Sleep troubles are the reason why so many of us dipped our toes into the world of essential oils. Whether it be racing thoughts, anxiety, restlessness, interrupted sleep, or even hormonal issues, the struggle is real. I think it is safe to say that we all have, at some point, looked for support in regards to healthy sleep patterns.
Sleep routines and support, involve so much more than a simple bottle of Lavender for some of us. There can be various contributing factors and the versatility of essential oils allow us to create personalized routines to meet our needs.
Before we dive into routines and recipes, let's chat about the oils we tend to think of when we think of a goodnight's sleep. Tree oils always come to mind! They are warm, cozy, and grounding. Some of my favorites are Northern Lights Black Spruce, Cypress, Pine, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Grounding, and Sacred Mountain. There are also some popular floral scents that tend to calm an anxious mind! Lavender, Valerian, Roman Chamomile, Clary Sage, German Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, and Geranium. Vetiver, Valor, Stress Away, Tranquil, Peace and Calming, Gentle Baby, and Rutavala. I always recommend picking 1-2 good blends and 2 single oils to layer and create a sleep routine with!
At our house, we TRY ( it can be hard), to promote a sense of calm before it is even time for bed! I tend to grab some comforting oils to diffuse right after dinner. A grounding aroma helps to signal the mind that it is the day's end and it is time to chill. This is great if you are prepping kiddos for bed, cleaning the kitchen, or just lounging and watching some TV. I like to call these our " After Dinner" diffuser blends. Here are a few that we tend to rotate between.
3 Peace and Calming, 3 Orange 3 Cedarwood
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3 Valor, 3 Frank, 4 Bergamot
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3 Rosemary, 4 Cedarwood, 3 Lavender
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3 Thieves, 2 Northern Lights Black Spruce, 2 Roman Chamomile
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3 Grounding, 3 Orange, 3 Bergamot
Do you see how I start with a few drops of a blend and then layer my singles with it? I have found that to be key in creating so many blends!
Next up, pre-bed.
Has it has been an REALLY long day? Do you have some kids that can't seem to stop bouncing off the walls? Are you worried about something or feeling anxious? Consider pausing your usual night time routine and taking some time for an Rest Easy Soak! You will need Epsom salt for this. If you want to take it up a notch, grab some baking soda while you are at it. ( thank you Jessica Davis for this recipe!)
Gift idea alert!
This is for a larger batch! Store it in a jar and have it ready to go for those nights when you don't have the energy to do anything extra :) If you find yourself scrambling, just grab 1/4 Epsom salt, add your oils (4-5 drops total), and soak!
1C Epsom salt
1/4C sea salt
1/4C baking soda
15-25 drops Essential Oils ( cut in half for the kiddos)
Favorite oil combinations for a relaxing bath!
Stress Away, Lavender, Orange
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Valor, Frank, Copaiba
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Peace and Calming, Lavender
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Roman Chamomile, Lavender
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Clary Sage, Vetiver, Orange
In preparation to lay your head down, I recommend creating a pillow/linen Spray! Another gift alert! This allows you to use your oils aromatically x2 if you also plan to run your diffuser. Not to mention, the oils can work their magic on anything that may be lingering on your sheets. For the kiddos, we call this "No More Monster" spray or " Sweet Dreams" spray. If you have never created one, you are missing out! Here is our favorite recipe:
2 ounce spray bottle (find here)
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Cedarwood
10 drops Orange
Top with witch hazel and spritz linens before bed! Tie a bow around the top and give as a gift. Have guests coming? Create one for them and leave by their bedside!
Time to prep that diffuser in the bedroom! I recommend doing this about 30 minutes before you hit the hay. This allows the blend time to make it's way through the air. Try using the same strategy as above when creating your blend. You will also want to turn the diffuser to the intermittent setting before you fall asleep to ensure that your diffuser runs all night long. Also, do not forget to turn that light on your diffuser off.
Favorite "Shut Eye" diffuser blends:
4 Stress Away, 2 Vetiver, 4 Bergamot
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3 Peace and Calming, 4 Bergamot, 3 Cedarwood
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2 Northern Lights Black Spruce, 2 Frankincense, 4 Lavender
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2 Clary Sage, 2 Cypress, 2 Cedarwood, 1 Vetiver
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3 Gentle Baby, 4 Orange, 2 Frankincense
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3 Valor, 2 Cypress, 4 Lavender
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2 Sacred Mountain, 1 Vetiver, 2 Northern Lights Black Spruce, 2 Bergamot, 2 Orange
Right before you lay your head down, grab a roller or your favorite calming oils and use them topically. There are some wonderful roll-ons available through Young Living, if you are not interested in creating your own. There is Tranquil, Valor, Peace and Calming, and RutaVala ( this one works really well for us). I recommend massaging your bedtime blend into the bottoms of your feet and the back of your neck. If I am really loving the aroma, I will often apply to my wrists. If you would prefer to create your own roll-ons ( another great gift idea), you can find the rollers here.
Favorite Bedtime Roll-On blends: ( top with liquid carrier oil once oils are added to the bottle)
10 Vetiver, 20 Lavender, 10 Bergamot
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20 Valor, 10 Orange, 10 Northern Lights Black Spruce
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10 Grounding, 10 Roman Chamomile, 10 Cedarwood
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15 drops Cedarwood, Lavender, and Orange
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15 Stress Away, 5 Vetiver, 15 Lavender
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10 drops Clary Sage, 5 drops Cedarwood, 10 drops Bergamot, 5 Northern Lights Black Spruce
And the holy grail of all the calming blends....LIQUID CHILL ROLLER
50 Lavender, 30 Valor, 30 Stress Away, 15 Patchouli, 15 Vetiver
Dilute with 40 drops of carrier oil in a 15 mL bottle are roller fitment cap.
When you get a new oil and you fall in love, you start to think of all the ways you can incorporate this oil into your routine! Take a look at this blend....
Coriander, Geranium, Lavender, Palmarosa, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Lemon, Roman Chamomile, Jasmine, and Rose.
Gentle Baby isn't a new oil to me but it is has been absent from my shelves for some time now. When I saw it being offered as a 15 mL, I jumped at the chance to order it. Well, this gem arrived yesterday and only happy thoughts came to mind when I cracked open the bottle. I thought about all of the ways I used this oil with my boys when they were itty bitty. I also remembered how much I loved this oil for myself when I learned to layer it with some of my favorite oils.
Everyone should have this oil! Even if florals aren't your thing, the benefits of this oil are endless and we can balance that floral aroma for you!!
Here are some of my favorite ways to use this oil:
- -Create a linen spray. If it is for a crib, layer it with Lavender and Frank. If it is for an adult, layer it with Cedarwood, Lavender, and Orange.
- -Add this to your dryer balls. Even if it is just for your load of sheets.
- -New mamas, create a roller and apply to clavicle while you are trying to rock your baby to sleep.
- -For babies: Add a drop to bath water for a calming environment before bed. For adults: Create bath salts with Gentle Baby, Lemon, and Lavender for a skin spoiling, refreshing bath.
- -Create a soothing balm with coconut oil, Gentle Baby, and Purification. You can use this on irritated skin, rashes, or problem areas. Ratios will vary for kids and adults.
- -Add this to your skincare routine. Add to your moisturizer or create a serum.
- -Create a nasal inhaler to carry with you. My kids hated their car seats. This would have been perfect to wave under their nose when they were agitated.
- -Create a refreshing room spray and layer Gentle Baby with all of your favorite citrus oils!
- -Create a perfume! wear on your diffuser jewelry.
- -Add to your lotion for a light floral aroma and reap all of the benefits of the Coriander, Geranium, Lavender, Palmarosa, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Lemon, Roman Chamomile, Jasmine, and Rose.
Favorite diffuser blends:
Gentle Baby, Cedarwood, Orange
Gentle Baby, Purification, Lemon
Gentle Baby, Grapefruit, Spearmint
Gentle Baby, Lavender
Gentle Baby, Northern Lights Black Spruce, Grapefruit
Gentle Baby, Lemon Myrtle, Cedarwood
Gentle Baby, Stress Away, Lemon
This gem is available in a 15 mL bottle through the end of the month! Do not miss out!!
What are your favorite ways to use this oil?
