This blog post was written by Krysten of Krysten’s Kitchen. To view on her blog, please click here.

3 Essential Oils For A Better Night Sleep + Essential Oil Safety

Are you having problems getting a good night’s sleep? Is counting sheep not really working for you these days? Are you looking for a healthier way to get some shut-eye? Have you ever tried essential oils?

Essential oils have so many uses: for headaches, sleep pain, stress and even digestion, and they are totally natural remedies that are created by God! I mean, come on now! Natural remedies that work… yup!

I would say that sometimes it’s not easy for me to go to sleep because I am a night owl and my mind is racing with ideas and recipe creations and such. The mornings are a different story. I hate getting out of bed in the morning. My parents had a hard time waking me up and now my husband has a hard time waking me up every single morning.

And, I love morning snuggles with my babes, Buster and Posey.

Here are a few things you should know before you start using essential oils: Essential oils are concentrated extracts of flowers, roots, seeds, and stems, etc. They can do a lot of good if used properly, but can cause harm to your body if used improperly. 

Do not apply essential oils directly to the skin.

Essential oils are highly concentrated. It takes about 30lbs of Lavender flowers to make one 15ml bottle of essential oil. Applying directly to the skin can cause further irritation. Using certain oils on skin exposed to direct sunlight can cause serious burns or permanent skin discoloration.

Do not apply essential oils directly on the skin without a carrier oil.

Sounds repetitive, right? It’s also very serious. If you want to apply essential oils directly to the skin, you must use a carrier oil to dilute the extremely concentrated essential oils. Carrier oils include: coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, etc.

Do not ingest essential oils.

Many people online talk about ingesting essential oils, as well as applying them topically. I mean this in the kindest way possible, but 99% of the people saying this is okay to do are not actually trained to tell you this. Before you ingest, talk to your doctor (preferably a doctor who knows about essential oils or an actual aromatherapist). Many essential oils can be very toxic to your organs, intestines and gut lining. Do your research! Also, NEVER use essential oils on children, either externally (without a carrier oil) or internally. Essential oils can pose a risk of acute toxicity in children. To learn more about SAFE Essential Oil Use With Babies and Children, click here.

Consider these wonderful scents for a better night sleep:

Lavender – I know you knew that I would write about lavender in this blog. Lavender is relaxing, calming and aids in relieving stress. It’s probably the most well-known essential oil used for relaxation. It is used in many essential oil blends and natural remedies to help you combat insomnia. 

Chamomile – This incredible oil is said to be the most effective to use for insomnia. It’s therapeutic properties include relaxing attributes. Chamomile combined with lavender makes a more powerful successful treatment. It can help relieve stress and anxiousness, as well as soothe and calm your body.

Ylang-Ylang – The scent of this essential oil is really hit-or-miss depending on who you talk to. Some love it and some really dislike it. I enjoy a hint of it mixed with lemon, but too much of ylang-ylang isn’t really a good thing-thing for me because it has an overly sweet scent. It helps fight depression and relaxes the entire body making it easier for you to have a good night sleep. This oil helps fight depression, improves mood, drives away anxiety and sadness. It also calms nerves leaving you more relaxed and ready for bed.

Shop Mother’s Essential Oils here or visit your nearest Mother’s!