Sleep and Scent

If simply closing your eyes to fall asleep hasn't been working, this article will teach you about the alternative strategy of opening your nose. Sleep and scent are inherently related.

The sense of smell is an admirable part of the sensory arsenal, and through it can be found several methods of relaxation, and ultimately rest.

During attempts at sleep, we create darkness to relax our sense of sight, ensure a satisfactory level of quiet for our sense of sound, strive for physical comfort with beds, pillows, and blankets for our sense of touch, and we are apt to brush our teeth to alleviate our sense of taste - but we're missing something.

At bedtime we take leaps and bounds toward comforting all other senses, so why neglect the nose? It's as crucial a sense as taste and touch, sight or sound. Hence, for a complete and restful sleep, we turn to the relaxing properties of aromatherapy.

While sleep and aromatherapy go hand-in-hand, maximizing the effect comes through choosing the right aromas. As is the case with any good recipe, the final product reflects the ingredients used, and so choosing the right ingredients is of the utmost importance. For your viewing and smelling pleasure, here are the ideal contestants to appease your humble nose:

Lavender: Perhaps the most popular and renowned essential oil, lavender is the number one choice for rest and relaxation. While often used for digestion and as an anti-depressant, so too are the sleep-inducing benefits widely acclaimed. The avid gardener will be happy to know that the lavender plant can be grown fairly easily at home, blooming for most of the summer months.

Chamomile: The famous ingredient for teas known to aid in upset stomachs is perhaps even more famous for combating restlessness. Both German and Roman chamomile are beneficial aromas for sleep and relaxation.

Bergamot: Geared more toward mitigating stress than actually inducing sleep, this aroma is no less valuable in a society where stress is, in fact, the prime cause of unrest. Made from citrus fruit rind, the actual emitted scent is somewhat lemony, and "fresh".

Sandalwood: The older the berry, the sweeter the juice - only sandalwood isn't derived from berries, but the actual wood of the tree itself. Aged trees create the richest sandalwood oil, which is used to calm nervous tension rather than directly induce sleep. Like bergamot, sandalwood benefits sleep and relaxation indirectly, but with no less potency than the more direct aromas.

Mandarin: Both the green and red variants of this oil are applicable to those trying to get a better night's sleep. Unlike many other oils, mandarin is gentle enough to be used with children while still being potent enough to benefit adults. Like lavender and chamomile, mandarin directly inspires relaxation and restfulness.

These five aromas should be the top five considerations when opening your nose and closing your eyes. Tried and tested, the aforementioned scents can be used independently or in unison with one another for maximum effectiveness. If combining the oils for a powerful knockout punch is the route you seek to take, using a carrier oil will be required; something like jojoba is recommended to mix the oils together.

Whether used together or apart, however, there are a few methods of application, all of which comes down to little more than personal preference. Using one or more of the oils in a diffuser in the bedroom will allow the aroma to quietly and blissfully fill the air, while dabbing some onto your pillow will introduce it more closely to the nose. Alternatively, pouring the essential oils into a warm bath, or using essential oil candles in the midst of said bath will create a very relaxing pre-bedtime scenario.

Whatever your decided mode of application, know that you'll enhance your sleep by catering to that oft-neglected sense of smell by virtue of aromatherapy. To ignore this sense is to relax only 80% of your sensory organs, all of which need to relax in order for that ultimate, sublime eight hours of sleep.

The correlation between sleep and fitness is vital, but there are other ways to increase your chances of getting a good night's rest. Check out the articles below, the rest of our Sleep Well mini-series, to learn more:

Sleep and Meditation and Sleep and Fitness

For more on sleep and scent, visit the EnvyMyHealth.com Aromatherpy Channel!

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