essential oils for sleep
Do you have problems with insomnia? You are not alone: many people around the world suffer from this problem.
I have often had trouble sleeping, especially when I am experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety in my life. I often find myself waking up in the middle of the night, worrying about a major issue in my life, and not being able to get back to sleep, no matter what I do. I have used essential oils (mainly through a diffuser) when experiencing this and have found them helpful. After using the oils, I went back to sleep through the night.
valerian oil
Valerian root has been used for thousands of years for its calming and emotional effects. One such use has been valerian’s ability to promote restful, uninterrupted sleep. The active components of valerian are believed to balance the body’s cycles and promote sleep. It is also used to treat depression, anxiety, and other nervous conditions.
Roman Chamomile Oil
Roman chamomile essential oil is one of the most versatile of all the oils used in aromatherapy. A little goes a long way with this oil and its calming and sedative properties and is considered a natural sedative. It may also have allergy-relieving properties, bringing comfort to irritated nasal passages, which could be a bonus if your lack of sleep is due to allergies!
lavender oil
Lavender is known for its calming and relaxing properties. This is probably the most popular essential oil choice for aiding sleep, relaxation, and anxiety relief. It combines these three effects to help you relax and get a good night’s sleep, and also provides a lovely scent for your room.
How to use the oils:
Transmission
To spread it is an excellent option. The scent from the diffuser will spread throughout the room you placed it in (in this case, most likely your bedroom). It’s a good idea to start this about an hour before bed so that when you enter the room, the calming scent of aromatherapy has already spread.
drops
You can even put 1 or 2 drops of your chosen essential oil on your pillow or near the top of your bed (about half an hour before bedtime). The scent will be there to lull you to sleep.
Relaxing Bath with Essential Oils
Lastly, why not add a few drops of the oil of your choice to an evening bath that also contains Epsom salts? A bath is a great way to wind down after a long day, and adding these oils along with Epsom salts will help with relaxation. Add a cup of chamomile or Sleepytime tea and you’re ready to sleep.
Other advice includes NOT using any electronic devices (computer, tablet, smartphone) one hour before bed. That’s a challenge for all of us, but it’s worth a try if you’re going to sleep better at night!