Lavender Reviews

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Can lavender help you get more sleep at night? Lavender is one of the oldest traditional remedies for insomnia as its soothing aromas consistently help people to relax and get the rest that is needed every night. That said, it’s important to point out that, like every sleep remedy, this one isn’t universally effective and isn’t necessarily helpful for all forms of insomnia.

Why Does Lavender Help Some People Sleep and Not Others?

The sense of smell is very sensitive and highly personal.  While scents such as lavender often have a soothing or calming effect, this is only the case among most people but not all.  Moreover, due to the sensitivity of the sense of smell, different varieties of lavender can impact people differently.

For instance, even if the plant is grown in the same country, soil conditions, altitude and other factors can substantially change the scent. Moreover, the way the plant’s oils are extracted can also play a role in the final scent.  If you feel that lavender isn’t helping you to relax and feel restful, it could be that the specific plants in the product you chose weren’t perfectly aligned with your needs. Moreover, artificial lavender scents in many skin care and linen sprays aren’t nearly as helpful as those made with the actual flower.

Why Does Lavender Help Many People to Sleep?

Natural and effective solutions to sleep struggles are always welcome to people who are used to lying awake at night and unsuccessfully waiting to drift of, or who are continually waking up.

In the case of lavender, this is an especially appealing insomnia remedy because it is cost-effective, it doesn’t come with side effects, and it can really work for a good night’s sleep. It works best for people who struggle to fall asleep due to problems with de-stressing and releasing anxiety.

This is particularly true if this type of scent has been used for this purpose over time. Studies have shown that lavender products often don’t help children the first few times they are used. However, over time, as the scent is associated with relaxing times and bedtimes, an association builds and this scent can become helpful in promoting relaxation. While some people respond to it right away, others need to build the association.

How Can it be Used to Promote Sleep and Restfulness?

There are many different ways to use lavender to help you to sleep. They can include the following, as well as many more.

Essential oil

Simply dripping a couple of drops on your pillow every night before bedtime can help to release enough aroma to have the soothing aroma therapeutic effect you need to regain your calm and fall asleep once more. If you don’t want to drip it directly onto your pillowcase, a few drops on a cotton ball on your nightstand

Diffuser

If you’d rather not have the essential oil directly next to your head at night, then adding the lavender to a diffuser in your bedroom will also be very helpful in enhancing your sleep.

Spray

A lavender spray on your sheets, or pajamas in the evening can help you to enjoy the benefits of the flower’s calming aromas in a fast and easy format. Just make sure that you choose a spray that will be safe for your skin as well as the fabrics.

Scented soy candles

Choose soy candles that contain the essential oil so that you can benefit not only from their beautiful perfume, but also from the relaxing ambiance they will add to your bedroom or bath time. Just remember not to leave the candle burning when you fall asleep. Blow it out before you actually go to bed.

Bath oil

Add a few drops to your bath water and sit back to soak your tension away. You’ll be so relaxed that you’ll be ready for bed soon after you dry off from the tub.

Why Lavender for Sleep?

Many people find the smell of lavender quite pleasant, which is a positive start when it comes to natural ways to ease the body and mind.  The plant itself is from the mint family, which is also known for many benefits to a person’s health. This plant has properties that have been used in healing, calming and soothing. It has been applied (diluted) to help with irritated skin and to reduce pain associated with certain kinds of headache. Note that it is important to be very careful when applying an essential oil directly to skin as failing to properly dilute it can cause more harm than good.

Human studies have shown that lavender is effective for lowering blood pressure and slowing down the heart rate so that a parasympathetic (relaxed) state can be achieved.  This is a subtle effect and isn’t usually enough when used on its own.  Lavender is meant to be used as a component of a larger effort to relax and fall asleep. This can include use while taking a soothing bath, while reading before bed, or just a part of an overall winding-down routine.