4 min read

Create a Calming Bedtime Ritual with Essential Oils

Written By: Robin Lander

As the summer solstice grows near, precious sunlight lingers into longer days and later evenings. It’s not always easy getting ready for bed when there’s still light in the sky.

Establishing regular bedtime routines or rituals can help keep us to our bedtime schedule and ensure a good night ahead. Engaging in calming activities in the evening, creating a comfortable environment, and taking a quiet moment to be present with ourselves are all good habits to consider.

Essential oils offer the perfect support for your evening wind down. Repeated use of particular aromas at bedtime can help prompt your routine and set the tone for tranquility. We’ll share tips and ideas to help you create your own aromatherapy bedtime rituals.

Keep it Simple

The simplest of habits are often easiest to maintain. Add 1-2 drops of a peaceful essential oil to a cotton ball, hold it beneath your nose as you take a few deep breaths, then tuck it into your pillowcase so you can smell the aroma as you drift off to sleep.

To best assist in creating a stable routine, attach this practice to an existing bedtime habit, such as immediately after brushing your teeth. In time, you may begin to associate the aroma with a calm period of winding down, setting the ideal foundation for a restful night. Here are a few of the best aromas for this simple method:

·         Lavender, Wild

·         Chamomile, Roman - Italy

·         Tangerine, USA

Sleep is Afoot

Give your body the signal that it’s time for sleep with a nightly fragrant foot massage. Aromatic oils have been incorporated into rituals of comfort, self-care, and relaxation since ancient times throughout many cultures, including Egypt, India, and China.

Essential oils derived from aromatic roots are particularly helpful for this evening practice due to their naturally centering, grounding energy that helps quiet the spirit. These are the root oils to reach for:

·         Vetiver, Madagascar – Organic

·         Spikenard – Organic*

·         Nagarmotha (Cypriol)

Add 10-15 total drops of your favorite root oil(s) to 1 oz Jojoba Oil, Golden - Organic in a glass bottle such as our Miron Violet Glass Bottle, Glass Dropper and shake gently to mix.

Dispense a few drops of the blend into the palms, rub hands together to warm, then massage into the soles of the feet, continuing upward with the rest of the feet and lower legs if desired. To help lock in moisture, and prevent slippery floors, put on cotton socks after application.

For an evening anointing ritual, create a serene routine: apply your foot massage oil 20-30 minutes before bedtime, followed by a gentle meditation and/or breathing exercises, feeling yourself calmly rooted to the earth.

*Due to CITES regulations, we are unable to ship Spikenard to destinations outside of the USA.

Diffuse for Dreamtime

Adding essential oils to an ultrasonic or cold-air diffuser is an easy way to set the tone for sweet dreams. Begin diffusing 30-60 minutes before bedtime to fill your room with your favorite bedtime aroma. It’s not necessary to diffuse throughout the night – a session of 30-60 minutes is sufficient.

Lavender essential oil, such as our Lavender - High Elevation is a classic choice. The following aromas are also excellent for bedtime, and can be blended together, or combined with Lavender:

·         Orange, Sweet - Organic

·         Ylang Ylang Complete - Organic

·         Frankincense, Somalia – Organic

Benefit from a Bath

For many, a warm bath is the ultimate wind down for a relaxing evening. With the addition of essential oils and perhaps some Epsom salt, you can create your own nightly spa-like experience.

Essential oils derived from tree woods are especially well-suited to a bedtime bath, offering warm, grounding aromas that may promote a sense of inner strength and contemplation. Used since antiquity for meditation, these wood oils are especially pleasant in the bath:

·         Cedarwood, Atlas - Wild

·         Sandalwood, New Caledonia

·         Siam Wood

To use, add 7-10 drops of your chosen wood oil(s) to one tablespoon (15 ml) of carrier oil, such as Fractionated Coconut Oil – Organic. Stir into the bath just before entering. Enjoy the fragrant soak and skin-softening effects of this aromatic bath oil.

Alternately, massage a bit of the fragrant oil onto damp skin immediately after stepping out of the bath or shower, anointing the body in the steadfast, nourishing, meditative energy of these majestic trees.

Restful Roll-Ons

Applying oils with a rollerball applicator is fast and convenient, delivering concentrated aroma exactly when and where you need it. This is the place to indulge in the most precious floral oils, anointing target areas of the upper chest, neck, inner arms, and wrists.

Floral aromas have long been utilized to promote tranquility and ease the spirit with their uplifting, compassionate energy. These aromas may offer a sense of being held, supported, and protected:

·         Jasmine Absolute, India

·         Neroli, Morocco - Organic

·         Rose Absolute, Bulgaria

Add 10 drops of your favorite floral oil(s) to a 10 ml rollerball bottle. Top off with Jojoba Oil, Golden – Organic and insert the rollerball top. Shake gently to blend.

Set the tone for a calm, comfortable evening by lavishing yourself with the deep, mesmerizing aroma of flowers, much as people have done beneath the night sky for millennia.

Good Night

Whether you prefer a more structured routine or a fluid ritual, the aroma of essential oils can help you design your ideal activities and ambiance to promote a good night. Botanical aromas offer a gentle structure and a moment of pause, creating space for us to find ease in both our inner and outer worlds. May your evenings be as sweet as your dreams.