Soothing scents for sleep: fragrance notes and their effects
If you’re constantly waking up at night or have trouble getting to sleep, you should check your sleep environment. Peace, tidiness and a room without many distractions can contribute to better sleep, but that’s not all – fresh indoor air and the smell of the bedroom also have a huge effect on your sleep environment. Allow us at CALIDA to introduce you to some soothing scents for sleep that provide relaxation through aromatherapy.
28 July 2023 • 7 min reading time
Image source: Diana Polekhina via Unsplash
Having trouble getting to sleep or simply want to optimise your sleep environment? Here are five different fragrances which will all have a similar effect on your mind and mood, ensuring relaxation and balance so that you can sleep better at night.
The choice of room fragrances will, of course, also depend heavily on your individual taste. You’re best off simply testing your way through the different scents or trying different scent combinations to find your personal favourite for a better night’s sleep!
The scent of lavender is probably the go-to when looking for rest and relaxation. The plant substances in lavender oil have been proven to break down the stress hormone cortisol and produce the happiness and sleep hormone. The scent of lavender will, therefore, help you in many ways to switch off in the evening and to be able to fall asleep better.
Similar to lavender, the fresh, soft scents of the Asian botanicals ylang ylang and jasmine also soften the senses while providing relaxation. Ylang ylang essential oil also has a positive effect on health owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. That’s why the plant is also used to treat certain diseases, especially in Indonesia.
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Love the smell of the forest and fantasise about lounging in a small wooden hut in front of a crackling fireplace? You can emulate this ambience with soft, earthy scents like sandalwood, cedarwood or vetiver. As the description already suggests, these scents have a grounding effect; they bring you back to earth when you’re lost in thought after a stressful day and can’t switch off.
Since the spicy and heavy scents may be too intense for sensitive people and could cause headaches, choosing natural and high-quality oils is key. In addition, the scents should be dosed correctly so that you get a restful night’s sleep. Try them out slowly, drop by drop, until you discover the perfect amount of essential fragrance oil.
Although zesty, citrusy scents like tangerine, orange and bergamot are better known for their brightening and invigorating effects, they can also enhance the atmosphere in your bedroom. This is particularly the case if you are often tense or stressed in the evening; bergamot and similar scents ensure the release of the happiness hormone serotonin. The citrus scents will, therefore, help you to fall asleep and sleep through the night feeling more balanced, relaxed and without negative thoughts.
To ensure that the air in your bedroom is fresh, thorough airing before going to bed is a must. If, at night, you often suffer from a stuffy nose or nocturnal sniffles despite fresh air and clean bed linen, scents such as eucalyptus, lemon balm and chamomile can also help. Thanks to their freshness and the plant substances in the essential oils, you can breathe deeply again, which allows you to sleep better. The medicinal plants also ensure mental balance.
Sweet scents like vanilla or chocolate are certainly not the right choice for everyone. People who tend to get headaches from heavy scents, in particular, should pay attention to the dosage and, if necessary, leave the window open at night so that the air in the room only takes on a slight note of vanilla or cocoa. These can, nevertheless, give your bedroom a special warmth and calmness, which helps you to have a particularly restful night’s sleep.
Whether you spray your bedroom with room spray, set up scented candles or aroma diffusers is, of course, up to you. However, especially with candles, you should look for natural ingredients in the form of organic oils and beeswax, instead of opting for cheap candles that contain synthetic scents and can quickly cause headaches. You should also always blow out the candles before going to sleep to reduce the risk of fire.
Room sprays, on the other hand, are usually enriched with several essential oils. The cheaper alternative is to buy the essential oils individually and either mix them together yourself as a room spray with water in a spray bottle or use them undiluted in an aroma diffuser. This usually provides a more intense smell that lasts longer than the scent from room sprays or scented candles.
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