10 of the Best Essential Oils for Sleeping

Sleep something we all need, yet so many of us struggle with getting enough. When I discovered there were essential oils that could help me sleep, well, you can bet I jumped right on that train!  Check out some of the best essential oils for sleeping through the night, and falling asleep.

This post contains affiliate links.  Please see our full disclosure policy here.

I’ve always had weird sleep issues. I remember being a teenager and when someone asked me how I was I always answered “tired”. It wasn’t an exaggeration. I WAS always tired.

When I was in my early 20s I could never get enough sleep. I never felt rested. It didn’t matter how many hours I slept, I was always tired.

And then I had kids.

At that point I basically decided I was never going to feel well rested and I should just give up on the idea.

My babies were never the babies that slept through the night. When our first was born she finally slept through the night at 10 months. I thought that was a long time considering how everyone else I had talked to seemed to see a full night’s sleep long before 10 months.

However, I had no idea what I was in for with my next two babies. 🙂

My second took two years to sleep through the night, and we won’t talk about how my youngest still gets up at age 7.

Mix that in with a bathroom break or two I need in the middle of the night, and some super vivid dreams, as well as having my to-do list run through my mind the minute I hit the pillow and it’s understandable that good sleep isn’t something that happens for me.

Maybe when the kids move out, right?

I know I’m not alone in this. I talk to people all the time who say they struggle to get good, adequate sleep. A lot of us are walking around feeling so tired trying to keep up with life.

I’ve learned that if I am proactive about doing things to help me sleep I am in for a better night. Heck, sometimes, if I actually go to bed at a decent time I now wake up well-rested!

Essential oils are an amazing aid in helping you sleep. However, I am going to say that you want to do a few things to allow those essential oils to have a better chance of sending you off into a peaceful sleep.  If I am chugging coffee at 9 p.m. no essential oil, heck – no superpower is going to send me off to a restful sleep.

The first, most important thing you need to do is to go to bed at a DECENT time.  Midnight is not a decent time. 

I am horrible for this. There’s just so much to do and my kids go to bed later than they used to as they get older. That time after they go to bed is time for me to get done as much as I can without distractions.

Unfortunately, in an effort to do that I often stay up way later than should, and if I am being honest, I don’t get much done anyways because by that time I am exhausted.  My late night hours are not very productive.  Yet, for some strange reason unbeknownst to me, I continue to do it.

You can’t expect to stay up half the night and then take some supplements, and diffuse some oils and to feel good as new the next day. You might fair a little better than if you DIDN’T have those extra things to help you, but you are still going to struggle the next day. So, make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time.

The other thing I would say is to avoid eating before bed. Now, you might be one of the lucky ones who can eat before bed and feel just fine. My husband is that way. However, if I eat before bed I feel absolutely sick the next day. Our bodies struggle to digest the food properly when we eat before bed.

If you are struggling to sleep, another thing you can do, aside from the above tips and diffusing essential oils, is to take some magnesium. Magnesium helps many people get a better night’s sleep.  Make sure to talk to your doctor about it first though, cause I ain’t no doctor.  I know, surprising, isn’t it? 🙂 I am just an average person sharing my own personal experiences.

COUGHING AT NIGHT? THERE’S AN OIL TO HELP YOU ALL SLEEP WITH THAT TOO.

My husband recently had a cold (and ladies, I can’t be the only one who struggles to sleep when their husband is coughing all night) and so I put eucalyptus in our diffuser and that really minimized the coughing fits and we both were able to sleep better – I did NOT have to resort to the couch. 😉  I’d say that is a win.

WHERE TO APPLY ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SLEEP

So, let’s talk about what essential oils you should use to help you sleep. A diffuser is the best way to use essential oils at bedtime, but if you don’t have a diffuser you can put about ten drops with some water in a small spritzer bottle and spray on your pillow.

You can also rub a drop of essential oils on the bottom of your feet to help you sleep. Some essential oils are a little too strong to use without a carrier oil, so if in doubt use something like coconut oil with the essential oil.

If you are interested in what brand of oils I prefer you can check that information out here.

BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT AND FALLING ASLEEP

 

1. Lavender.

Okay, let’s talk first about the most common one that probably comes as no surprise to you. Lavender essential oil has actually been through a few studies on how it affects sleep and the studies offered positive results when it came to using lavender essential oil as a sleeping aid. My daughter loves to use this one to fall asleep to.

2. Cedarwood.

I love cedarwood for it’s woodsy scent. Maybe it’s the country girl in me, but this one is a great essential oil to use that promotes a peaceful sleep. Cedarwood also can help you unwind before bed. Diffuse this one in the evening for sure.

3. Bergamot.

A lot of the citrus essential oils are used to help perk you up in the morning, but bergamot can also help you calm down at bedtime too. I love how versatile so many of these essential oils are!

4. Ylang Ylang.

This essential oil has a nice floral scent to it and is perfect to use at bedtime because it is known to help reduce hypertension, anxiety, and stress. I don’t know about you, but those are all things that keep me up at night!

5. Sandalwood.

Sandalwood essential oil is another woodsy oil. Sandalwood can reduce restlessness which is one of those key issues that keeps many people up at night! It has a mild sedative effect.

6. Roman Chamomile.

When most people think chamomile, they think tea. However, tea isn’t the only way you can enjoy the benefits of chamomile. This essential oil is known for possibly reducing insomnia and anxiety and promoting healthy sleep.

7. Marjoram.

Not just for cooking, marjoram essential oil is another great oil to promote some good ole’ decent sleep.

8. Neroli.

Neroli essential oil has a calming, sweet and spicy aroma that helps promote relaxation. It may help with insomnia.

9. Clary Sage.

Clary sage essential oil may promote feelings of relaxation which can aid in a peaceful sleep.

10. Frankincense.

Frankincense essential oil is one of the most popular oils for all that it can help with. It’s so versatile. It’s great for helping strengthen your immune system, and so if you are struggling to sleep because you are fighting off an illness, frankincense is the one to reach for.

ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS CAN HELP TOO

Aside from the single essential oils that can help you sleep, there are many different essential oil blends you can get that can promote healthy sleep. A blended essential oil just has a few different oils mixed together in one bottle.

I personally adore my blends and I use two of them at night. My first go-to to diffuse every night is called Serenity, which is a blend of lavender, cedarwood, ylang ylang, roman chamomile, and vetiver. Sometimes I like to also add in my second favorite blended oil called Balance which is a blend of frankincense, blue tansy flower, chamomile, and a few others.

Looking for a blend to help you sleep? Try this in your diffuser:

3 drops of lavender

2 drops of cedarwood

2 drops of frankincense

 

GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP TONIGHT

So, as you can see, there are so many great essential oils for sleep.

I know how hard it can be to struggle with exhaustion. That’s why I started using essential oils for sleep.  Try using some of these best essential oils for sleeping to help you too.