The best essential oils for sleep you can buy in 2019
PEOPLE will do anything in the quest for a good night’s sleep, including picking up essential oils.
Different scents can have sleep benefits, as well as lowering anxiety and reducing stress – so we’ve rounded up the best essential oils for sleep to offer inspiration.
If you’re new to essential oils, you’ll be pleased to hear they’ve been proven to have various benefits.
Studies have found that inhalation of essential oils can help with mild sleep disturbances, while blended essential oils can be particularly effective in improving sleep quality.
While essential oils can be used as a complementary therapy to ease depressive symptoms, aromatherapy oils are now considered a viable form of pain relief in childbirth.
The most common essential oil associated with sleep and relaxation is lavender, which has anxiety-reducing and sedative effects.
Lavender has also been proven to improve sleep quality and length of sleep.
Vetiver oil is another favourite for helping with sleep, and has even been known to help those with insomnia.
You can rub it on the bottom of your feet to help ensure you get a restful night full of ZZZs.
In addition to inhaling essential oils and releasing them in a diffuser, one of the loveliest ways they can be used is in the bath.
The temperature changes during and after a bath (your temperature rises during the bath and then drops down after), can contribute to improving sleep quality.
Here’s our selection of the best essential oils for sleep available today.
1. Aromatherapy Associates’ Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil
- Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil, £49 for 55ml from Aromatherapy Associates – buy here
This multi-award winning product is the most gorgeous, sublimely relaxing addition to your pre-bed bathtime routine.
It contains vetiver, chamomile and sandalwood scents to calm, soothe and comfort, encouraging a night of restorative sleep (founder Geraldine Howard created it to help her cope with her own insomnia).
The general consensus? This bath oil is “luxurious,” “relaxing,” “velvety smooth” and “aids restful sleep.”
As one reviewer writes: “This amazing oil really does work. My skin feels incredibly soft and a restful night’s sleep follows the bath time ritual. Just heavenly. Such a treat and worth every penny.”
2. Neal’s Yard Aromatherapy Blend – Night Time
- Aromatherapy Blend – Night Time, £15.50 from Neal’s Yard Remedies – buy here
Neal’s Yard is known as the go-to destination for natural remedies and essential oils for any ailment.
This relaxing, sleep-inspiring blend contains lavender, vetiver and delicious rose to encourage sleep and calm the mind’s restless thoughts.
You can use it in a diffuser or burner or inhale the scent.
From those struggling with sleep as the result of going through the menopause to insomniacs, this product has many devotees.
3. This Works Choose Sleep Set
- This Works Choose Sleep, £10 for 5ml from Space NK – buy here
This limited-edition set from This Works is a travel-bag essential for those of us who suffer from sleep issues when travelling.
It comes with a mini Deep Sleep pillow spray, a combination of lavender, vetiver and wild chamomile essential oils you can spritz on the pillow before settling down to bed, as well as a Stress Check roll-on.
With eucalyptus, frankincense and lavender essential oils, it can help you feel more at ease or sooth insomnia and anxiety.
So it works just as well before a big client presentation as it does before bed (just roll it onto your pressure points).
One user said: “It’s been a favourite of mine for a few years now. A great way to help you drift off.
2This set is great also for people wanting to test whether you want to commit to buying the full size products.”
4. Cowshed Sleepy Cow Calming Pillow Mist Spray
- Sleepy Cow, £10.24 from John Lewis – buy here
If you’re not into the lavender-based products often used in sleep-based aromatherapy essential oil products, then checkout Cowshed’s citrusy sleep spray.
With Melissa and Lemon Myrtle essential oils and St John’s Wort and Lady’s Mantle extracts, it can be used on the skin or sprayed on your pillow before bed.
One user said: “I got this as a free sample on a 8 hour flight. Two sprays of this mist on my pillow every couple of hours made my flight a completely new experience.
“I slept for about 4 hours and was able to check a book off my list. When I landed I immediately purchased the full size and I am never looking back!”
5. Tisserand Sleep Better Roller Ball
- Tisserand Sleep Better Roller Ball, £6.77 for 10ml from Amazon – buy here
This vegan roll-on from aromatherapy award-winner Tisserand contains lavender, sandalwood and jasmine to comfort and relax.
Apply to pulse points behind the ears, on the temples, wrists and at the nape of the neck to help drift off.
It’s also the ideal size to throw in your travel bag to help with sleep on business travel or holiday.
One user said: “It’s really easy to apply to certain pressure points located on the upper body and it smells fantastic, it’s so relaxing and it entices a slight calmness to ensure your brain is relaxed and ready for a good night’s sleep. Highly recommend this product!”
6. Anjou Essential Oils Set
- Anjou Essential Oils Set, £14.99 for 12 5ml oils from Amazon – buy here
Essential oils can be pricey, and this well-reviewed starter set from Anjou is good value for money and also allows you to test out a few different oils to see which you find most relaxing.
The set includes Lavender, known for its sleep-enhancing properties, as well as mood-boosting Frankincense, in addition to oils like Cinnamon, Lemon and Ylang Ylang.
You can release them in a diffuser, use them for massage when mixed with a carrier oil or enjoy them in the bath.
7. Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Sleep Time Bath and Massage Oil
- Aurelia Probiotic Skincare, £28 for 50ml from Space NK – buy here
Parents will try anything to help ease their children’s sleep and get them sleeping well through the night.
This bio-organic oil can be used in the bath or directly on the skin and features nourishing coconut, sweet almond, starflower, jojoba and camellia oils as well as calming chamomile, linden blossom and lavender.
Not only is it designed for delicate baby skin, but adults find it works for them, too: “I used this product for over a year and I can see a visible difference in my sleep routine and cannot live without it.
Although I am not a child I use it for my bath or on my temples and pulse points before bed and it helps me unwind and fall asleep. It has pure organic oils and it has soothing effects as well,” a fan wrote.
8. Neom Tranquillity Scented Candle
- Tranquillity Scented Candle, £32 from Neom – buy here
There are different ways to enjoy the benefits of essential oils.
If you find sensory therapy via candles relaxing, then Neom’s Scent To Sleep Tranquility candle is just the ticket.
The brand says 88 per cent of users have improved sleep after using their sleep-specific products, which include this natural wax candle with English lavender, sweet basil, jasmine and 16 other essential oils, designed to optimise relaxation and prepare the body and mind for sleep ahead.
One user said; “From first sniff I feel calmer, more relaxed, and ready to unwind after a busy day.
The English Lavender is heavenly (which is praise indeed as I am usually not a fan of Lavender). The fragrance fills the room and really lingers. I’m so happy with this candle.”
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