evening, or as a massage on the skin (2 diluted drops) starting in mid-afternoon to relax.
If you don’t like its smell, try bitter orange essential oil.
3. Roman chamomile for cases of hypersensitivity
Roman chamomile essential oil is especially recommended for hypersensitive people or for whom some event keeps them awake. It is also useful for people with high blood pressure who cannot relax. Is very effective with children who do not fall asleep because of fear or who wake up with nightmares.
- How to use it: by massaging it into your skin at night or simply by smelling the bottle before going to sleep or if you wake up in the middle of the night.
In this other article you will find other natural remedies to improve children’s sleep.
4. Lemongrass against anxiety
It’s a powerful calming and is very useful in case of hyperarousal, anguish, anxiety or depression.
- How to use it: orally. If insomnia is associated with anxiety problems, you can take 2 drops of the essential oil diluted in olive oil three times a day until improvement.
5. Petit grain mandarin to dissipate tension
This great hypnotic It is extracted from the leaves of the mandarin tree. Its therapeutic effect is similar to that of chamomile, although it is much more powerful. It is also a muscle relaxant, effective for those who cannot sleep because they are very tense.
- How to use it: by massage or by smelling it, such as Roman chamomile, or orally, 2 drops diluted before bedtime in case of severe insomnia.
Aromatherapy guidelines for sleep: day and night
Aromatherapy regimen during the day to reduce insomnia
During the day follow a routine with aromatherapy to rest at night.
- In the morning: take 2 drops of tangerine essence diluted in a little olive oil. If your insomnia is persistent and you are afraid to go to sleep, take 2 drops of lemon verbena instead.
- During the day: beam microbreaks 5 to 10 minutes to disconnect. To help, put a drop of lavender essential oil on your wrists, close your eyes and take a deep breath.
- At home: in a diffuser, put mandarin essential oil15 to 20 drops, for half an hour. For persistent insomnia, mix 10 drops of lavender and 5 of mandarin in the diffuser.
- At night: Take 2 drops of mandarin essence diluted in olive oil. Then dilute 2 drops of Roman chamomile or mandarin petitgrain and massage your feet, arms and chest.
Aromatherapy regimen before bed to reduce insomnia
Half an hour before going to sleep, take two drops of mandarin essential oil (Citrus reticulata) diluted in a little maple syrup.
Remember that, to ensure its therapeutic effect, it is advisable to choose quality essential oils. The most recommended are the chemotyped100% pure and natural. Furthermore, it is better that they are organic certificationthus guaranteeing the absence of chemical additives.
Baths and massages with essential oils to sleep
It can help you take two or three baths a week with essential oils. For them to have an effect, they do not have to be daily.
do your relaxing bath formula mixing 20 drops of lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) or from «extra» or «full» ylang ylang (Canonga odorata) with a handful of sea salt and a tablespoon of a vegetable oil (such as sweet almond oil).
Other relaxing oils that can replace lavender are the Egyptian geranium (Pelargonium asperum or graveolens) and the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium ssp amara).
After 20 minutes, get out of the bathroom and apply a neck massageshoulders, chest and feet with sweet almond vegetable oil (1 tablespoon) and 3 drops of hô stick (Cinnamomum camphora linaol chemotype). Repeat this massage dailyor for a deeper effect.
Essential oils against stress that help you sleep
Stress is one of the biggest enemies of sleep. For this reason it is very important to reduce it and aromatherapy can help you.
It has been shown that Breathing certain compounds in essential oils decreases cortisol. The constant release of cortisol affects health and, at night, makes it difficult to sleep.
You can put a essence diffuser at home or work to help you stay relaxed. It is not a luxury, but an element that favors your health and that of your loved ones.
Another gesture that you can transform into a routine is a daily self-massage on feet, arms and hands, neck and neck, face… Stimulating the skin activates our internal pharmacy, and some essential oils induce the release of well-being hormones.
Try a good anti stress tonic. I propose a combination of essential oils that strengthens the nervous system:
- Holy basil (2 ml)
- Green myrtle (2 ml)
- Black Fir (2 ml)
- Rosemary verbenone (1 ml)
- Katrafay (1 ml)
- Rosewood (1 ml)
Use it regularly both in a diffuser (15 to 20 drops) and on the skin (4 to 5 drops diluted in vegetable oil).