Essential Oils for Insomnia and Anxiety

Surely, each of us has some sleepless nights from time to time. And more than we care about how to sleep well at night, harder is to cope with this really annoying problem. Before deciding to take any prescribed medicine, try with natural remedies such as teas or essential oils for insomnia.

Pills can only be a temporary solution, especially during a traumatic period, so herbal teas, essential oils for insomnia and other natural tactics with following some simple rules are the best solution.

Get rid of sleep deprivation with natural remedies such as teas and essential oils for insomnia

Poor sleep and insomnia usually appear due to depression, stress, and anxiety. The brain does not want to calm down, shut off and let us sleep in peace for at least a good six hours to rest. But we can help them a little bit with natural but effective treatments.

Insomnia can occur at any age

Insomnia can occur at any time in life, but it is much more common in older people.

If it lasts for a long time, it can cause memory loss, has a negative effect on the heart and blood vessels and can lead to depression.

What is the main cause of insomnia?

In order to understand what insomnia is and which factors affect sleep, we need to refresh the knowledge of the onset of sleep. In humans and animals, this is conditioned by sunlight.

When the daylight comes, steroid hormones and an adrenaline system begin to emerge, and melatonin is released in the dark. And this exact hormone advances the start of sleep.

Well, millions of years ago, at the time when the human body was formed, sleep was directly associated with natural light, and at the present time a lot of factors affecting our body and sleep process. Due to the use of artificial light in the evening (television, computer, mobile devices), our alertness is prolonged.

In addition to environmental stimuli, with the rhythm of sleep also interfere unhealthy, processed foods with plenty of refined sugars and simple carbohydrates, which above all activate stress hormones.

After an abundant meal, due to the action of insulin and gastrointestinal activity, we become somewhat sleepy, but after a few hours, the energy generated from excessive foods wakes us up and again disturbs our sleep.

Due to poor sleep and waking up at night, we often try to make up for a lack of sleep with afternoon snooze. Again, we interfere with the rhythm of sleep and alertness and fall into a vicious circle.

So before deciding to take synthetic prescribed medicines that relieve lack of sleep problems, rather try with physical activity and natural remedies first. Herbal teas and essential oils for insomnia have the potential to relieve a majority of problems associated with sleep deprivation.

How can I stop my insomnia?

Therefore it is recommended not to eat in the evening after 6 pm.
Instead, we can drink a glass of lukewarm milk, which contains slightly more amino acids of tryptophan before going to bed. This amino acid serves in the body as the precursor to the synthesis of melatonin, which is essential for a good, uninterrupted sleep.
It’s also important to go to sleep at the same time every night and try to get up at the same time.
Avoid sleeping in the afternoon, a short nap (up to 20 minutes) is recommended, which is beneficial to the cardiovascular system, but does not interfere with the rhythm of night sleep.
And last but not least: go out and move as much as possible in the fresh air, at least four times a week take a long and intense walk or a slow run.

Other activities in nature, such as skiing, swimming, mountaineering, cycling, etc., have a very beneficial effect on sleep. But we need to be careful and avoid sports activities just before sleep because the body needs an hour or two to calm down completely.

Essential oils for insomnia

Essential oils for insomnia, as well as essential oils in general, can be very health beneficial and useful – and there are many. Each oil is unique and helps with different health problems.

Don’t worry, I did find effective essential oils for insomnia treatment 🙂

Essential oils are mixtures of compounds found in various parts of some plants. They are concentrated volatile liquids of strong odor, and production requires a lot of experience.

¡There are also synthetic essential oils in the market, which are artificially derived petroleum products and have no special value – they can even be harmful, so make sure you use only 100% natural and pure essential oil!

Aromatherapy, the use of essential oils in healing, is much more than that. It is primarily effective prevention that addresses all aspects of human life that can affect health and is based on the strengthening of the immune system.

Essential oils can be of great help in preventing infections and relieving their symptoms, often even outweighing antibiotics.

Lavender

Lavender is a Mediterranean scented shrub with purple inflorescence. It has a calming effect, it is used against nervousness and anxiety, and it also alleviates muscle pain and repels moths.

To treat insomnia, a drop or two of essential oil of lavender on the pillow will calm you down and help you to catch some zzz’s.

Lavender is a great winner when it comes to oils that help overcome stress and insomnia

Studies and experience have shown that the use of lavender essential oil allows us to fall asleep quickly, while sleeping is quality and calm.

Put a few drops of oil in the evaporator to calm you down.
For this purpose, we choose lavender with the Latin name Lavendula Officinalis (Angustifolia) and not Lavandula Latifolio. The latter is used to concentrate and relieve pain.
It is also a good way to apply a few drops of lavender to the edges of the pillow and thus make it easier for us to fall asleep.

We also recommend jewelry aromatherapy

Lavender is also one of the few oils that can be applied directly to the skin (make the allergy test first). We recommend applying it on wrists, sphenoid area or neck.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is a tree with large leathery leaves and a characteristic woody scent. It is used in stressful situations, in depression and even as an aphrodisiac, and it provides the skin with softness and restores it.

When you cannot sleep, mix a few millimeters of base oil (coconut, sesame, almond…), along with 3-5 drops of essential oils for insomnia of sandalwood and apply it on your feet.

You will notice warm feeling moving up your legs, all the way to the upper part of the body, where it will knock you down and you’ll fall asleep in a second. In addition, you will not have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, as you will be sleeping like an angel till the alarm clock wakes you up.

Caution is the mother of wisdom

Medicines from a home-made pharmacy that contain a variety of essential oils for insomnia (or any kind of essential oils) should be used wisely and on the advice of a qualified aromatherapist.

Although the beneficial effects are significant, the reactions to the aromatic treatment can be very different.

Take into account the following 7 warnings

¡CAUTION!

The use of essential oils is not advisable in infants up to 6 months old

If necessary, during this period, some hydrolysates (diluted) and teas may be used as a substitute for essential oils for insomnia, as ==> Organic Red Tea for Babies. After six months, some oils are already safe to use, but in low concentrations.

Restrictions apply also to elderly, weaken, and pregnant women, as some oils may act abortively and affect the hormonal balance.

Certain essential oils, such as fennel, peppermint, and balm, are not suitable for epileptics.

With glaucoma (increasing pressure in the eyes), oils containing citrate, such as lemon balm (Melissa), Eucalyptus Citriodora, lemongrass … should not be used.

People with high blood pressure (hypertension) should avoid prolonged use of oils prepared from plants that slightly raise the pressure, such as rosemary, laurel, Thymus Vulgaris, salvia, hyssop, and summer savory.

Also, we should be careful when using homeopathic preparations, as peppermint essential oils and Roman chamomile has an impact on their functioning, while most citrus fruits and some other plants, such as angelic, should not be put on the skin that will be exposed to sunlight.

Some essential oils also affect the absorption of conventional medicines.

Therefore the unimpeded use of essential oils is not relevant, especially not in the cold days, when each one of us would like to avoid colds using unconfirmed recipes.

Other natural sleep remedies

Milkshake with bananas

Let’s make a drink from milk, whey protein powders and bananas. We can also add some avocado. A similar effect would be achieved with chocolate, but the side effect of chocolate consumption is excessive kilograms.

It should be noted that in practice, it is not good to enjoy evening meals rich in proteins only (meat), because the blood vessels narrow down due to increased digestion and metabolism. This raises blood pressure. For a good night’s sleep, it has to be slightly lowered.

Magnesium

Magnesium plays a major role in insomnia, especially in women in the menopause.

Take a sufficient dose of magnesium every day!
You can also help with rennet (Ashwagandha), amino acid 5-htp or melatonin (tablets, cream)

To create your own melatonin, make sure that you are in the sunlight in the daytime and sleep in the dark at night.

If you go to the toilet, do anything except turning the lights on! As soon as you turn on the light, you can say goodbye to a production of melatonin – an antioxidant, which is the elixir of life – melatonin!

Warm tea

The best known and accessible way to provide a good sleep is drinking different kinds of tea. Although not all teas are scientifically proven to help, we all know that they can alleviate insomnia problems.

It does not matter whether a real tea helps us to sleep better in or just tea drinking ritual before going to sleep, it is important that we feel good and relaxed. If you use these methods, I recommend sticking with the same kind of tea for at least 3 weeks to see if it really works.

ROOIBOS

We suggest trying with rooibos tea due to its scientifically proven sleep health benefits. Rooibos tea is a safe and effective natural solution for insomnia. It is caffeine-free and contains a very high value of minerals, including magnesium, calcium, manganese, zinc, and iron which stimulates tranquility and relaxation.

Studies have shown that the lack of magnesium can lead to chronic insomnia, among other things. Magnesium, also known as a natural tranquilizer, has a soothing effect on the nervous system, which contributes to better sleep.

With a cup of tea before going to sleep, you will provide your body with the necessary calcium and magnesium for a more peaceful night rest.

CHAMOMILE

Chamomile flower is used in herbal tea to help with sleep, digestive problems, or inflammation of the oral mucosa. Camille essential oil is the second-best choice in overcoming insomnia. It has a soothing and relaxing effect and the power to eliminate anxiety and relaxes us to fall asleep easily.

We can get the best results if combining it with lavender essential oil.

LEMON BALM

Lemon Balm is a medicinal plant used in gastric problems, inflammation of the respiratory system and stress. It is a natural anti-allergic, anti-depressant, anti-spasmodic, and sedative. It works soothing in smaller quantities and invigorates in a larger quantity. It calms on emotions, panic attacks, and hysteria. It calms muscle tension and reduces the feeling of fatigue.

The most helpful to the insomnia is tea, which is mixed with valerian and hops.

VALERIAN

Valerian contains alkaloids, essential oils, valepotriates, and sesquiterpenes. It has a relaxing effect and it is an excellent tool for insomnia treatment. Its sleeping effect was confirmed by clinical studies performed on 12,000 patients. Tea or tinctures are mildly soothing in nervousness, excitement, neuromuscular pain in the stomach and intestines, heart nerves, fear and general tension, and in troubles in the menopause.

Valerian is one of the most important therapists. It helps us to tolerate stress, anger, agitation, and sadness. With its help, we calm down such feelings and prevent diseases that arise from emotional conditions.

Final thoughts: Essential oils for insomnia and anxiety

Despite a somewhat more difficult approach, it makes sense to start with non-medical treatment. The fact is that in addition to natural herbs, a healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity also contribute to better sleep.

Accelerated movement every day or at least four times a week;
A light meal in the afternoon;
Drinking herbal tea or inhaling essential oils for insomnia;
Performing breathing exercise at night before bed
Accuracy when going to bed will be rewarded.

All of the above are just methods that can help you fall asleep, but the most important thing is to discover the cause of your insomnia and to eliminate it.