Essential Oils and a Restful Night’s Sleep

Did you know that 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep?  This is a statistic directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society has recommended that adults, aged 18-60 years, sleep at least 7 hours each night in order to promote health and well-being. 

Getting less than the recommended amount of sleep on average can lead to increased risk of obesity, depression, loss of sex drive, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and mental distress just to name a few.

Surprisingly, 37.9% of adults have reported unintentionally falling asleep during the day at least once in the previous month.  Even worse, drowsy driving is responsible for 1,550 fatalities and 40,000 non-fatal injuries annually in the United States!  A lack of sleep can also cause your immune system to have trouble fighting common infections.  
So how can we help our body get enough sleep? 

​Turning off electronic devices before bed and regular exercise can help the mind relax, but what if that isn’t enough?  Essential oils such as Lavender, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Stress Away, and Frankincense can promote relaxation and a better night’s sleep.  In fact, Lavender and Vetiver were my conversion oils.  I first started using essential oils thanks to this blend to help me fall asleep and stay asleep longer.  They made me a believer in the power of essential oils.
​
Lavender has natural calming and sedative properties.  Some studies have shown that Lavender can decrease heart rate and blood pressure, and therefore putting your body into a more relaxed state.  Smelling Lavender before bed can give you a deeper sleep, and feel more vigorous in the morning.  Lavender is also very safe to use on the bottoms of children’s feet.

Vetiver oil is often used for its amazing calming properties.  It has a way of relieving anxious feelings and anger, which can be directly related to sleep quality.  I recommend Vetiver in all of my sleep blends for its extremely grounding properties. 

Cedarwood essential oil is one of the most cost effective essential oils for sleep.  Its woodsy aroma is very comforting.  If you aren’t keen on the scent, mix it with some other essential oils like Lavender.  In fact, my favorite seep blend consists of Lavender, Vetiver, and Cedarwood in a roller bottle!

Stress Away essential oil blend is exclusive to Young Living.  It includes Copaiba, Lime, Cedarwood, Ocotea, Lavender, and Vanilla.  This oil does just what you would expect it to.  After a long day at work it is a great stress reliever before bed. 
​
Frankincense essential oil is an ancient oil.  Given by the Wise Men to baby Jesus, this oil is as good as gold!  Not only is the smell amazing, but the sedative properties help the mind relax and balance emotions.
 
Using Essential Oils
 
Any of these oils can be used topically or aromatically in a diffuser.  In fact, some of my best night’s sleep has come after using essential oils in both of these ways. 

To use topically, I prefer to use a roller bottle and rub the selected oils on the back of my neck and the bottom of my feet. Be sure to read the label to determine if the oil should be diluted.  I always recommend diluting essential oils with coconut oil for children.

For diffusing, I love to use Young Living’s Dew Drop Diffuser that came with my Premium Starter Kit.  The Kit comes with the diffuser, as well as 11 other essential oils, including Lavender, Stress Away, and Frankincense for a great night’s sleep!   

The Premium Starter Kit is the best way to get started with using essential oils around your home and it is how I started as well!  You can order your kit here or message me on Facebook at Amanda Jayne Oils & Fitness.  Happy oiling!

---

About our author: Amanda ​Kirchmeyer

“I am still amazed at how much essential oils can improve our lives!  It seems like every day during my research I find additional benefits of using them in day to day life.  What’s even better is that first time you use an oil in a new way and being blown away at how well it worked.  My fiancé won’t even let me go to bed without setting up our diffuser to help us sleep better or to relieve his allergies! My sister was also diagnosed with MS almost ten years ago and I love sharing new information with her and helping her on her journey.  Watching Young Living make a difference in someone else’s life is ten times more fulfilling compared to experiencing it for yourself.  This is the main reason I decided to become a wellness coach.” ​