Cedar Citrus Bath Salts Help You Sleep when You Have a Cold

A bath when a cold keeps you up

Cedarwood and sweet orange bath salts, mixed into one jar and added to a warm bath before bed. That is the whole idea, and it is a good one for a night when a cold will not let you rest.

Being unwell brings a feeling of being stuck. A cold adds its own discomfort on top, and the small comforts of a normal day feel harder to reach. Sleep is often the first thing to slip away.

The warm water soothes aching muscles and releases tension. It brings a sense of calm along with it. And the aromatic compounds from the oils can help clear blocked sinuses, so breathing gets easier. Easier breathing makes it easier to sleep.

Why cedarwood and sweet orange

Cedarwood is calming, and it has a reputation for helping a busy mind settle at night. Sweet orange brings the lift. It is cold pressed from the rind and smells like fresh sliced fruit, and its d-limonene content can calm both body and mind.

Together they promote relaxation and a sense of happiness before sleep. That is the pairing you want when a cold has worn you thin.

The blend itself stays simple. Five drops total, carried in jojoba, stirred into salt.

Cedar Citrus Bath Salts

Here is the recipe. It fits in a small jar and takes minutes to mix.

• 2 oz (56 gm) pink Himalayan salts
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis)
• 3 drops Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana)
• 2 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)

1. You will need a 2 oz (60 ml) PET plastic jar. Glass is the usual pick for a blend like this, but PET is safer near the tub. It will not shatter if dropped. It is non-reactive, and it does not leach.
2. Pour the pink Himalayan salts into the jar. Any grain of Himalayan salt works in this recipe. Medium grain is the preferred choice.
3. Add the drops of cedarwood and sweet orange to the jojoba oil and stir. Then mix everything into the salts with a glass rod or the handle of a spoon.

Two things to know before you get in

Oils can make the bathtub slippery, so step in with care. If you would rather skip the jojoba, disperse the drops in 1 tablespoon of Castile soap instead, and pour the salt directly into the bathwater.

Never add essential oils straight to the water. They do not dilute in a bath. They float on the surface and then reach your skin undiluted. A carrier takes care of that. There is more detail in the three safe ways to use essential oils in a bath.

One last note. This recipe makes one bath. Mix enough for a few weeks at a time, and a fresh jar is always ready when bedtime comes.

More help sleeping with a cold

A linen spray for your sheets can add to the calm. Our post on the linen spray for sleeping when you have a cold shares a blend of cedarwood, frankincense, lavender, and Roman chamomile in water, spritzed under the pillowcase. Make a fresh bottle every few weeks.

And when you want the fuller answer on bedtime with a cold, the essential oils for sleep field guide gathers the oils, methods, recipes, and safety notes in one place.

Common questions

Can I skip the jojoba and drop the oils in the water?

I would not. Essential oils do not dilute in bath water. They float, and then they reach your skin undiluted. Keep the jojoba in the blend, or disperse the drops in Castile soap instead.

How many drops of essential oil belong in one bath?

Five drops per bath is our suggestion. This recipe follows it, with three drops of cedarwood and two drops of sweet orange.

How long does a jar of bath salts keep?

The recipe makes one bath, so a jar does not sit around long. Mix enough for a few weeks at a time and each bath gets a fresh jar.

More bath blends in Aromatherapy 101

If blending for the tub turns out to be your favorite part, the Aromatherapy 101 course covers ways to use essential oils in a bathing routine. It is our beginner course, and a calm place to keep learning.