Aromatherapy and Insomnia

Most readily available remedies for insomnia are prescription drugs that are unavailable over-the-counter. This is a big issue especially for those who do not like taking medications. Natural remedies now exist for the treatment of insomnia.

If you are looking for a natural remedy for insomnia, essential oils and aromatherapy are the best options available. They are easy to use and requires very little time or effort. A number of oils are available for use and for a variety of applications. It involves treatment of insomnia with aromatic oils. Aromatherapy is concerned with aroma, which induces an effect on the human body. This is because our senses of smell works on a subconscious level, and smell can affect emotional behavior. Olfactory lopes and nerves affect memory and thought. Different odors can stimulate the brain and evoke images or feelings associated with a smell already in the human memory; Aromatherapy uses this in dealing with mental and emotional aspects of healing. Different smells are used to stimulate or relax the patient depending on the aim of treatment.

How to use essential oils
Basically they are used on the skin or added to bath water. For the skin the oil must be diluted in vegetable carrier oil such as cold-pressed sunflower oil or sweet almond oil. Inhalation is also effective. A drop or two is added to a handkerchief and inhaled intermittently or tucked under the pillow.

Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) essential oil is relaxing and soothing, antidepressant, sedative, aphrodisiac, and expectorant. It is non-toxic, and non-irritant and just two drops should be enough to serve the purpose. It is useful for treatment of insomnia, depression, apathy, nervous exhaustion, stress, catarrh, breathing difficulties.

Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) essential oil calms the nerves and stomach, induces sleep, and is especially good for children. 3 drops of it is useful in insomnia and anxiety treatment. Some people react to this with skin reactions or dermatitis.

Lavender (Lavandula augustifolia) essential oil is calming, soothing to nerves and digestion, useful as an anti-depressant, pain-relieving, and lowers blood pressure. It does not cause any form of irritation. 4 drops of Lavender is useful for insomnia, tension, depression, headache, catarrh, stomach cramps.

Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) essential oil is also very useful for insomnia. Just 2-3 drops in bath water is calming and reduces anxiety.

Other essential oils to overcome insomnia include neroli, oregano, sandalwood, Marjoram, Patchouli, ylang ylang and tangerine. Combinations of these essential oils can give most desirable result and some people prefer to create their own insomnia aromatherapy recipe using the essential oils suggested.

You can diffuse a blend of the oils in a nebulizer on your bedroom just before bedtime, or place a few drops on cotton pads around the bed. Diluted in 1/2 carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil, this diffuses into the air around you and you inhale as you sleep. This recipe may be used for a relaxing before-bed self massage.

Use 8 to 10 drops of the essential oils of choice in your bath water. Maybe a combination of two oils: add the oil only after you have finished running your water and make sure you mix it into the water so that it does not float on top of the water.

Another option is to put several drops of the essential oil on a tissue and place it inside your pillow case as mentioned above but the tissue or cotton wool have to be replaced every night before going to sleep.

One can also mix the essential oil into carrier oil and massage the body with it before bed.

Different people use different applications, so you should try to find out which one works for you. The best applications are usually the one you enjoy the fragrance most. Combining them will easily help you find the one that works best. Example, a combination of chamomile and lavender work together very effectively. Be consistent in your application as you may not get results immediately but after 3-4 weeks of application. And chamomile tea before bedtime is also a great sedative.

Apart from use of aromatherapy to treat insomnia, basic lifestyle changes could be very beneficial. For instance, your diet and habits play an important role in your sleep behavior and can have a significant effect on your ability to fall asleep and stay so long enough for adequate sleep. REM sleep is the ideal sleep; some behaviors do not allow most people achieve it and that causes incessant waking up at night. Foods that contain stimulants such as coffee, chocolate, most teas, and soda pop should be cut out of the diet. Smoking is a habit worth stopping if adequate sleep must be achieved. Eat a balanced diet and supplement with dietary supplements to ensure adequate vitamins intake.

Adequate exercise is important to improve sleep as it improves blood flow and keeps the brain healthy. Many experts suggest exercising in the morning, if this is not possible then make sure you exercise early in the evening. Sometimes it is good to be really weak, so evening exercises ensures that one sleeps like a baby after a warm bath.