If you’re suffering from anxiety or sleep problems, I have two things to tell you. First, I’ve been there, too. Second, you’re not alone.
According to the ADAA, anxiety disorders impact almost 20% of the American population every year! And that’s before a worldwide pandemic hit.
The good news is that anxiety and sleep problems can get better, and one of my favorite ways to help are these essential oils for sleep and anxiety.
In this post, we’re asking (and answering!):
- Do essential oils for sleep really work?
- The 9 best essential oils for sleep and anxiety
- Which essential oils help you sleep?
- What are the best essential oils for sleep and relaxation?
- What is the best essential oil for anxiety?
- What essential oils can I mix for sleep?
- How do you blend essential oils for anxiety?
- How do you use essential oils for sleep and anxiety?
- 6 sleep and anxiety recipes
Need quick help? You can also jump straight to our sleep and anxiety feelings chart to get the exact oil you need.
Or, go straight to these recipes:
First, I’ll share some of the top essential oils for sleep and anxiety.
Then, I’ll share a super helpful chart with the most common sleep and anxiety symptoms and pair them with oils.
Finally, I’ll give you all the details you need for blending, using, and making your own sleep and anxiety blends.
Let’s get started!
But first, the question everybody has:
Do Essential Oils for Sleep Really Work?
Yes. There’s actually a great deal of academic literature that establishes the scientific validity of using essential oils to help with sleep.
The key is consistency.
You’ll see the best results when you commit to using your essential oils for several weeks or (better) months.
The 9 Best Essential Oils for Sleep & Anxiety
Essential oils are incredible; many of them have been extensively studied and their use validated by the scientific community.
I find essential oils incredibly empowering.
Health care can be very expensive, but essential oils are a proven, completely non-toxic way to take charge of my health and make wellness fun and enjoyable.
Here are my favorite essential oils for sleep and anxiety:
- Lavender
- Bergamot
- Ylang Ylang
- Chamomile
- Neroli
- Cedarwood
- Valerian
- Vetiver
- Clary Sage
1. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender is the OG of essential oils and one of the most rigorously studied and documented oils. It has antibacterial properties and has been proven to help with both sleep and anxiety.
Lavender is great because it has so many applications and pairs so well with other oils.
Plus, it’s typically pretty easy to get your hands on lavender, most people like it, and it’s very gentle.
When in doubt, reach for lavender!
But. There are lots of other options for sleep and anxiety!
2. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil comes from a citrus plant and has a fruity-but-earthy smell.
It’s another oil that pairs well with others, though some people don’t care for the smell (I love it!).
Bergamot can reduce both feelings of anxiety and fatigue and help relieve mood disorders like anxiety thanks to its ability to release dopamine and serotonin in your brain.
It also contains compounds that help relieve pain and inflammation when applied topically.
3. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang ylang essential oil has an exotic name but you’ve actually probably already smelled it–it’s a base note in Chanel No. 5 and other popular perfumes! Ylang ylang is something of a powerhouse oil.
I write more about it here, but it’s been shown to have significant anti-anxiety abilities.
Scientists even know why: ylang ylang directly impacts your brain (specifically, the hippocampus), in a way that’s similar to anxiety medication.
Just inhaling ylang ylang essential oil can calm everything from pulse rate to breathing rate to blood pressure.
4. Chamomile Essential Oil
It absolutely makes sense that the essential oils that help with sleep also almost always help with anxiety; sleep and anxiety are closely linked!
Chamomile is another great oil that you’re probably familiar with, and it’s a good choice because it’s so incredibly gentle.
It’s traditionally used for babies and small children because of how gentle it is, but it’s also great if you want to be extra nourishing to yourself.
Like lavender, chamomile has been studied quite a bit.
It’s been found to reduce generalized anxiety and improve morning cortisol levels, something that’s been tied to depression and anxiety.
It’s also been shown to relieve pain from osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. And finally, it’s been shown to have a significant impact on sleep!
5. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli essential oil is a valuable essential oil for sleep and anxiety for a few reasons. First, it relieves anxiety directly.
Second, it addresses many of the symptoms that keep people from sleeping well, including menopausal symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and depression.
Interestingly enough, neroli is similar to bergamot in that it comes from a citrus plant (the bitter orange plant).
6. Cedarwood Essential Oil
Cedarwood, like other pine and evergreen oils, is known for its sedative effect. It’s also a mood-booster, helping to reduce stress and thereby relieve anxiety.
I should pause here to point out, too, that an essential oil doesn’t necessarily have to be backed by studies to “work.”
If it brings you joy and happiness every time you smell it, it’s helping to relieve your anxiety and stress.
And if your brain begins to associate the smell with sleep, your brain will begin to calm and power down when you smell it!
7. Valerian Essential Oil
The two oils that have been used since the beginning of time (or at least, since ancient times 😉 to help with sleep are chamomile and valerian.
Valerian is an herb that promotes sleep, calms the nerves, and provides a sedative effect.
It’s extremely grounding and unlike sleep aids like melatonin, it can be used throughout the day to help with anxiety.
8. Vetiver Essential Oil
Vetiver is more earthy and “grassy” than oils like lavender, bergamot, and ylang ylang, but its aroma is still faintly sweet.
One study found that vetiver aromatherapy may be as effective as taking anti-anxiety medication.
9. Clary Sage Essential Oil
It’s no secret that anxiety and sleep problems tend to plague women.
That makes an essential oil like clary sage a natural go-to.
Clary sage is known for its ability to help with “female problems.”
It does this by helping to control cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol levels that are too high or too low can cause huge anxiety problems and sleep disorders.
The Chart: Essential Oils for Sleep and Anxiety by Feeling (Bookmark This!)
Are you overwhelmed by all the great essential oils choices for sleep and anxiety? I get it!
So, here are some of the most common symptoms and types of anxiety and sleep problems, along with my recommended essential oil for each.
| Struggling With… | Try… |
| Insomnia | Valerian or chamomile |
| General anxiety | Cedarwood or valerian |
| Vague fear & worry | Vetiver or lavender |
| Restlessness | Chamomile or vetiver |
| Bad dreams | Ylang ylang, bergamot, or lavender |
| Difficulty focusing | Neroli or bergamot |
| My child is struggling with sleep or anxiety | Chamomile or lavender |
| Stress from work or school | Valerian or clary sage |
| Parenting overwhelm | Chamomile or cedarwood |
| Pain from inflammation or illness | Chamomile or ylang ylang |
| Relational or communication troubles | Lavender or vetiver |
| Anxiety or insomnia related to trauma | Neroli, cedarwood, or vetiver |
| Racing thoughts | Ylang ylang or bergamot |
| Hormonal stress or insomnia | Clary sage or neroli |
| Emotional upheaval | Clary sage or lavender |
| Constant overwhelm or sadness | Ylang ylang or clary sage |
Which Essential Oil Helps You Sleep?
If you need help with sleep, go with:
- Lavender
- Chamomile
- Valerian
- Ylang ylang
- Vetiver
What are the Best Essential Oils for Sleep and Relaxation?
For better, deeper sleep and a greater sense of relaxation, try:
- Ylang ylang
- Neroli
- Lavender
- Bergamot
- Cedarwood
- Vetiver
What is the Best Essential Oil for Anxiety?
To help with anxiety, try one of these essential oils:
- Valerian
- Ylang ylang
- Lavender
- Clary sage
- Cedarwood
What Essential Oils Can I Mix for Sleep?
Lavender, bergamot, and ylang ylang blend really well. They’re a gentle, slightly citrusy scent with a floral background (you can omit the ylang ylang if you can’t find it). All three are powerful sleep aids, and most people find the combination of scents pleasing. Lavender, cedarwood, and frankincense make a darker, muskier combination. but are an equally powerful blend of oils. Frankincense too expensive? Swap it out for vetiver or leave it out alltogether for a pleasing, woodsy aroma (and, either way, a terrific night’s sleep).
How Do You Blend Essential Oils for Anxiety?
Use ylang ylang and vetiver for racing thoughts, valerian and clary sage for stress at work or school, chamomile and cedarwood for parenting overwhelm, lavender and vetiver for communication stress, neroli, cedarwood, and vetiver for trauma-related anxiety, and ylang ylang and clary sage for constant overwhelm or sadness. You can see our feelings chart for more combinations to try.
How Do You Use Essential Oils for Sleep and Anxiety?
There are lots of different ways to use essential oils for sleep and anxiety. Here are a few:
1. Apply Oils Directly to Your Skin
Some oils, like lavender and chamomile, are gentle enough to apply neat, straight to your skin, no dilution necessary. Most people prefer to dilute essential oils with a carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil.
Obviously, it’s messy to do this several times a day, which is why people love making up essential oil roller bottles to have on hand when you need them.
Here is a handy dilution chart, plus a video to show you exactly how to make up your own essential oil rollers!
Where Do You Apply Oils?
You can roll on essential oils to pressure points like the inside of your wrists or underneath your ears. You can also roll them onto the bottom of your feet (this is perfect just before bed), at the base of your spin, or the base of your neck. You could even roll your oils across your chest, over your heart.
How Often Do You Apply Oils?
Consistency is key with essential oils–just like with medication, essential oils take a few weeks or months to truly begin working. That doesn’t mean you won’t see results right away!
If you’re dealing with anxiety or pain or high stress levels, you should apply oils several times a day, and then again before bed. You can use a combination of different oils, or just one oil throughout the day.
2. Diffuse Oils
You can actually use a combination of methods–you might, for example, diffuse oils in your office while you work all day, and then roll them on at night just before bed. You can use a diffuser or you can use diffusing jewelry, like these bracelets.
How Can I Get the Most Out of My Essential Oils?
We love pairing crystals and essential oils for an extra boost of wellness and joy. You can learn more about our favorite crystals for stress and anxiety here, and learn more about pairing oils and crystals here.
6 Essential Oil Recipes for Sleep & Anxiety (Roller Recipes & Diffuser Recipes)
These recipes came from my post on 21 Favorite Deep Sleep Diffuser Blends, which you can check out if you want even more options! Want our top 5 all-time favorite essential oil recipes? Grab them here!
We’ve also created some done-for-you crystals + essential oil roller bottles here (there are options for stress & anxiety, calm, and tension!).
Good NightRecipe for Sleep and Anxiety
Classic combo for sleep and anxiety that you can use all day (and night!).
Diffuser blend (300ml diffuser):
- 4 drops lavender
- 3 drops bergamot
- 1 drop ylang ylang
Roller bottle blend (10ml):
- 8 drops lavender
- 6 drops bergamot
- 2 drops ylang ylang
Soothing SlumberRecipe for Sleep and Anxiety
A deeper, more grounding combo than our Good Night recipe.
Diffuser blend (300ml diffuser):
- 4 drops lavender
- 3 drops cedarwood
- 2 drops frankincense
Roller bottle blend (10ml):
- 8 drops lavender
- 6 drops cedarwood
- 4 drops frankincense
Sweet Winter DreamsRecipe for Sleep and Anxiety
But you don’t have to wait til winter!
Diffuser blend (300ml diffuser):
- 4 drops lavender
- 2 drops cedarwood
- 2 drops vetiver
Roller bottle blend (10ml):
- 8 drops lavender
- 4 drops cedarwood
- 4 drops vetiver
