The Best Essentials Oils for Insomnia

Do you get enough sleep?

Sleep is the one thing we spend about one-third of our lives doing, but rarely think about- unless you can’t sleep. The Centers of Disease Control recommend the average adult get around 8 hours of sleep per night, but about 30% of adults report getting less than 6 hours.  Sleep is essential to life.  Not only does getting a good night’s sleep help you feel more alert and energized, but it is also the time when your body does its “routine maintenance” of hormone release and cell repair. In fact, a person can actually die of sleep deprivation faster than they can of food starvation!

Not getting enough sleep can have dire consequences for your health and performance. Those who consistently do not get enough good sleep are far more likely to have a poor immune system, heart problems, diabetes, weight gain, bone loss and depression because rest affects every physiologic function of the body.  In addition, being sleep deprived makes a person much more likely to have an accident by either falling asleep at the wheel or by impairing their ability to think quickly while driving.

What can you do?

There are several things one can do to encourage a good environment for healthy sleep, like keeping the bedroom dark and quiet, not using electronics right before bed (the bright screen is too stimulating), and avoiding caffeine several hours before bedtime. One thing people generally overlook is the power of essential oils to encourage deep, restful sleep. Herbalists and healers have been using plants since ancient times for any number of remedies, but the ancient Egyptians were the first to distill parts of plants into potent essential oils.  Here are 5 of the best essential oils to help you get a good nights’ sleep:

Lavender Oil- Lavender is a good multi-purpose herb that is commonly used for rest and relaxation.

Roman Chamomile Oil- Chamomile is another multi-purpose herb that reduces anxiety which can interrupt sleep patterns.

Clary Sage Oil- Clary Sage is most commonly used for balancing hormones and relaxing muscles.

Neroli Oil-Neroli oil comes from orange blossoms and its sweet, relaxing scent is the base for many perfumes.

Vetiver Oil- Vetiver oil comes from the root of the grass-like vetiver plant native to India, and its rich, earthy scent is used to help one feel more grounded.

The best and safest way to use essential oils for sleep is by using a diffuser from BalticEssentials.com that mixes the oils with a fine steam mist. Simply place the diffuser on the nightstand, add some water and a few drops of oil and drift off to dreamland. Not only can the essential oils create a good environment for falling asleep, they can help you stay asleep as well so that you can be 100% rested the whole night through.