Throughout most of this blog, we’ve discussed things you can do during the day to help you sleep better. Some of our posts talk about things you can do when you’re already in bed, such as using apps to help you fall asleep.
Another thing you can do while you’re sleeping is to surround yourself with the right fragrances in the form of essential oils. Yes, some fragrances are known to have a soothing effect when you sniff them, so scenting your room with them can help set a calmer environment. Essential oil aromatherapy has been used worldwide for several purposes besides sleep, such as energizing oneself, relieving stress, improving digestion, boosting immunity, and several others.
Many body care companies have recognized the benefits of essential oils and frequently incorporate them into their lotions, shower gels, shampoos, and other products. Even if you don’t have any of these products, you can add essential oil drops in your bath or liquid soaps. So whether you’re using a wall plugin, a vaporizer, a room spray, or a reed diffuser, here are some scents you should consider plugging in to better sleep:
1. Lavender
Lavender is probably the most common essential oil you’ll see in anything labeled as a sleep aid. Just one sniff will have you understanding why: the scent is just relaxing on its own.
If stress is an issue keeping you awake, lavender has been proven to correlate with lower stress levels. In that study, exposure to the scent of lavender decreased pain response from having needles inserted! So imagine what it can do for aches, bruises, and possibly even the mental pain of life’s stresses. It’s also been linked to improving the quality of sleep as well.
2. Vanilla
Vanilla is a popular ingredient in mainstream perfumes for a reason. It’s sweet, familiar, and comforting. Researchers have found that the scent of vanilla has helped people feel more happy and relaxed. After all, vanilla is associated with expensive fragrances and yummy desserts from worldwide! Just make sure you aren’t too hungry before spraying some vanilla-heavy perfume on your pillow before going to bed.
3. Jasmine
Like vanilla, jasmine is a popular ingredient in niche and mainstream fragrances. If you don’t know what it smells like, you’ve probably smelled it before, even in-house cleaning sprays. Jasmine is also a popular ingredient in teas, so sipping on a caffeine-free jasmine tea might also make a difference. A jasmine plant also makes an aesthetically pleasing decoration if you have some space to spare.
4. Chamomile
If you look at what drinks are recommended for sleep, chamomile tea tends to be up there. We’ve written about it before on our blog. If you look at bath and body products, chamomile is a popular ingredient to pair with lavender for a calming aromatherapy experience. Chamomile has even been used to treat nightmares and insomnia and has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and boost sleep quality.