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Our Blog - Nine Essential Oils For A Better Night’s Sleep (that aren’t Lavender)
Need help nodding off? Here’s our guide to nine sleep-inducing essential oils – and not a drop of lavender in sight
By now, we’re all aware of lavender’s soothing properties. This soft and sweetly scented plant has been used in aromatherapeutic and wellness practices for centuries. Its effectiveness as a sleep aid can be attributed to one of the major components of lavender oil, linalool, which produces a gentle sedative affect by quieting the nervous system. We love lavender, and wouldn’t be without our Lavender Bath Salts, but we know that lavender’s heady, powdery scent isn’t for everyone and, while uncommon, lavender allergies are not unheard of.
For some soothing alternatives to lavender oil, look below to our list of nine dreamy essential oils, from frankincense to bergamot, all selected to help you drift off, naturally. These oils can be used solo or layered together to create layers of soothing scent. To try them in person or for a complimentary aromatherapy consultation, visit any of our stores.
1. Frankincense Boswellia Sacra
One of our favourite aromatic resins. This earthy, warm, and woody scent has been used to aid meditation and prayer for hundreds of years. Useful if life has been getting on top of you, if your sleep has been compromised or if you’re feeling restless, inhaling the aroma of frankincense can help deepen the breath, calm the mind, and ease mental chatter – just what you need when drifting off for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Our Frankincense Organic Essential Oil is ethically hand-harvested in Oman, where the finest frankincense in the world is grown.
2. Chamomile Roman Anthemis Nobilis
One of the gentlest essential oils, chamomile roman has a sweet, herbaceous scent that has been likened to straw or apples. In fact, it’s so gentle it is suitable for children over the age of two who need a little soothing. Distilled from chamomile flowers and leaves, our Chamomile Essential Oil is ideal for times when sleep is evasive, or if you’re feeling overly sensitive or dissatisfied. For best results, use alongside a cup of warm chamomile tea before bedtime.
3. Mandarin Citrus Reticulata
Not as sweet-smelling as orange but still awash with sunny, feel-good scent, mandarin is also of the gentlest essential oils available. Like chamomile, it’s light enough to be suitable for children over 2 years. It has a soft, citrussy aroma which can soothe and calm us when inhaled.
Reach for our Mandarin Essential Oil when you’re feeling restless or finding it hard to switch off: this uplifting scent has long been used to improve sleep via sleep aids and diffusers.
4. Bergamot Citrus Bergamia
Once described by our Brand Ambassador, Tipper, as a “a splash of cool, refreshing water”, our Bergamot Essential Oil is perfect for when you’re feeling tense, irritable, or short-tempered. It has a gentle, uplifting aroma that’s both calming, refreshing, and said to improve mood and wakefulness come morning. Ideal for when you need to chase away the stress of a long day before bed.
5. Neroli Citrus Aurantium
Often referred to as the rescue remedy – and for good reason – neroli essential oil has the ability to lift our spirits when we’re feeling low and calm us when we’re feeling fraught or agitated. A harmony of citrus and floral notes, its delicate, comforting scent can be used to a moment of tranquillity and clarity during your nighttime routine. Our own Neroli Essential Oil is distilled from the delicate flowers of the bitter orange blossom tree just 24 hours after being picked.
6. Vetiver Vetiveria Zizanoides
Likened to the smell of the soil in a forest, vetiver has a deep, earthy, woody aroma and deeply calming, centring, and grounding properties. Try inhaling our Vetiver Essential Oil before bed if you’re feeling wired, overwhelmed, or physically, emotionally, and mentally burnt out.
7. Ylang Ylang Cananga Odorata
We’ve all heard the expression ‘never go to bed angry’. Intensely floral, sweet, and spicy, ylang ylang essential oil is often used in yoga or meditation practices and can help to slow the breath and inspire moments of calm, especially when we’re feeling tense or frustrated. Our incarnation is distilled from dozens of delicate flowers, hand-picked for us in Madagascar.
8. Clary Sage Salvia Sclarea
Well-known for its balancing effects, Clary Sage Essential Oil has an earthy, herbaceous, and sweetly musky aroma which is said to bring long-lasting inner tranquillity. Useful for moments of mental fatigue, it steadies the calms the mind whilst dispelling feelings of melancholy. Just what’s needed on nights where the mind just won’t switch off.
9. Marjoram Sweet Origanum Majorana
Marjoram Sweet Essential Oil has an aromatic or herbaceous aroma, with an underlying warm spiciness. It’s indicated for times when you’re feeling tired but too wired to sleep, and – most importantly – is said to be a natural aid for insomnia, nightmares, or other sleep disorders, thanks to its nurturing, restorative and calming scent.
You can find our full range of essential oils and blends here – but if you’re not sure where to start, why not pay a visit to one of our stores? You can try our essential oils in person or enjoy a complimentary aromatherapy consultation with a member of our team.