Having trouble sleeping? You are not alone. But I have some good news for you. Essential oils can help. Here’s a list of the best essential oils for sleep.
Did you know that you would die from sleep deprivation before you starved to death? It takes 2 weeks to die from starvation while 10 days without sleep would likely kill you.
More and more people are suffering from lack of sleep. Our hectic lifestyles, nutrient-poor diets, and over-stimulated brains keep us from getting the deep, nourishing rest that we need.
You absolutely cannot be healthy if you are not getting adequate sleep!
Getting enough sleep has been my biggest challenge in my journey to health. I have worked hard on figuring out how to get the rest that I need in order to be the healthiest that I can be. You may have seen my post on 8 Easy Steps to a Better Night’s Sleep. It covers many of the things that have worked for me.
How do I sleep now? Much better, thank you! I have my days when I struggle, but all in all, my quality of sleep is much better and deeper than before. And the most helpful thing for me has been essential oils.
I initially started using essential oils for non-toxic cleaning supplies and beauty products. Two of my favorites are my DIY Hydrating Face Oil and Anti-Aging Face Serum. I started using essential oils for stress and sleep as well. I have been super happy with the results.
Since most of us have trouble sleeping due to stress and/or over-stimulating, essential oils can be very effective for sleep. Essential oils are not drugs or medications. They help us by bringing our bodies back into balance and supporting our body systems.
What I have found is that each person has individual needs and you have to experiment to see which oils work best for you.
I find that Valerian and Valor work best for me. I alternate them. I also really like the Roman Chamomile.
For my little one, Peace and Calming has improved her quality of sleep tremendously. This the kid that used to wake up several times a night and have very fitful sleep. We alternate between diffusing Peace and Calming and rubbing it diluted on her feet. I can’t tell you what a relief for our family it has been that she is FINALLY sleeping better.
How to use essential oils for sleep
Essential oils can be used both topically and through inhalation to improve the quality of sleep.
- The easiest way to receive the benefits of essential oils is through diffusing them. I have a cute little home diffuser that came with my starter kit from Young Living Essential Oils. I also like THIS
home diffuser. It disperses the essential oils molecules into the air and allows you to inhale them. The molecules of the essential oils are so small that they easily enter the olfactory nerves inside of your nose and into the limbic system, which is the seat of emotions in the body. Diffuse oils 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
- If you do not have a diffuser, you can place a drop or 2 of essential oil in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together, cup them around your nose and inhale deeply. Do this for several minutes. I have found this an effective way to use many of my sleep oils.
- You can also rub 1-2 drops of essential oils on the bottoms of your feet, shoulders, back of your neck or stomach. I often use a bit of carrier oil like coconut
or jojoba
to help it spread.
- Mix 3-6 drops of essential oil with epsom salt
or baking soda and add to a hot bath water while tub is filling. Soak in bath for 20-30 minutes.
- Rub 1-2 drops on the temples and back of neck several times a day.
- Place a warm compress with 1-2 drops of chosen oil on the back.
A word about quality
Please note that I am only talking about 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils. Only about 2% of essential oils sold are considered therapeutic grade. There is no standard for EOs and so many of the oils you find may be adulterated and can actually contain harmful ingredients.
My essential oil of choice is Young Living Essential Oils. They own their farms and they run a very tight supply chain. I trust their essential oils above all others because they are pure and unadulterated and are manufactured for therapeutic use not just for smell.
I am a wholesale member, meaning that I save 24% on all of my essential oils. Read more here about why I choose Young Living.
9 Best Essential Oils for Sleep
1. Valerian:
calming to the nervous system and helps with restlessness
2. Valor:
balances the nervous system and helps strengthen the body and mind; increases feelings of strength, courage, and self-esteem; Can also be useful for snoring.
3. Vetiver:
relaxes the nervous system and helps with overstimulation
4. Roman Chamomile:
has a warm, sweet, herbaceous scent that is relaxing and calming for both mind and body. Its gentleness makes it especially valuable for restless children.
5. Lavender:
very calming and can be good for anxious feelings
6. Peace and Calming:
promotes relaxation and a deep sense of peace and emotional well-being: helps release negative emotions: wonderful for children
7. Cedarwood:
relaxing and soothing; allows the brain to stop processin
8. Stress Away:
brings feelings of peace and tranquility; helps to relive daily stress and anxious feelings; promotes relaxation; restores equilibrium
9. Orange:
lifts the spirit while providing a calming influence on the body; brings peace and happiness to the mind. It is rich in the powerful antioxidant d-limonene and aids in maintaining normal cellular regeneration.
Sleepy Time Essential Oil Blend
Ingredients:
- 12 drops Orange
- 8 drops Lavender
- 4 drops Cedarwood
- 3 drops Valerian
- 2 drops Roman Chamomile
Directions:
Mix oils in a clean, glass essential oil bottle. Use in diffuser, inhale, topically, or in a warm bath mixed with epsom salt.
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photo credit: depositphotos @ pressmaster
yeisel says
February 17, 2015 at 2:23 pmthis article helped me with my blog post
http://www.brainyjournal.com/monday-musing-first-light-wake-up/
Kristen Stevens says
March 24, 2015 at 6:48 pmMy 10 yr old daughter has a really hard time sleeping and peace and calming and lavendar hasn’t worked, I just recently purchased Valerian, do you think this is to strong of an oil for someone this age? Thanks for a great article and good info.
Katja says
March 28, 2015 at 12:26 pmHi, there! I would recommend Roman Chamomile or Cedarwood for little ones. You could diffuse or apply diluted to bottom of feet. Always dilute with kids. Vetiver can also be really grounding. Everyone is different and responds differently to the oil. Hopefully you are already avoiding stimulants of any kind – sugar, caffeine, and chocolates. Also, media (blue light) affects the production of melatonin so good to limit that as well in the evening. Hope that helps. 🙂
Leia Chester says
May 9, 2015 at 1:48 amThat it’s hard to sleep at night really makes me annoy. Thank you for your useful post. I love Lavender and I think I will use it for my sleep. Besides, sleepy time essential oil blend is also a good idea.
Trang Vu says
April 8, 2016 at 6:13 amCould you please recommend some recipes for my 3-year old son? I wonder if essential oil is suitable for that age. Thanks a lot.
Katja Heino says
April 11, 2016 at 10:20 amI love Peace and Calming, Roman Chamomile, and the kid blend called Sleepyize from Young Living. Diluted on feet (1 drop per tsp) or in the diffuser is best for younger children. Hope that helps.
Linda DStrayer says
April 19, 2016 at 9:28 pmThat’s useful tip for me when use essential oils for my sleep. I love Valor, it’s really good for support my sleep.
Patricia says
June 11, 2016 at 3:10 pmKatja,
I have sleep apnea and sleep with a CPAP machine. As a result putting the oils in a diffuser won’t really work for me as I am breathing moisturized air directly into my nostrils from the machine. I’m wondering if I could put the essential oils directly into the distilled water in the CPAP reservoir. Do you think that would work or that maybe I should reduce the amount of the oils?
By the way, I have two of your pages open right now and one of them has a slow running script and keeps bogging down my machine. Since it’s only 6 months old I don’t think it’s the machine. You might want to have your site administrator take a look. When this happens it doesn’t really encourage people to return to your site.
Katja Heino says
June 13, 2016 at 12:05 pmHi, Patricia! I would not put essential oils into your CPAP machine as I am not sure if it will corrode your machine. Some essential oils can be corrosive to the parts. I would hate for your machine to get messed up. Thanks for letting me know about the site issue. I will let my tech folks know. 🙂
Chris says
October 27, 2017 at 4:54 pmI’m new to EO but saw your question about the C-Pap. My husband too uses one and I’ve been wondering how it could be of use for him. What I’ve come up with as one possible idea is maybe add a diluted drop on his intake filter on the machine itself? Haven’t tried it yet, but think I may tonight.
Cathy says
July 18, 2016 at 5:21 pmI am usually sensitive to most drugs. What would you suggest I use. What essential oils should I use and what is the recipe if there is a mixture. I have a hard time staying…. asleep. First time using any oil.
Katja Heino says
July 19, 2016 at 9:23 amAs with any supplement, I recommend starting off very slowly. Essential oils are not drugs, but everything affects everyone differently. I usually recommend starting with one oil and seeing how that works for you. Always dilute first. If you are new to essential oils, I recommend checking out my free Essential Oil Basics E-course. You can sign up here—> https://www.savorylotus.com/free-essential-oils-e-course/
Laura Modzel says
November 22, 2016 at 5:22 pmHi. I have nightmares/night terrors at age 63. Almost every night. Do you have any suggestions? They usually happen early morning (4:00 or 5:00.) If I diffuse, I would think it would wear off by morning? Maybe have my hubby put something on back of neck if he is awake around that time? What would be best to use in your opinion? Thank you, Laura
Katja Heino says
November 29, 2016 at 8:57 pmHi, Laura! So sorry to hear about your night terrors. Disrupted sleep is so challenging. It would be best to address what is causing the night terrors. Do you mean that you wake up having bad dreams. Or is it more like hormonal waking up. Or adrenal cortisol surges- which happen around that time. You are right- diffusing needs to be done frequently in order to be effective. If you tell me more, I may be able to point you in the right direction.
Symphony says
March 8, 2017 at 5:27 amHi Laura. Do you take a magnesium supplement? Magnesium deficiency can cause nightmares and also trouble getting back to sleep after waking through the night.
JoEllen LeVitre says
November 4, 2017 at 7:37 pmLaura, that can be a symptom of the blood sugar dropping too low at night.
Kacy says
November 25, 2016 at 1:43 amI always thought orange was more for energy so I am surprised to see it included in some sleep blends. I will have to give it a go. Thanks for the post…
Shane Coultis says
February 14, 2017 at 5:47 amI suffer from severe anxiety dreams any ideas?
Katja Heino says
February 14, 2017 at 8:52 pmThe best thing to do is to experiment with the oils and see which ones resonate with you. Maybe one at a time. Everyone responds differently to different oils. Hope that helps.
John says
February 14, 2017 at 5:17 pmHi Katja,
I’m someone that has dealt with Insomnia several times in my life and one thing that is incredibly beneficial is setting the mood. Essential Oils are such a great way to do that. Also I absolutely love the smell of Cedarwood so I’m glad you added it to this list.
Katja Heino says
February 14, 2017 at 8:50 pmI totally agree!
Donna K. says
April 3, 2018 at 12:50 pmHello, I use essential oils as well and Young living is what I use. My question is, I purchased Valerian oil and want to use It but the smell is stinky. Any hints as to what I should do. My hubby said please don’t diffuse that in here ?
Thank you for any help,
Donna
Katja Heino says
April 9, 2018 at 9:33 amMy hubby does not enjoy the smell of Valerian either. I kind of like it. But I get that others do not. You could diffuse it when he is not around. Or you could try mixing it with another oil that makes it more pleasant. Hope that helps.
KIM ALDRIDGE says
January 16, 2019 at 5:39 pmI put a Valerian blend on my feet so the smell isn’t so strong.
Shana says
July 11, 2018 at 6:06 pmJust started a new job working days and nights alternating but these past 4 days I haven’t slept much at all. Night or day. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
Katja Heino says
July 19, 2018 at 11:06 amHi, Shana! I’m sorry to hear that you are having a hard time. I used to work nights as an RN. It was tough. And switching back and forth from days to nights can be very confusing to the body. Oils may be helpful, but the body will have a hard time until you fall into a rhythm. You will have to take extra care to create a very dark quiet sleep environment.