Top 5 essential oils for a good night's sleep

A good night's sleep is essential to health and well-being. Sleep is a natural function that allows the body to regain its strength.²

Yet there are a thousand and one circumstances that can prevent us from getting adequate rest. The most common is undoubtedly anything to do with our nervous system, such as stress.^{2, 3, 4, 6}

Let's start by exploring what stress is and the impact it has on both poles of our nervous system via hormones and neurotransmitters. Next, we'll take a look at the basics of how to administer essential oils, and finally, we'll present five essential oils for improving sleep.

Stress affects sleep quality

Stress must be understood in the broadest sense of the term. We most often think of psychological stress, such as worries about work, family, studies, negative thoughts and emotions, etc.

But we often forget about other stresses because they may seem invisible to us. There's chemical stress, such as food intolerances, junk food, excess sugar, liver congestion and so on. And then there's physical stress, such as overtraining or a sedentary lifestyle, silent inflammation, chronic, latent or repetitive infection, hypoglycemia and so on.^{2, 6}

All these types of stress are likely to trigger the same physiological response in our bodies. That is, the production of stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol.

The sympathetic nervous system

The purpose of these hormones is to ensure our survival and maintain our vigilance. They activate the state of alertness and keep our nervous system on the sympathetic side. The purpose of this part of the nervous system is to make us flee or fight an enemy.^{2, 3}

In fact, the response to stress is the same today as it was in the Stone Age, whatever the source of the stress.

But let's not wage war on it! The sympathetic nervous system is essential to the body's proper functioning, keeping us alert and energized during intense physical, physiological or emotional activity, by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and blood sugar levels.^{2, 3}

The systparasympathetic nervous system

If the stress response is constantly maintained, it becomes impossible for our nervous system to switch to parasympathetic mode.

The parasympathetic nervous system is involved in maintaining normal physiological functions, including rest and digestion. It's responsible for carrying out the mundane, but oh-so-essential, activities of daily life!³

Sleep well: the role of hormones and neurotransmitters

Visit melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone or "hormone of darkness⁶is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland (also known as the epiphysis), which is closely linked to light and nervous system activity.

Neurotransmitters are messengers (like hormones) used by nerve cells to communicate. While there are several neurotransmitters, and their balance is essential to good nerve function, I'd like to focus on serotonin, often dubbed the "happy hormone".

The serotonin is very important for quality sleep, as it is the precursor of the metabolic pathway.latonine. Throughout the day, serotonin is stored in the pineal gland, where it is transformed into melatonin in the evening.^{2, 3}

Serotonin production is closely linked to the parasympathetic nervous system and relaxation.

Essential oils: administration methods

Diffusion

It s’Cold diffusion of essential oils into the air.’air to the’using’diffuser or’a nebulizer. The aromatic molecules go into the’air to reach the sense of smell.’sense of smell and soon theème nerveux via the système limbique (center des emotions).

Olfaction

The same principle applies to diffusion, but without a device. You can place 1 or 2 drops on your wrists, with your hands placed in the shape of a cathedral over your nose, or 4-5 drops on your ear or the collar of your pyjamas.

Internal

Here, we're talking about the’ingestion of a few drops of’essential oils in water.’oil vs in organic vegetable oil, honey or maple syrup, or in a capsule with essential oil.’advice of your registered naturopath.

Massage

As the name suggests, a few drops diluted in organic vegetable oil are massaged into the body, allowing the essential oils to pass through the skin into the bloodstream.^{5, 8}

Top 5 essential oils for a good night's sleep

1) True lavender essential oil

• La true lavender 1200m (Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula vera) from the mountains of France is the #1 oil for the nervous system
• Calming, sedative and anxiolytic
• A powerful antispasmodic (relaxes muscle spasms)
• Indicated in all cases of stress, anxiety, agitation and insomnia
• Gently regulates the nervous system
• It is often the basis of alange dto which more specific essential oils are added.^{5, 8}

Method of administration : diffusion, olfaction, internal and massage.

2) Roman or noble chamomile essential oil

• #2 for the nervous system, Roman or noble chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) calms electrical tension in the brain, inhibits hyperactivity of the adrenal glands (glands that secrete stress hormones)
• Stimulates the pine glandgland to activate the parasympathetic system and serotonin
• Excellent for post-traumatic shock accompanied by nightmares
• Calms anxiety attacks
• It is also a remarkable anti-inflammatory^{5, 8}

Directions for use : Olfaction, internal: a good dose is needed to inhibit the adrenal glands all night long.^{5, 8}

It could be used for massage or diffusion, but its high price encourages us to reserve it for more direct contact.

3) Bergamot essential oil

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is sedative and parasympathicomimetic (mimics the parasympathetic system) 
• Promotes relaxation to help you fall asleep
• With its very pleasant fragrance, it is the oil of gentle relaxation and happiness.to be calm
• Excellent with true lavender and chamomile^{5, 8}

Directions for use : Diffusion, olfaction, internal and massage. Caution! It is photosensitizing, meaning you must not expose yourself to the sun after applying it to the skin, as you could end up with unsightly spots that take a long time to disappear.

4) Labrador tea essential oil

• Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), also known as Greenland Labrador tea, regenerates and drains the liver, making it useful for sleeping pill withdrawal and hypoglycemics.
• It helps to restore sleep cycles that have been disturbed; it acts a little like melatonin.
• Gently improves serotonin production⁵
• Indicated in cases of extreme stress
• Increases parasympathetic system activity
• Excellent for parents whose baby is finally asleep, but who can no longer sleep themselves
• Take for 3 weeks, then take a break⁵

Method of administration : iinternal (preferred mode) and olfaction.

5) Bitter orange essential oil

• Petitgrain bigarade (also known as bitter orange petitgrain) comes from the leaves of the orange tree, and its scent blends perfectly with sweet orange.

• Excellent for mild to moderate anxiety, especially with the plexus ball (local massage) 

• Helps regulate nerve impulses

• Nerve balancer in cases of neurovegetative dystonia (anarchic alternation between sympathetic and parasympathetic) 

• Its scent invites you to look for the positive

• Can be used both during the day and in the evening

Method of use : Diffusion, internal use, olfaction and massage. Caution! It is photosensitizing, meaning you must not expose yourself to the sun after applying it to the skin, as you could end up with unsightly spots that take a long time to disappear.

Top 5 essential oils for a good night's sleep: our practical advice

Depending on your needs, we can choose just a few of these five oils. Generally speaking, we recommend three, so that they act synergistically. You could even mix them and vary the way they're administered.

A child who has trouble falling asleep

For a 5-6 year-old who has trouble falling asleep, you could choose the following:

• True lavender 1200m - 3 drops
• Chamomile, noble - 3 drops
• Petitgrain bigarade - 3 drops
• Mix these 3 oils in about twenty drops of vegetable oil and massage the back after a bath.
• We could also diffuse lavender and petitgrain bigarade in the bedroom and/or put 2 drops of pure chamomile oil on the pillow.

Peri-menopause and stressful situations

Another example: for a woman in peri-menopause who is experiencing a lot of stress in her life and has depressive tendencies, we could choose :

• True lavender 1200m
• Chamomile
• Labrador tea (Labrador tea)
• Lemon verbena
• Mixed in capsules
• Quantities should be determined by a health professional qualified in aromatherapy.

Active person with many responsibilities

For a person in their late thirties with a lot of responsibilities and workloads, you could choose : 

• True lavender 1200m - 10 drops
• For evening diffusion
• With 2 drops of Labrador tea and 4 drops ofchamomile oil internally, in honey or oil, just before bedtime

On the road to better sleep

The world of aromatherapy is vast and powerful, offering many interesting avenues to support humans in their quest for better sleep. However, nothing can replace the basics of healthy living, such as physical activity, stress management and diet.

Light is also very important for regulating cortisol and the pineal gland. We recommend exposure to natural light in the morning, while avoiding artificial light in the evening.

Evening routines are also very important. We practice them with children, but often forget them as adults. And yet, what could be more relaxing than letting go of screens, meditating, taking a bath, reading on paper, listening to soft music and adding a few calming essential oils to prepare the nervous system for sleep?

Let's not forget that none of these tips should be taken too seriously and cause stress, because as Mario Chaput so aptly puts it: "Insomniacs who want to sleep too much become stressed.² 

About the author

Marie-France Trudelle, Certified Naturopath

In-depth knowledge of :

• Nutrition and dietary supplements
• Stress management and sleep
• Physical activity and movement
• Massage therapy

References

1. http://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais/insomnie/43370
2. 2. Chaput Mario, Le sommeil tranquille, natural solutions to insomnia, les éditions Québec livre, 2013, 212 pages.
3. 3. Marieb Elaine N. and Hoehn Katja, Human anatomy and physiology, Fourthéditions, éditions du renouveau pédagogique, 2010, p. 519-520
4. https://fondationsommeil.com
5. Menga, Nathalie, AromathérapieIESN, 2015
6. Morin, M. Charles, Defeating the enemies of sleepEditions de l’homme, 1996, 283 p.
7. Labelle, Yvan, If I Were Told the Story of Glandss, Éditions Fleur sociale, 1989, 483 p.
8. Baudoux, Dominique, L'aromathérapie- se soigner par les huiles essentiellesEditions Amyris, 2013, 253 p.