Perhaps nothing can be more frustrating than not being able to sleep. It is the kind of thing that can ruin your entire day---and mood. Aromatherapy can offer one solution to helping you get a good night's rest. Aromatherapy is the practice of using scent to bring about changes in the bodyt. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse coined the term aromatherapy in his 1937 book "Gattefosse's Aromatherapy: The First Book on Aromatherapy."
Causes
Stress is likely the most common cause of insomnia. You might be worrying about paying the bills or the presentation you will have to give at work. Perhaps it is a conflict with your kids or a friend. Insomnia is also a side effect of beta blockers or other medications. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, eight out of 10 people suffer from insomnia periodically, or secondary insomnia, which is a side effect of something else going on in your life. Unfortunately, insomnia is something that builds upon itself. The more difficult sleep becomes, the more anxious you become around bedtime---to the point where you may actually dread sleep. The best solution, therefore, is for you to find a way to relax. This is where aromatherapy can provide some relief.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are concentrations of plant oils used to deliver the greatest effects of a particular plan. Lavender is a flowering evergreen shrub with a long history of folklore use for a variety of maladies, including insomnia. A 2006 study published in the Korean journal Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi concluded that lavender can help relieve insomnia and depression. This pleasant-smelling essential oil can be used as a room spray or sprayed on your pillow. You can also add a few drops to a late-evening bath to help you relax for sleep. Chamomile and ylang-ylang essential oils also can be used to calm you down and relieve the stress that is preventing you from falling asleep.
Other Aromatherapy Types
n addition to a room spray, you can use aromatherapy in the form of scented candles in order to create the proper atmosphere for sleep. Teas with oils known to induce sleep can also be effective. In addition to ingesting these herbal sleep remedies, you can enjoy their sweet scents and receive an olfactory sleeping pill.
Considerations
In order to get the most out of aromatherapy, you need to have the proper setting for sleep in order to avoid distractions. MayoClinic.com recommends that you use your bedroom only for sleep so that you make the mental association between your bed and sleep. In this way, aromatherapy complements the mental suggestion.
Warning
Avoid using essential oils and products that may overstimulate you before bed. Some essential oils that are particularly stimulating include lemon, grapefruit, rosemary and cypress.
References
- "Gattefosse's Aromatherapy: The First Book on Aromatherapy"; R.M. Gattefosse and R. Tisserand, Ed.; 2004
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What Is Insomnia?
- "Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi"; Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Insomnia and Depression in Women College Students; I. Lee and G. Lee; February 2006
- "Journal of Psychopharmacology"; Medicinal Plants for Insomnia; D. Wheatley; July 2005
- Mayo Clinic: Insomnia: Lifestyle and Home Remedies
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