Essential Oils to Use for Sleep: A Linen Mist Recipe
If you have trouble sleeping, it can feel like your mind and body are working together to keep you awake.
But if you know which essential oils to use for sleep, you can make recipes that are proven to help you relax.
Today's recipe is a DIY essential oil linen mist that works in several ways: soothing your mind and releasing tension from your body (relaxing muscles and calming nerves).
How do essential oils for sleep help you relax?
The essential oils in this linen mist recipe are rich in a few well-studied, relaxing components:
Linalool - When I use essential oils for sleep, I often reach for those rich in linalool. This is probably the most researched essential oil component, with a looong list of soothing effects! It calms muscles, reduces inflammation, releases tension, settles the nervous system, eases anxiety, and more.
d-Limonene - Present in all citrus oil, d-limonene is proven to ease muscle tension. And studies in 2006, 2007, and 2012 showed that it can help reduce anxious feelings and get positive emotions flowing through the body. That's why citrus oils are so useful for people struggling with chronic melancholy or restlessness.
Two essential oils to use for sleep!
I'm making this linen mist recipe with Tamala (rich in linalool) and Sweet Orange (rich in d-limonene).
Tamala oil has a very unique scent! It's warm, similar to Cinnamon, but softer. (It doesn't have Cinnamon's bold, spicy edge, so it's more relaxing.) Sweet Orange adds a fresh, sparkly note to the Tamala.
Soft cinnamon and oranges? I'm feeling more relaxed already!
Linalool & Limonene Linen Mist for Sleep
2 oz (60 ml) Frankincense hydrosol (Boswellia carterii)
14 drops Tamala essential oil (Cinnamomum tamala ct. linalool)
10 drops Sweet Orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis)
4 ml Solubol
Make your blend in a 2 oz (60 ml) bottle.
Combine the hydrosol and essential oils in the bottle, making sure to leave a little room to add the Solubol. (Solubol is a natural dispersant. Since hydrosol is water-based, essential oils won't stay thoroughly mixed into it. The Solubol helps keep the oils dispersed.)
Once all your ingredients are in the bottle, give it a good shake and mist around your bed—under your pillow, on top of your blankets, and anywhere you'd like the comforting scent of oils to surround you as you tuck yourself in for the night. You'll want to shake it well before each use.
Want even more sleep support?
I love taking a warm bath before bedtime. Warm water is so therapeutic for working knots of tension out of muscles. And when you add an essential oil bath salt? Bliss!
This bath salt recipe from The Aromahead Blog is made with Frankincense and Roman Chamomile, two more essential oils for sleep that create a tranquil mood.
What's Frankincense hydrosol?
The base for this blend is Frankincense hydrosol, which has a fresh, balsamic scent.
Hydrosol is the water-based portion of the distillate, produced during the same process as an essential oil. During distillation, Frankincense resin is loaded into a still with water. When the still is heated, the water becomes steam and is infused with the water-soluble parts of the Frankincense. As the steam condenses back into the water, it's still infused with these properties.
Frankincense hydrosol is relaxing, and it's great for skin care too.
Nighty-night!
REFERENCES
Fukumoto, S., Morishita, A., Furutachi, K., Terashima, T., Nakayama, T. and Yokogoshi, H. (2007) Effect of flavour components in lemon essential oil on physical or psychological stress. Stress and Health 24, 1, 3-12.
Lima, N.G., de Souza, D.P., Pimenta, F.C., Alves, M.F., de Souza, F.S., (2012a) Anxiolytic-like activity and GC-MS analysis of (R)-(+)-limonene fragrance, a natural compound found in foods and plants. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 103, 450-454.
Buchbauer, G., Jirovetz, L., Jager, W., Plank, C. and Dietrich, H. (1993) Fragrance compounds and essential oils with sedative effects upon inhalation. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 82, 6, 660-664.
