There are many essential oils that have been used for decades to help encourage feelings of relaxation and aid sleep, and at Bloom we know for sure that oils can have a big impact on our brains. When we are making our Sleep Mist batches it's impossible not to feel a little spaced out and drowsy!
In order to understand how essential oils can make us feel so sleepy, first let's take a quick look at the intricate relationship between the brain's anatomy and the properties of essential oils in order to understand HOW they actually help with relaxation and sleep. The olfactory bulb, located at the front of the brain, is responsible for processing smells. When essential oil molecules are inhaled, they travel through the nasal passages and bind to receptors in the olfactory epithelium. This interaction sends signals to the olfactory bulb, which then transmits these signals to various brain regions, including the amygdala.
The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure within the limbic system, known for its role in processing emotions, particularly those related to survival, such as fear and those related to relaxation and pleasure. When the amygdala receives signals from the olfactory bulb, it can trigger emotional responses and influence mood. This is why certain scents, like lavender or peppermint, can evoke feelings of calmness or alertness.
Essential oils contain volatile compounds that can interact with the brain in subtle but profound ways. For example, the linalool in lavender is known for its calming effects, which can help reduce anxiety by modulating the activity of neurotransmitters in the amygdala. Similarly, the menthol in peppermint can enhance alertness and focus by stimulating the olfactory bulb and subsequently the amygdala.
The synergy between the olfactory bulb and the amygdala demonstrates the powerful connection between our sense of smell and our emotional well-being and by understanding this connection, we can harness the therapeutic potential benefits of essential oils to support our mental and emotional health, and help with certain conditions such as insomnia.
I'll get on to which essential oils are proven to help with relaxation and sleep shortly, but before that let's just touch on the best way to use oils to create a relaxing environment. At bedtime I always advocate a 3 step routine and suggest you follow this for at least a couple of weeks to see if this helps resolve any insomnia.
1. Bath - have a bath, adding approx 8 drops of essential oils that help with stress, sleep and relaxation. The warm water is soothing for the mind, and the volatile essential oils that you have added to the bath will be inhaled while you relax in the warm water. We bathe young babies and infants before bedtime in a routine like fashion for a reason - it helps relax them and send the message to their brains that it's nearly bedtime. We can do the same for ourselves if we need to!
2. Chest Massage - apply a diluted blend of essential oils to you chest, using smooth massage strokes. The smooth strokes will cause a mind-body relaxation and the essential oil aromas will waft upwards and be inhaled while you massage them into your upper body.
3. Pillow Spray and Diffuser - apply a spritiz of a soothing sleep mist (either purchased or home blended) to your bedding and also infuse your room with appropriate essential oils in an oil burner or diffuser before bed. It's a good idea to get the diffuser going while you bathe.
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So which oils should you use for relaxation and sleep? Some of the more well known relaxant oils inlcude:
- Lavender
- Neroli
- Ylang Ylang
- Clary Sage (do not use if pregnant)
- Vetiver
- Chamomile
However even the most relaxing essential oils have to be used with caution - Lavender for example, contains a complex array of volatile compounds alongside linalool, including some that are stimulants so if you add TOO much Lavender to your pillow at night you might wind up more wired that you started. Less is often more!
At Bloom we make an amazing array of products from our signature Serenity blend which was expertly formulated by me over a decade ago and includes a potent mix of oils that have the perfect synergy for relaxation. For our full range of Serenity products click here. Our Sleep Mist is our hands down best seller but if you like a project then you can easily make your own sleep/aroma mists and body massage oils.
Here are a couple of recipe suggestions for you to try.
Body Oil Recipe for Sleep & Relaxation
Add the following oils to a 50ml bottle of base oil to make a 1% blend of body oil. If yo want to make the blend stronger, double the oils but carry out a patch sensitivity test before use.
- 3 drops of Lavender
- 2 drops Geranium
- 2 drop of Clary Sage
- 1 drops Patchouli
- 2 drops Sweet Orange
Pillow Mist Recipe for Sleep & Relaxation
Add the following essential oils to a tablespoon of high proof alcohol (vodka is ideal) in order to disperse the oils in approx 50ml of water. If you have lavender water, ideal, use this instead of tap water. Spray onto bedding and pillows before sleep.
- 2 drop of Geranium
- 1 drop Ylang Ylang
- 2 drops Mandarin
- 2 drops Clary Sage
- 3 drops Lavender