When you have trouble sleeping, your mind and body may work together to keep you awake.
However, knowing what essential oils to use for sleep can help you come up with recipes that have been shown to help you relax.
Today's recipe is a DIY essential oil linen mist that works in several ways: calm your mind and release tension in your body (relaxing muscles and calming nerves).
How do sleep essential oils help you relax?
The essential oils in this linen mist recipe are rich in several well-researched, relaxing ingredients:
- Linalool – When I use essential oils to sleep, I often reach for the ones that are rich in linalool. This is probably the most researched essential oil component with a long list of calming effects! It calms the muscles, reduces inflammation, relieves tension, calms the nervous system, relieves anxiety and much more.
- d-Limonene – D-limonene is contained in all citrus oils and has been shown to relieve muscle tension. Studies from 2006, 2007, and 2012 showed that they can help reduce anxious feelings and allow positive emotions to flow through the body. This is why citrus oils are so useful for people struggling with chronic melancholy or restlessness.
Two essential oils for sleeping!
I'm making this linen mist recipe with Tamala (rich in Linalool) and Sweet Orange (rich in D-limes).
Tamala oil has a very unique scent! It's warm, similar to cinnamon, but softer. (It doesn't have a strong, tangy edge of cinnamon, so it's more relaxing.) Sweet orange gives the tamala a fresh, sparkling note.
Soft cinnamon and oranges? I already feel more relaxed!
Linalool & Lime Linen Fog for Sleeping
- 60 ml frankincense hydrosol (Boswellia carterii)
- 14 drops of Tamala essential oil (Cinnamomum tamala ct.Linalool)
- 10 drops of sweet orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis)
- 4 ml of Solubol
Make your mixture in a 60 ml bottle.
Combine the hydrosol and essential oils in the bottle, leaving some space to add the solubol. (Solubol is a natural dispersant. Since Hydrosol is water based, essential oils do not stay thoroughly mixed in. The Solubol helps keep the oils dispersed.)
Once all of your ingredients are in the bottle, shake them well and sprinkle them around your bed – under your pillows, on your blankets, and anywhere you'd like the soothing scent of oils to surround you as you dive into them Night. You should shake it well before each use.
Do you want more sleep support?
I love taking a warm bath before bed. Warm water is so therapeutic for loosening muscle tension knots. What if you add a bath salt with essential oils? Bliss!
This bath salt recipe from the Aromahead blog is made with frankincense and Roman chamomile, two other essential oils for sleep that create a calm mood.
What is Frankincense Hydrosol?
The basis for this mixture is frankincense hydrosol, which has a fresh balsamic scent.
Hydrosol is the portion of water-based distillate that is made using the same process as essential oil. During the distillation, frankincense resin is loaded into a still with water. When the still is heated, the water turns into steam and is infused with the water-soluble parts of the incense. When the steam condenses back into water, it still has these properties.
Frankincense hydrosol is relaxing and is also great for skin care.
Good night!
QUOTES
Fukumoto, S., Morishita, A., Furutachi, K., Terashima, T., Nakayama, T. and Yokogoshi, H. (2007) Effect of flavor components in lemon essential oil on physical or psychological stress. Stress and Health 24, 1, 3-12.
Lima, NG, de Souza, DP, Pimenta, FC, Alves, MF, de Souza, FS (2012a) in Food and Plants. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 103, 450-450; 454
Buchbauer, G., Jirovetz, L., Jäger, W., Plank, C. and Dietrich, H. (1993) Fragrances and essential oils with calming effects when inhaled. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 82, 6, 660-664.
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