In January we were sharing some of the good habits that we’ve picked up over the years, and in February we continued that trend with a special focus on self-care. This post definitely fits both themes.

Have you tried aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the process of using plant parts or aromatic plant oils (think essential oils) to improve psychological or physical well-being.

There’s a growing body of evidence that some uses of aromatherapy have measurable success rates. In this post, we are particularly interested in using aromatherapy to improve sleep, and we’ll share a super simple potion with you below.

First a friendly reminder that we believe in a healthy combination of western and alternative medicines. What that means for us may be different than what that means for you. In this case, we’re suggesting that aromatherapy may help with minor anxiety and sleep issues. If you have something major going on, do what’s best for you.

Essential Oils for Sleep

As a sleep aid, far and away, lavender is the essential oil that seems to have the most published data supporting its use.

• In one study, postpartum women who smelled lavender essential oil before sleep experienced improved sleep quality over the control group which received a placebo.
• In another study on an elderly patients with dementia in Japan, inhaling an aromatherapy blend before bed improved both total sleep time and the duration of the longest sleep period. It also reduced early morning wakefulness. Three different aromatherapy blends were used, all with success: 1. lavender, 2. lavender+sweet orange oil, 3. cypress+cedarwood+pine.
•  And if you’re interested in learning more, here’s a summary of studies that have been conducted to look at the effects of lavender on the nervous system.

Aromatherapy Methods

There are a number of ways that you can use essential oils for aromatherapy. Our suggestions below are slanted towards bedtime rituals when attempting to improve sleep.

• essential oil diffuser – essential oil diffusion is the term used to refer to dispersing essential oil aromas into a room. Today, ultrasonic diffusers are very popular and often come to mind when discussing diffusers. Water + essential oil are added to these, and then an energy source is used to dispel the liquid. There are so many options out there; Sarah loves this model. Another popular (and beautiful) group of diffusers are the glass+wood nebulizers. These don’t require water. They use an energy source to dispel small droplets of the pure oils into the air. If you plan to use it at bedtime, be sure to pick one that has an auto-off option.

• linen or room spray – These are sprays that contain essential oils and can be sprayed onto your pillow or into the air to get a quick dose of aroma. Choose a spray that has simple, chemical-free ingredients, or follow our recipe below to make your own! Our lavender+vanilla+fir room spray is perfect for sleep.

• massage oil – Dilute sleep-inducing essential oils into a carrier oil to make an oil that can be safely massaged into your skin. You can read more about carrier oils here.

• make a customized fragrance – Similar to a massage oil, but often with a higher essential oil concentration. It’s expected that fragrances will be applied in a smaller dose than a massage oil, focus on the pulse points.

• try a sleep balm – A blend of essential oil+carrier oil+beeswax that can be applied to pulse points. Given their solid state, balms are a great alternative to both massage oils and fragrance oils when traveling.

• bath – Add a few drops of pure essential oils to elevate your next bath.

• bouquet of dried plant material – If you enjoy the aroma of a plant that’s easily dried with stems, like lavender, you can keep a bouquet at your bedside and give it a little whiff to reap the aromatherapy benefits.

Sleep Linen Spray

This is a super simple recipe, but it definitely elevates your first few minutes on the pillow from blah to ahhh…. omg. Did I just type that? The spray combines both lavender and cedar as its mellowing agents, both essential oils that were proven effect sleep-aids in the studies listed above.

• 2 oz spray bottle
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops cedarwood essential oil
• 1/2 tsp vodka or rubbing alcohol
• water

Like our room sprays, all you have to do is put the ingredients in a bottle, top off with water, shake, and spray.

Zzzzzzzzzz