A good quality of sleep rhymes with a good health, because it allows the balance of the nervous system, the regeneration of the cells, the regulation of the appetite, the reinforcement of the immune system, the resynchronization of the biological clock...
The ideal time of sleep is specific to each person and the only indicator to take into account is the state when waking up: Do you feel rested and lively, or as tired as the day before? Lack of sleep can be observed through the following indicators: mood disorders, decreased intellectual performance, memory loss, decreased immunity, coldness... and can even, in the long term, lead to more serious disorders such as depression.
A third of the French population declares to suffer from sleep disorders (sleep disorders or night wakings), and the use of sleeping pills, with the side effects and the risks of addiction that we know, has become common, even commonplace. However, in addition to lifestyle changes, some essential oils (EO) have proven their action to alleviate insomnia and help to find a restful sleep, while remaining in the way of nature.
What are the essential oils to get back to sleep?
The biochemical family of calming and spasmolytic essential oils are the Esters, which benefit from a good tolerance and a weak toxicity. However, it is always advisable to respect the general precautions regarding the use of essential oils: no oral use in children under 7 years, no use in pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy, nor in nursing mothers.
Here are four essential oils which are particularly effective in the case of sleep disorders, and which will become your best friends in the case of insomnia. What's more, there's a good chance you already know them!
How to use lavender essential oil to sleep well?
True lavender (or fine) is calming and sedative (composed of 50% esters), to be preferred in case of stress and insomnia. The essential oil of lavender all sweet can be used in babies and children, at a rate of one drop maximum per day, in diluted cutaneous application, from 3 months.
How to use it?
- To diffuse in the air ¼ of hour before bedtime, if the smell is appreciated.
- Dilute 10 drops for a capful of neutral bubble bath and take a bath with it, without rinsing before going to bed.
- In pure cutaneous way: apply 1 drop on the solar plexus, and 1 drop on the wrists, breathe deeply.
- In diluted cutaneous way: mix 7 drops in a tablespoon of neutral massage oil or organic vegetable oil and massage the solar plexus, the arch of the foot and along the spine.
- Orally (for the most courageous): dilute 1 to 2 drops in 1 teaspoon of honey or vegetable oil and ingest twice a day.
Particular precautions: not to use in the people allergic to one of the components (linalol, limonene), the asthmatics, the people epileptic or having the history of convulsive disorders.
The essential oil petit grain of bigarade for the sleep
The small grain bigarade, whose EO is composed to 50% of esters, is also relaxing, sedative, and rebalancing nervous. Its bitter citrus smell is immediately soothing.
How to use it?
- As a pure cutaneous application: put 1 pure drop on the inner side of each wrist and breathe deeply. You can also apply a few pure drops along the spine, under the arch of the foot and on the solar plexus.
- In bath, same indications as for the lavender.
- In diffusion: with a diffuser, diffuse 1 ml (31 drops) during the day or evening, or when the need is felt.
Particular precautions: not to use in the people allergic to one of the components (linalol, limonene, geraniol), the asthmatics, the people epileptics or having the history of convulsive disorders.
Sweet orange essential oil for sleep
L’orange douce, quant à elle, chasse l’anxiété, l’agitation, et favorise le sommeil. Son parfum tranquillisant détend les grands et les petits !
How to use it?
- By cutaneous way: 1 to 2 drops on a small surface, or diluted in vegetable oil in the event of repeated uses.
- In bath : same indications as for the previous EO.
- To diffuse in the air before bedtime.
- Orally: swallow 1 drop mixed with a teaspoon of honey or vegetable oil and let it melt in the mouth, 3 times a day.
Particular precautions: This EO is photo-toxic, do not expose to the sun after its use. Do not use in people allergic to one of the components (linalool, limonene, aldehydes), asthmatics, people with epilepsy or with a history of seizure disorders.
The essential oil of mandarine soothing
Green mandarin moderates the central nervous system and is soothing, reassuring and slightly hypnotic. In addition to its delicious smell, it gently accompanies children and adults to sleep.
How to use it?
- By cutaneous way: 1 to 2 drops on a small surface, or diluted in vegetable oil in case of repeated uses, and in bath (same indications as for the previous EO).
- To help you fall asleep, put 2 or 3 drops on a paper handkerchief, to be placed near the pillow.
- To diffuse in the air before bedtime, by mixing 3 drops with 3 drops of true lavender, or 20 drops with 4 drops of petit grain, one hour before bedtime.
- In oral way, to calm the anxieties: to swallow 1 drop mixed with a teaspoon of honey or vegetable oil, or deposited on a sugar or a neutral tablet, and to let melt in mouth 1 to 3 times per day, during a few days only.
Special precautions : This EO is very photo-toxic, do not expose to the sun after its use. Do not use in people allergic to one of the components (linalool, limonene, aldehydes), asthmatics, people with epilepsy or with a history of seizure disorders.
Recipe for making a pillow brown
You can easily make this pillow mist at home, which, when sprayed before bedtime, will help you fall quickly into the sweetest of dreams.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of vodka or 70° alcohol.
- 10 gouttes d’huile essentielle de lavande vraie.
- 10 gouttes d’huile essentielle de marjolaine à coquilles.
- 10 gouttes d’huile essentielle de mandarine verte.
- 10 gouttes d’huile essentielle d’ylang-ylang.
- 1 cuillère à soupe d’eau, ou hydrolat, de fleur d’oranger.
Instructions :
- Pour the alcohol into a spray bottle using a funnel.
- Add the essential oils (the proportions of each can be modulated according to your tastes). Mix well.
- Add the orange blossom water and shake the bottle.
- Spray on pillows a quarter of an hour before bedtime to help you fall asleep.
Any other tips for getting back to sleep?
Cardiac coherence is a breathing exercise that, among other things, lowers cortisol levels in the body, which immediately leads to relaxation. Coupled with the essential oils mentioned in this article, this ritual is likely to help you relax for good.
Choose your favorite essential oil, find a heart coherence tutorial (on Youtube or dedicated app) that works for you, and proceed as follows: inhale and exhale 5 times while smelling the essential oil (at the bottle or cap), then 5 times without anything. Alternate these inhalations and exhalations during the 5 minutes that the exercise lasts. Repeat 3 times a day. Cardiac coherence has the advantage of inducing physical and psychological relaxation, of promoting sleep and of reducing fatigue when practiced regularly.
It may seem paradoxical, but sleep is prepared throughout the day! Whether it is through diet (sufficient intake of B vitamins, micronutrients such as magnesium, amino acids that are precursors of neurotransmitters linked to sleep), through physical activity, and through stress management, which can be done in many ways. la gestion du stress qui peut se faire de multiples manières.
Our precious sleep should not be taken lightly and the implementation of rituals to prepare for bedtime (light meals, no stimulants, no screens, and all in a relaxed atmosphere), accompanied by the diffusion of the EO mentioned in this article, will be beneficial over time. The ideal being to identify the problems at the origin of the sleep disorders and to bring solutions by means of a deep work on oneself.
This advice is not medical and does not exempt you from consulting a doctor if the symptoms persist.