Best essential oils for sleep
Is it just me? Sometimes my head goes onto the pillow and I’m out, other nights I’m tossing and turning! A couple of years ago I had enough. I decided to try to use essential oils to help promote sleep and help me get to sleep quickly. Over the past couple of years, I’ve researched the best essential oils for sleep.
Now, what might work for me doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. However, I hope this will give some ideas and suggestions if you also struggle with occasional sleep issues. If your sleep issues are resembling insomnia or a chronic sleep condition, I encourage speaking to a medical practitioner.
I use Revive Essential Oils for all my oils as I trust their brand and the science behind their oils. If you’re interested in Revive essential oils click here to get 10$!
Looking for must-have accessories for using essential oils – look no further my guide helps you easily navigate which items you need – click here.

Lavender
Lavender is one of the best essential oils for sleep. Hands down, I use this the most frequently! Lavender is a very sedative oil; it helps reduce anxiety in the mind and eases stress within the body. Lavender is powerful in helping to relax and slow down your central nervous system (slightly) which promotes relaxation. It can also help the body release serotonin with supports getting ready to sleep. Lastly, lavender helps your blood pressure lower which helps to promote a restful night’s sleep which is something we all need!
Lavender can be used aromatically, topically, and internally. I personally do not use it internally – however, you can look into this if it interests you. Lavender can be mixed in with other foods as the best way to take it internally. Be sure to read up on the safety sheet with internally taking lavender before doing so.
For myself, I either diffuse a couple of drops before bed or use a rollerball over my temples and chest. For diffusing it I do a couple of drops about 20 minutes before bed. Additionally, my mum made me little sewed sachets with rice, and I add a couple of drops to that and place them beside my pillow. Either works well! For the rollerball, I put about 15-20 drops in a 10ML rollerball with coconut oil and rub it on my temples and chest. You can also use it with a bath before bed to help promote sleep. *Lavender can be harmful to pets to diffuse near, so take precautions if you own a pet and keep the diffuser up and away from their access or restrict their room access to where it is being diffused.
Roman Chamomile
Have you ever had a cup of chamomile tea and felt relaxed and calm afterwards? Roman chamomile has a similar effect. It is also the best essential oil for my sleep go-to of mine. Roman Chamomile has the hypnotic-like effect that decreases the stress levels in your body and relaxes your mind at the same time. It overall soothes your system, like a cup of chamomile tea. Chamomile has releases antioxidants to your brain that help promotes sleepiness and can help aid in insomnia.
With Roman Chamomile you can use it with a diffuser, or topically. For diffusing, you can add 2-3 drops 20-30 minutes before bed. If you’d like to add some cedarwood you can as well as cedarwood helps promote calm. You can also add lavender as well to your diffuser for relaxation, if blending I wouldn’t add more than 1-2 drops of the other oils in addition to roman chamomile.
If you’re looking to use it topically, then it will need to use with a carrier oil, such as coconut. You can massage it into the soles of your feet, or over your wrist and neck. Massage in the oil and essential oil to get the benefits. Breathe it in as needed. *Roman Chamomile can be harmful to pets to diffuse near, so take precautions if you own a pet and keep the diffuser up and away from their access or restrict their room access to where it is being diffused.

Best essential oils for sleep continued
Ylang Ylang
Ylang Ylang I adore, I love to blend it with other scents and honestly it is one of my top oils used around the house. It has a calming effect that helps to reduce and relieve tension and stress. Ylang Ylang is wonderful for those nights where you’re up late with stress or are worried about an event or commitment tomorrow. It also helps to decrease heart rate and lower blood pressure with both helping to put you at ease and ready for a restful sleep.
Ylang Ylang is one of the best essential oils for sleep with a diffuser, I highly recommend that. For myself, I put a drop (or two) in and mix it with lavender (1 drop). That’s my favourite blend, you can also blend it with cedarwood, vetiver, wild orange, and roman chamomile. *Ylang Ylang can be harmful to pets to diffuse near, so take precautions if you own a pet and keep the diffuser up and away from their access or restrict their room access to where it is being diffused.
Cedarwood
Cedarwood is a wonderful oil for providing a sedative tone to inhaling it, it helps to relax and calm your nervous system. Additionally, cedarwood helps to calm and ground your mind and body. You can use cedarwood in a bath before bed to help improve your get you in a relaxed and sedative state for bed.
It can be used aromatically or topically. For topical use dilute with a carrier oil, and then you can massage it onto the soles of your feet at bedtime. For your diffuser add 3 drops in 20-30 minutes before bed or you can inhale from the bottle directly. Cedarwood can be blended with Lavender, Vetiver, Bergamot, Frankincense and Lavender. There’s a lot of combinations you can make so play around and find the right one for you.

Clary Sage
Clary Sage, I use it most nights; it helps me with menstrual pain as well as promotes digestion. Additionally, Clary Sage is one of the best essential oils for sleep. Clary Sage helps promote a restful night’s sleep as it relaxes and soothes your body and mind. It’s an incredibly calming scent and helps you relax after a long day.
Clary sage can be used aromatically or topically. My favourite is using it in a rollerball before bed. I dilute it in a rollerball with coconut oil and roll it onto my abdomen. You can also dilute it with a carrier oil and massage it in as well. Clary sage can also be added to your bath, or bath bomb to help promote relaxation as you bathe. I’ve also used it on the soles of my feet with my rollerball/massaging. If you’d like to diffuse it you can simply add 1-2 drops on a pouch or handkerchief beside the bed to breathe it in all night. You can also diffuse 3 drops before bed. *Clary Sage can be harmful to pets to diffuse near, so take precautions if you own a pet and keep the diffuser up and away from their access or restrict their room access to where it is being diffused.
I wish you all a restful sleep, and I hope this guide helped provide some ideas of essential oils to try!
I use Revive Essential Oils for all my oils as I trust their brand and the science behind their oils. If you’re interested in Revive essential oils click here for a free 10$ gift card off your first 50$ purchase!
Talk soon!
Essential oils are so great for sleep, and I love lavender the most x
Great post Alex! I’m learning so much about essential oil from your posts. I love it! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Tiffany! I’m glad to hear these posts are informative 🙂
Lavender is definitely a go to! I’m glad they help you with falling asleep 🙂
This is such an interesting post. I knew about lavender and chamomile but wasn’t aware that the others worked well for sleep and relaxation too.
Cedarwood and lavender are some of my favourite oils to use and I found that they really help me sleep better. I got out of practice using them in this way so this was a perfect reminder to start again. Thanks!
These sound like lovely essential oils to use before sleep! Lavender is such a lovely scent x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I’m glad to hear this post could help provide more information about other oils Kelly! If you try any new ones on the list let me know how they go for you 🙂
Fantastic to hear – I’m glad you’ve found ones that work best for you! I find keeping them on my nightstand helps with reminders for regular use when life gets busy! 🙂
Thanks Lucy – Lavender is absolutely wonderful, one of my favourites too! 🙂
Great post! I currently use lavender, although I haven’t gotten the chance to use it too often. I have one that’s prediluted and I drop 2-3 droplets onto my wrists before bed. Thanks for sharing these other essential oils!
Lavender is a wonderful oil, and if you could only have one out this list that would be the one I would pick! I’m glad to hear you use it before bed and hope it helps!
I can absolutely vouch for lavender and chamomile. My son has been a difficult sleeper since birth and I am sure to rub chamomile oil on his chest at night so he can smell it to feel relaxed. I also use lavender lotion that contains lavender essential oils myself. I love the smell of it! I actually grow lavender in my garden as well. Thanks for sharing this lovely list!
Very interesting. I have to be careful with certain smells. I’ll start sneezing like crazy and no sleep would happen. Lavender does this to me every time. Nice to discover other options!
Wonderful to hear you’ve found using Chamomile and Lavender – they’re both lovely scents! I’m a sucker for anything lavender scented – the lotion sounds lovely!
Oh no Lavender does not sound like it’s a good match at all – maybe give chamomile a try, it’s a super mild scent so hopefully won’t cause sneezing!
I’ve always used Lavender as a sleep aid. The pillow mist and body lotion versions have always been my go to.
Lavender is oh so calming – I’m glad you’ve got it in a variety of products to use to help you get to sleep quick! I used a pillow mist for years, it’s so lovely to inhale it all night 🙂
These are all great oils. I have most of them at home and various lavender pillow sprays. Thanks for sharing.