Best Essential Oils for Sleep

If you’ve ever had sleeping troubles, then you know how quickly they can cause your health and sense of vitality to deteriorate. Tensions of one kind or other are common culprits behind sleepless nights, and these can in fact be prominent reasons behind disturbances in health. There are several essential oils that can alleviate insomnia and other sleep problems quickly, powerfully, and perhaps most importantly, without the side effects of most pharmaceutical solutions like Ambien (zolpidem), Valium (diazepam), and Benadryl (diphenhydramine). Some of the best essential oils for this are:

1. Lavender
I wrote about lavender in my first blog entry because it is such a versatile, useful essential oil. Its powers to promote a healthy night's sleep are among its strongest and best researched. Whether it’s improving sleep regularity, helping you fall asleep faster, or just generally helping you feel more rested in the morning, lavender can help you. A recent study from the United Kingdom described the use of lavender oil in a diffuser helping people with minor insomnia. It is used in some hospital ICU units to help patients get quality sleep as well. As I wrote earlier, lavender is great for controlling anxiety and helps to keep your mind cool and calm. Another benefit is that its dispersed droplets in the air help repel insects like moths, midges and mosquitoes.

2. Vetiver
Vetiver has a warm, rich and earthy smell. The oil is actually made from the plant’s roots, and historically it has been referred to as the “oil of tranquility," and for good reason - vetiver has many benefits that can add up to better sleep quality for you:

• It helps create emotional balance and grounding by nurturing and sedating the mind, improving anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, anger, hyperactivity, mania, and even phobias.
• Vetiver’s most popular uses relate to its anti-inflammatory properties (for skin and joints), which can boost calmness and be very soothing.
• Vetiver is an excellent tonic for many body systems including the digestive, circulatory, immune, respiratory, excretory system, and others.

For some, the scent of vetiver may take some getting used to, so if you’re using it in a diffuser, you may want to use it with lavender oil (still following any instructions that come with your diffuser for adding water, etc). If applying vetiver for skin or joints, mix a drop of it in 5ml (a teaspoon) or so of coconut oil first.

3. Roman Chamomile
This essential oil possesses relaxing, soothing and calming properties similar to those of its hugely-popular cousin, chamomile tea. Its light floral light scent in the air provides a peaceful environment, perfect for keeping your mind calm, reducing nervous tension, and helping diminish other nervous imbalances such as spasms, convulsions, and anxiety.

4. Ylang Ylang
This essential oil, a favorite of many for its aphrodisiac effects, also has well-known properties that support emotional and mental health, leading to great quality sleep. Ylang ylang helps by controlling anxiety issues, supporting emotional balance (e.g. - Feeling "too high"? It'll calm you. Feeling low? It'll lift you up.), assisting during times of emotional exhaustion, controlling blood pressure and heart rate, and promoting hormonal balance.

Some other popular essential oils for sleep are valerian, cedarwood, bergamot, sandalwood and marjoram. Getting proper rest on a regular basis is critical to a healthy, rewarding life, even more so with the hustle & bustle of today’s high energy society. I encourage you to try one or two of the listed oils in an essential oil diffuser in the evening, an hour before you go to sleep. Find the scent that works for you, and enjoy a better night’s sleep!

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