Cooking With Essential Oils

Why cook with essential oils? 

One of the greatest benefits of essential oils is their wide variety of uses. With so many different oils that each hold unique benefits and advantages, you can incorporate essential oils into nearly every area of your daily routine and lifestyle. Essential oils can help with things like relaxation and sleep, beautifying the skin and hair, creating a soothing massage, repelling insects naturally, cleansing surfaces around the home—and so on. Because cooking, eating, and drinking are such a natural part of our everyday lives, it is no surprise that essential oils are also useful in the kitchen.

With so many options for spices, seasonings, and extracts on the market that can help enhance our food, you might be wondering, “Why should I cook with essential oils?” While cooking methods often depend on diet and personal preferences, there are several benefits to using essential oils in cooking. Not only will essential oils provide any meal with powerful flavor, but they also allow the user to enjoy any internal health benefits that the essential oil may hold, as well as providing a safe, natural way to flavor your food and offering convenience when fresh ingredients are not available.

Adding flavor 

Essential oils are naturally potent and powerful because they are highly concentrated and taken directly from natural sources. The purity and potency of essential oils make them perfect for adding flavor to any dish. Because essential oils are so powerful, it doesn’t take much to add an extra kick of flavor to your favorite entrees, beverages, meats, desserts, and more.

Internal benefits 

Frequently used for their internal benefits, essential oils provide a simple way to promote wellness in the body.* Depending on the oil, you can use essential oils to promote healthy digestion, cleanse the body, support healthy function of the body’s systems, provide the body with antioxidants, and other internal benefits.* When you add an essential oil to your food or beverage, not only will you experience the powerful flavors of the oil, but you can experience any internal benefits the oil has to offer. Cooking with essential oils provides a fun, creative way to use essential oils internally and reap the benefits they have to offer.

Safe, natural ingredients 

While there are plenty of spices, seasonings, and extracts available that can help flavor your food, many of these options contain highly processed or questionable ingredients. By using essential oils to flavor your food and enhance your cooking, you will not only have endless options for making healthy and creative meals, but you can rest easy knowing exactly what you are putting into your food. As mentioned, essential oils are taken directly from natural sources, and do not include processed or harmful ingredients. Remember that not all essential oils are created equal, and some companies will use fillers or synthetic ingredients in their oils. By using pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils in your cooking, you can enjoy the benefits of natural flavors and ingredients.

Convenience 

While some people prefer to use raw or fresh ingredients to flavor their food, these kinds of ingredients aren’t always readily available. Having essential oils on hand makes it easy when you don’t have time to get to the store to buy fresh basil, or just used your last lemon. Plus, it can be difficult to find fresh ingredients throughout the entire year, as some herbs, spices, and fruits are only available during certain seasons. In addition to providing a convenient way to season your food, essential oils can also be more cost-effective in the long run. As it only takes a tiny amount of essential oil to add flavor to any dish, you can save money by not having to replace your ingredients as often. Because essential oils stay good for so long, you also don’t have to worry about fresh ingredients going bad if you don’t end up using them before their expiration date. While using fresh ingredients is still a wonderful way to enhance your cooking, essential oils provide a convenient way to add flavor when you need it.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

Is cooking with essential oils safe? 

While some are skeptical about the consumption of essential oils, internal usage of essential oils has actually been in practice for centuries, and is not a mysterious new fad. People have successfully and safely consumed essential oils for many years, and the key to safe use is following proper safety guidelines. Like any substance, essential oils only present risks when used improperly or in incorrect amounts. We will discuss the important safety guidelines for cooking with essential oils in more detail in chapter three.

You likely already consume small amounts of essential oils in your diet 

Because essential oils are taken from plants, fruits, and natural substances, the body is well equipped to process them. Fruits, plant parts, and extracts are already a normal part of our diets, which makes it safe for the body to consume essential oils internally and process them properly. Like other things we consume, essential oils are ingested through the digestive system, enter the bloodstream, and can then be metabolized by the organs. Because our body is able to easily process and metabolize essential oils, cooking with oils is a simple way to enrich the food we eat every day.

Choose essential oils that are safe for internal use 

Before adding essential oils to your food, make sure that each oil you intend to use has been approved for safe consumption and internal use. The following essential oils are considered safe for internal use:

• Basil 
• Bergamot 
• Black Pepper 
• Cassia 
• Cilantro 
• Cinnamon Bark 
• Clary Sage 
• Clove 
• Copaiba 
• Coriander 
• Fennel 
• Frankincense 
• Geranium 
• Ginger 
• Grapefruit 
• Juniper Berry 
• Lavender Lemon 
• Lemongrass 
• Lime 
• Marjoram 
• Melaleuca 
• Melissa 
• Myrrh 
• Oregano 
• Patchouli 
• Peppermint 
• Petitgrain 
• Roman 
• Chamomile 
• Rosemary 
• Sandalwood 
• Hawaiian 
• Sandalwood 
• Siberian Fir 
• Ylang Ylang

Not all essential oils are safe for consumption 

While the list above identifies essential oils that are safe to use internally, not all essential oils are approved for this kind of use. Due to their chemical makeup, some essential oils should never be added to food or used internally in any amount.Here is a list of the essential oils that are not safe to use internally:

• Arborvitae 
• Cedarwood 
• Cypress 
• Douglas Fir 
• Eucalyptus 
• Spikenard 
• Wintergreen

High quality, well-tested essential oils are safe to consume 

As previously mentioned, not all essential oils are created equal. Some essential oil companies add fillers or substitutions to their essential oils, which lowers the efficacy, potency, and purity of the oil. On the other hand, some essential oil companies use thorough testing methods to ensure that the oils don’t contain any harmful substances or contaminants, and that they are as pure and high quality as possible. Just remember, not all distributors use testing to assure quality. Before you use essential oils in your cooking, it is important to know how they have been produced. Have the oils been carefully harvested and distilled? Have they been tested for possible contaminants or harmful substances? If you plan to use essential oils for cooking, it is best to use high quality, thoroughly tested oils that can provide you with the best results.

dōTERRA® uses the CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic® grade testing process to ensure that essential oils are safe to use. During several rounds of rigorous testing, essential oils are closely examined to ensure that they don’t contain any contaminants or harmful substances.

Best practices

Cooking with essential oils is a fun, simple way to make creative meals, or to make your favorite meals a bit more interesting. How you use essential oils for cooking will depend on your own personal taste, what kind of food you are making, and which oil you are using. By following a few simple guidelines, you can easily enjoy the benefits of cooking with essential oils.

Essential oils and cooking with heat 

Because essential oils are easily affected by heat, some worry that cooking with heat may lessen the efficacy of the oil. Cooking with heat can evaporate essential oils due to the steam, so it is best to add the essential oil at the end of the recipe, if possible. The less time the essential oil is exposed to heat, the more flavor it will retain, so if possible, add it in at the very end, or after the dish has been removed from heat and had time to cool.

Of course, it is not always possible to add the essential oil later, especially when it comes to baking or steaming. If your recipe requires that you bake, steam, simmer, or boil, and you cannot add the essential oil at the end, simply add a larger amount of the oil, as some of the oil’s flavor will be baked, steamed, simmered, or boiled out. If you plan to add the essential oil at the very end when your dish has been removed from heat, a much smaller amount will be needed. When you add strong essential oils like Oregano or Basil, it can be beneficial to let the oil simmer or evaporate, because it provides a milder, more pleasant flavor.

Cookware 

When cooking with essential oils, it is best to use cookware that is stainless steel, ceramic, or glass, as essential oils can potentially damage some types of plastic. When mixing ingredients that contain oils, avoid plastic mixing bowls or containers, and always try to use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel in order to protect and preserve your cookware.

Measurements 

The amount of essential oils you add to any given recipe depends heavily on what kind of oil you are using; your personal taste preferences; whether you are substituting the oil for raw, fresh, or dried ingredients; the amount of servings you are making; and more. While it would be nice to know the exact amount of essential oil to add to a recipe, there are so many variables involved in cooking that it is more a process of experimentation and trial and error. You might need a little practice cooking with essential oils before you get a good idea of how much of an oil to add in order to fit your specific recipes and flavor preferences. While there is no fool-proof measurement guide for cooking with essential oils, there are a few guidelines that will help you as you experiment with essential oils and food.

The toothpick method 

Something that makes cooking with essential oils so convenient is that it takes far less of an essential oil to flavor your food than if you were using dry seasonings, spices, or flavoring agents. Because essential oils are so potent, even the tiniest amount can add a serious blast of flavor to your dish. Often, even a single drop of an essential oil can be too overpowering, especially if the oil is particularly strong. When you first start experimenting with essential oils and cooking, it is best to use the toothpick method—dip the tip of a clean toothpick into the essential oil bottle and stir the toothpick into your ingredients. This will allow you to add the smallest possible amount of the oil, so that you don’t risk ruining the dish by adding too much flavor. After you’ve stirred the toothpick around in the dish, do a taste test to see whether you want to add more of the oil or not. This is the safest way to slowly add flavor to your dish without ruining it by using too much oil.

Potent oils 

It is important to note that some essential oils that have been approved for internal use are still very potent, and must be altered or modified before internal consumption. The following essential oils are extremely potent, and users should always employ the toothpick method when using these oils for cooking:

Cassia
Cinnamon
Clove
Cumin
Thyme
Oregano

These oils should also be properly diluted when added to beverages. To ensure proper dilution of these oils, use at least four ounces of liquid when adding any of the essential oils listed above to your drinks.

How do I know how much of an essential oil to add? 

As mentioned, the amount of essential oil you add to your dishes will depend on many different variables like the particular recipe you are making, how many servings you make, what kind of oil you are using, and your personal taste buds.

In most cases, it is best to start by using the toothpick method, and slowly adding more and more oil to the recipe. Once you have a little experience with cooking using essential oils, you can better gauge how much of an oil to add to a recipe, and you won’t have to taste the food each time after adding a toothpick’s worth of oil. In some cases, it is appropriate to add an entire drop (or several drops) of an essential oil, but just remember: once you’ve added an essential oil to your dish, you cannot take it back. You can always add more oil, but once added, you can’t take the flavor back, so use caution when adding essential oils to your meals, and stick with the toothpick method until you feel more comfortable with cooking using essential oils.

Don’t drop essential oils directly into the dish 

Once you’ve decided how much of an essential oil to use in a recipe, it is important that you don’t add the oil directly to the dish, bowl, or pan, but drop the oil onto a spoon first. When pouring essential oils, it is easy for more than one drop to sneak out of the bottle, so if you hold the bottle directly over your dish, you might get more oil than you intended. By pouring the oil into a spoon first, you can ensure that you get exactly one drop (or whatever amount you need), before adding it to the dish.

If you find it difficult to get exact amounts when cooking with essential oils, it can be helpful to use an oil dropper to help give you precise droplets. It is also important to remember to put the lid on essential oil bottles when you are not using them during the cooking process. Cooking can get messy, and ensuring that the lid is on your essential oil bottles will prevent you from accidentally knocking over a bottle and losing precious oil.

Flavor guide for cooking with essential oils 

When it comes to flavoring your food using essential oils, the options are limitless. Essential oils can help add potent flavor to nearly any drink, dessert, soup, meat, bread—the list goes on and on. If you are just getting started, the flavor guide below can help give you ideas of how to pair certain essential oils with your favorite foods and beverages. Remember: You can always add more oil, but once you’ve added a drop of essential oil to your food, you cannot take it back.

Citrus 

Common oils: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Tangerine, Wild Orange
Useful for: beverages, baked goods, yogurt, dip, salsa, and zest
Flavor description: bright, sweet, tangy, refreshing

Citrus oils can add a sweet, refreshing flavor to beverages like tea, water, or smoothies, and can brighten up any recipe for baked goods like scones, muffins, or cookies. Citrus oils can also be useful for adding flavor to yogurt, or your favorite dips and salsa recipes. Consider using citrus oils in recipes that call for lemon, lime, orange, or tangerine zest. If the recipe calls for the zest of the entire fruit, it will likely take a few drops of essential oil to match the amount of flavor needed. Remember, citrus essential oils are taken from the peel of the fruit—not the juice. For this reason, it is easy to substitute citrus oils for recipes that call for fruit zest, but not necessarily for recipes that call for fruit juice.

Spices 

Common oils: Black Pepper, Cassia, Cinnamon, Coriander, Ginger, Fennel
Useful for: enhancing natural flavors, vegetables, meat marinade, sweet and savory dishes
Flavor description: hot, sharp, spicy, sweet, warm

Spicy oils are useful when you want to add an extra boost of flavor to your dish. Essential oils like Black Pepper and Ginger can help enhance natural flavors when cooking, and oils like Fennel and Coriander can help add extra flavor to both sweet and savory recipes. Cinnamon and Cassia oils are strong and spicy, and make a great addition to sweet recipes for baked goods or breakfast foods. Keep in mind that all of these spicy essential oils are extremely potent, so only a tiny bit of oil will be needed to add powerful flavor to your dish. For this reason, it is best to always start by using the toothpick method when adding any of these oils, and taste-test as you go.

Herbs 

Common oils: Basil, Cilantro, Marjoram, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
Useful for: substituting dry or fresh herbs, Italian dishes, meat marinade, soup, bread, pasta, potatoes Flavor description: herbal, fresh, sharp, warm

Using fresh or dried herbs has been a popular method for adding flavor to food for centuries. While this is an effective way to achieve certain flavors when cooking, it can be fun to substitute your regular herbs for essential oils every once in a while. Not only do essential oils come in handy when you don’t have access to fresh herbs or if you run out of dry seasonings, but they can help deliver serious flavor. In addition to using herbal essential oils to substitute dry or fresh herbs in a recipe, these oils can make a wonderful contribution to your favorite Italian dishes, soups, breads, pasta dishes, potatoes, meat marinades, and more. Like dry or fresh herbs, you can also use several of these herbal essential oils in a single dish to make a lovely bouquet of flavors. Remember, many of these oils are extremely potent, and should be added to food via the toothpick method to ensure that you do not overpower or ruin the dish by using too much oil.

Florals 

Common oils: Lavender, Geranium
Useful for: softening citrus flavors, adding a twist to plain recipes, desserts, tea
Flavor description: light, powdery, sweet

Although floral oils are more commonly used for beauty products and fragrances, and less often in cooking, there are certain floral essential oils that can help to add an unexpected twist of flavor to light desserts like cookies and cakes, jellies, and tea. Because of their sweet, powdery nature, floral oils can also be useful for softening powerful citrus flavors in a recipe in order to achieve balance. Floral essential oils are extremely potent, and therefore only tiny amounts should be added when cooking, using the toothpick method.

Mint 

Common oils: Peppermint, Spearmint
Useful for: beverages, desserts, salads, certain meats
Flavor description: minty, cool, refreshing, sweet

Mint is a popular flavoring agent in the cooking world, and mint essential oils can be extremely useful when making mint-flavored desserts and candies, or for any time you want to add a cool, refreshing element to your recipe. Many recipes that include lamb or chicken often use mint flavoring to compliment the flavors of the meat, or even to compliment spicy or savory flavors. Mint is also often used in conjunction with other herbs, as it has a fresh, herbaceous flavor. Because mint essential oils are so potent, only a small amount of oil is needed to achieve a powerful flavor. Always use a toothpick when adding mint oils to an entrée or dish. An entire drop of a mint oil can be used when being added to beverages like teas and smoothies.

Read our other blog on Essential Oil Recipes

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Essential Oil Recipes

Now that you’ve learned about the best ways to use essential oils for cooking, here are a few recipes that will help you practice. Remember, cooking with essential oils takes a little experimentation to perfect, but the possibilities are endless!

Beverages 

Adding essential oils to beverages is one of the easiest ways to enjoy their potent, refreshing flavors. When you want to brighten up any of your favorite drinks, here are a few ideas for adding essential oils to beverages:

Water 

Adding one to two drops of an essential oil to your water is a simple way to make a flavorful drink. Whether you are looking for a creative way to increase your daily water intake, want to cut down on soda or sugary drinks, or just want to reap the internal benefits of a particular oil, adding essential oils to your water is one of the most effective ways to enjoy essential oils.
• Add a drop or two of Lemon oil to a glass of water when fresh lemons aren’t available
• If you are trying to drink less soda or sugary drinks, add essential oils to your water for powerful flavor
• Add invigorating essential oils to your water in the morning to give you a refreshing jump start
• Put a drop of Cassia oil in your water when hiking, for hydration
• Add one drop of Cinnamon oil with honey to hot water and sip slowly to soothe the throat*
• Place a drop of Lime oil in a glass of water for enhanced flavor and antioxidant support*
• Combine Melaleuca, Peppermint, and Lemon oil in your water glass and drink to freshen the breath.

Tea 

If you like drinking tea, essential oils provide a natural way to add a variety of flavors to your beverage— making tea time infinitely more fun. Only a small amount of essential oil will be required to provide your tea mixture with potent flavor, so make sure that you do not add too much, especially if you are drinking from a small cup or using strong oils.

Which essential oils go best with tea?

• Bergamot 
• Cinnamon 
• Fennel 
• Lemon 
• Peppermint 
• Roman Chamomile

Other Beverages 

While adding essential oils to a glass of water or cup of tea provides a simple way to use essential oils to enhance your beverage, you can add an essential oil to practically any beverage to enhance the flavor.

Essential oils also work well in smoothies, slushies, lemonades, hot chocolate, and many more of your favorite drinks.

Marinades 

Because essential oils can provide sweet, savory, potent flavors, they make the perfect addition to your favorite marinades. Whether you are marinating meat, vegetables, seafood, or anything else you plan to cook up, adding essential oils will give your dish an extra dose of flavor. The amount of essential oil that you add to your marinade will depend on what you are marinating, how long the food will marinate in the mixture, and how much liquid the marinade has. However, it is best to add a small amount of essential oil to your marinade— start with one drop for most essential oils, and work your way up from there. 

Which are the best essential oils for marinades?

• Basil 
• Black Pepper 
• Cardamom 
• Cilantro 
• Cumin 
• Fennel 
• Ginger 
• Lemon 
• Lime 
• Marjoram 
• Oregano 
• Rosemary

The following essential oil-infused marinades work well with chicken, fish, beef, pork, shrimp, vegetables, and more.

Baked Goods 

Using essential oils when baking provides a simple way to add extra flavor to your favorite desserts, breads, and anything else you like to make in the oven. Whether you want to add a hint of flavor to your favorite cookie recipe, or provide a dessert recipe with a healthy twist, essential oils will definitely come in handy when making baked goods. Remember, when essential oils are baked, much of the oil will evaporate because of the heat. For this reason, it is best to add a little more oil to your mixture before placing it in the oven. Keep in mind that strong oils should still be used in small amounts, but oils with a milder chemistry can be used generously to ensure that the flavor survives the baking process.

Essential Oils and Sleep

The importance of sleep

We know that everything we do during our daily routine influences our health and wellbeing; however, we often forget that our sleeping habits are just as crucial to our health. Yes, exercising, eating right, and finding a healthy way to deal with emotions and stress are all important parts of our day, but allowing our minds and bodies to rest and recuperate at night is equally important. While some may think that the only consequences of poor sleep are feeling groggy or sluggish the next day, sleep deprivation has actually been linked to a number of health risks that can impact the body.

What do our brains and bodies do while we are asleep?

Sleeping is much more than just a way to pass the time, or a means of getting rid of the bags under our eyes. As we sleep, our brains and bodies go through important processes that are necessary for growth, learning and memory, and recuperation of the body’s systems.

While we sleep, our brain processes information, stimuli, and memories from throughout the day. As the brain sorts through important information and memories, it clears away waste and excess information in order to refresh the mind—allowing the brain to start fresh in the morning.

Relaxed, deep sleep allows the body to rest and recuperate by rejuvenating the body’s cells while relaxing the muscles and taking slow, deep breaths. Just as our minds must process information while we sleep, giving the body a break will help major systems function properly.

During the night, we experience several levels of sleep that allow the brain and the body to rest and recover. When we cut those processes short, our minds and bodies haven’t had time to properly process and recuperate, which can cause problems in the long run.

The consequences of poor sleeping patterns

Experts suggest that adults get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night. While the amount of sleep required may vary slightly from person to person, it is important for everyone to allow their body to rest for a substantial amount of time every night in order to maintain proper function of the brain and the body’s major systems. Unfortunately, many adults do not receive the proper amount of sleep each night due to a number of circumstances, including frequent interruption during the night by children or newborns, inadequate bedding or an unfavorable sleeping environment, consumption of stimulating substances like caffeine, a demanding work schedule, and distractions like technology or entertainment. In addition to these factors that often keep adults from getting proper rest, some people deal with more serious health conditions associated with sleep that can cause interruptions throughout the night.

Because regular quality sleep is vital to the body’s restorative processes, missing out on proper rest can pose health risks. For example, inadequate sleep can impact our ability to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Loss of sleep can also influence our emotions, behavior, and decision-making abilities, which can have negative effects on our daily life. For both adults and children, sleep deprivation can influence learning ability and motivation, making it difficult to complete tasks or learn properly. Depriving the body of sleep can negatively impact nearly any organ system in the body, which can seriously affect our overall health.

While some think that the impact of poor sleep is minimal, it is important to note that lack of sleep influences reaction time, which can seriously affect your ability to drive safely. Thousands of accidents and deaths are caused by drowsy drivers every year, making quality sleep a matter of life and death.

In addition to the consequences and risks listed above, the lack of proper sleep can have a variety of effects that may differ from person to person. The negative impact of sleep deprivation may manifest itself in the body by causing changes in mood, influencing cardiovascular health, or affecting the immune system. When you deprive your body of proper sleep and your brain of adequate rest, any number of negative consequences may follow.

Good sleeping habits can improve quality of life and overall health

Just as sleep deprivation can lead to health risks and other negative impacts on the body and brain, getting good sleep helps the body recuperate and prepare for another day. With proper sleep, you’ll have the mental alertness and control over your emotions needed to tackle the challenges of each day. Rather than jeopardizing or attacking the systems of the body, you can help rejuvenate the body and promote overall wellness by getting quality, consistent sleep.

Sleep deprivation can influence:
• Our ability to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
• Emotions, behaviors, and ability to make decisions
• Learning and motivation levels (in both children and adults)
• The body’s organ systems and overall health
• Reaction time; ability to drive safely


You might need a little extra help

For many people, getting better sleep isn’t simply a matter of going to bed earlier or rearranging their schedule. Many adults have the best intentions of getting good sleep, but their plans are thwarted when they can’t get their brain or their body to settle down. If you’ve tried your best to improve your sleeping habits but can’t seem to get better sleep, try a few of the suggestions below:

• Maintain a healthy diet
• Create a good sleeping environment: make sure it is dark, not too hot or cold, and quiet
• Avoid stimulants: alcohol, nicotine, caffeine
• Make sure you have adequate bedding: consider buying new pillows or a new mattress • Exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
• Remove distractions: remove the temptation of technology, and try to avoid screens before bed
• Relax the body: try a warm bath, or chamomile tea (non-stimulating)
• Reset your internal clock: go to bed and wake up at the same time every night and morning

Essential oils can help with sleep and relaxation

In addition to the methods above, there are dozens of remedies, products, and approaches that claim to help promote sleep. However, each person is different, and what works for one person might not work for another. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their calming and soothing properties that can help relax the body and mind. The unique chemical properties found in certain essential oils make them useful for promoting an environment that is conducive for sleep. Because there is such a wide variety of essential oils, and because each oil has its own set of benefits, individuals can find an oil that works best for them. No two people will have the exact same reaction to a single oil, which means that each person can experiment to find the best essential oil for their needs.

Each person’s needs and rituals are a little bit different when it comes to sleeping, which makes essential oils a useful agent for creating a quality sleeping environment. A person can tailor each oil to fit their needs, and hopefully find their way to better sleep.

The science behind essential oils and sleep 

For many years, essential oils have been used to help calm and relax the body in an effort to promote a good night of sleep. You might be wondering, “How does it work? How do essential oils help the body with sleep?” With any essential oil, the specific benefits of the oil will depend on its chemical makeup. Every essential oil has a completely unique chemical profile, because each oil comes from a different plant part. Some chemical constituents can give an oil soothing or calming properties, while other constituents can make an oil cleansing, cooling, or invigorating. Because each essential oil contains a different combination of several chemical properties, each oil holds unique benefits. To use essential oils for their sleep benefits, the user simply needs to select oils with chemical components that are soothing, calming, relaxing, and promote a suitable environment for sleep.

Which chemical components contain properties that are useful for sleep?

Because each essential oil has a different chemical makeup, some essential oils are more useful for sleep than others. So which chemical components make an essential oil particularly useful for sleep? Let’s discuss a few chemical groups that are known to have benefits for promoting healthy sleep by relaxing, soothing, and calming the body and mind.

Alcohols

Commonly found in essential oils, alcohols are chemical groups that are composed of a hydrogen and an oxygen atom. Essential oils that contain alcohols can have a number of possible benefits including cleansing properties, protection against environmental threats, supporting a healthy cardiovascular system*, helping to uplift the mood, and, of course, supporting restful sleep. Alcohols that have the potential to promote restful sleep typically include the chemicals santalol and linalool.

Essential oils containing alcohols that support restful sleep
• Oil: Clary Sage Chemical constituent: linalool
• Oil: Lavender Chemical constituent: linalool
• Oil: Sandalwood Chemical constituent: santalol

Ketones 

Characterized as a chemical group that features an oxygen with a double bond that always occurs somewhere in the middle of a carbon chain, Ketones are frequently found in essential oils. Oils that contain ketones may help improve the appearance of the skin, can support healthy respiratory function*, sometimes promote healthy digestion*, or provide calming properties that are useful for supporting sleep. Ketones with calming properties include the chemicals carvone, camphor, frenchone, and octanone.

Essential oils containing ketones with calming properties Essential oils containing esters with calming, relaxing, and soothing effects on mood
• Oil: Dill Chemical constituent: carvone
• Oil: Lavender Chemical constituent: frenchone

Esters 

Formed when a reaction occurs between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid, esters are known as a chemical group that provides essential oils with a variety of benefits. The main benefits of esters include calming, relaxing, and soothing effects on mood, helping to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes, and a soothing, warming sensation when applied topically. The calming and relaxing properties of esters can make essential oils with this chemical group helpful for promoting sleep.

Essential oils containing esters with calming, relaxing, and soothing effects on mood
• Oil: Dill Chemical constituent: carvone
• Oil: Lavender Chemical constituent: frenchone
• Oil: Roman Chamomile Chemical constituent: isobutyl acetate, isoamyl angelate
• Oil: Clary Sage Chemical constituent: linalyl acetate

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How do chemical components make essential oils useful for sleep?

Now that you have learned about a few chemical constituents commonly found in essential oils, you might still be wondering, “How will these chemical properties help me sleep?” When an essential oil contains the chemical properties discussed above, or any chemical properties with a soothing, calming, or relaxing nature, it will cause a positive response within the brain and the body.

Upon inhaling an essential oil with calming properties, the brain will process the aroma, and an effect will follow. Once you experience a restful night of sleep after using the calming oil, the brain will make what is called a positive association with that aroma, so the next time you smell that particular oil, your brain will have a similar reaction. After successfully using an essential oil to promote a good night of sleep, that oil can be continually used as part of healthy sleep regimen because of the positive connection your brain has made between the smell of the oil and a good night’s rest.

Inhale. 

Inhaling an essential oil can induce a response within the body for relaxation

Sleep. 

This internal response can encourage a restful night of sleep Positive Association. After a restful night of sleep, the aroma has now created a positive association within the brain

Repeat. 

Positive association promotes further use of this particular oil as part of a healthy sleeping routine.

As discussed, each individual has different sleep patterns, preferences, and needs, and every person will react to an essential oil a little bit differently. This is what makes essential oils so useful for promoting an environment conducive to sleep—you can find an oil that works for you and your sleeping needs. If you find that one essential oil doesn’t promote quality sleep like you hoped it would, you can try another oil that contains chemical components that are known to support sleep, and see if that particular oil is a better fit for your needs.

How to use essential oils to promote healthy sleep

With powerful and potent essential oils on your side, you can create an environment that will promote a good night’s sleep. Once you’ve found an essential oil with relaxing, calming, or soothing properties, you can incorporate the oil into your bedtime routine to help you sleep better. You can experiment with different oils, and even blend oils together for effective results. After selecting your essential oils, there are dozens of applications that will allow you get the rest you need.

Diffusion 

Diffusing essential oils is one of the simplest ways to enjoy the aromatic benefits of an oil—particularly at bedtime or when falling asleep. Placing an essential oil diffuser near your bed or in your bedroom will allow you to breathe in the relaxing aroma of the oil as you drift off to sleep. You can create your own bedtime diffuser blends by mixing a few essential oils together. Remember, not all of the oils you use in a diffuser blend have to fall within the “relaxing” or “calming” category. You can mix together a few calming oils with other essential oils you enjoy to make a unique aroma that will help you create an environment suitable for sleep.

If it takes you a while to fall asleep, turn the essential oil diffuser on during your nightly routine—allowing you to breathe in the calming aroma before going to bed. If you want to have a more restful night of sleep, place the diffuser on your bedside table, dresser, or in the corner of your bedroom, and set the timer. This will allow the aroma to remain in the room over an extended period of time, helping you to enjoy relaxed, peaceful sleep.

Bedtime and Bath time 

If you want a relaxing essential oil experience for the entire body, adding essential oils to a warm bath can help calm and comfort the body and mind before bed. Not only will a warm bath help soothe the body after a long day, but essential oils will provide several aromatic benefits that will prepare you for bed. You can simply add a few drops of an essential oil (or several oils) to a warm bath, or combine the oils with Epsom salts and place in the bottom of the bathtub.

Pillows and bedding 

Another simple way to enjoy the aromatic benefits of essential oils and promote quality sleep is by applying oils to your pillows and bedding. Combine a few drops of an essential oil (or oils) and a few ounces of water in a spray bottle and spritz the combination over your pillows and bedding. As you lay down to go to sleep, you will be surrounded by the relaxing, comforting aroma of essential oils.

Heating pad or neck wrap

Combining essential oils with a heating pad or neck wrap is an effective way to enjoy the aroma of calming essential oils, while simultaneously warming and relaxing the body. You can simply add a few drops of an essential oil to the outside fabric of a heating pad or neck wrap, and place on the neck or back for warming comfort.

Bottoms of the feet 

For an easy way to promote a good night of rest, simply apply your favorite relaxing oil to the bottoms of your feet. This topical application will allow you to enjoy the aroma of the oil throughout the night— keeping you in a peaceful state of rest. This is also a useful application method for helping children to sleep. Simply rub the oil on the bottom of your children’s feet during their nighttime routine to help them wind down before going to bed. Remember, some essential oils will need to be diluted before topical application. When applying oils on children, remember to use less oil than you would for an adult, and always dilute oils that have a strong chemistry.

A warm shower before bed

If you prefer to take a warm shower before bed instead of a bath, you can still use essential oils to help relax the mind and body before sleep. Simply place a few drops of a calming essential oil on the floor of the shower, allowing the aroma of the oil to disperse throughout the room with the steam from the shower. Make sure to place the oil droplets away from the path of the water so that the oil doesn’t get washed down the drain right away.

You can also add a few drops of a relaxing or soothing essential oil to your conditioner, and apply to your hair in the shower before going to bed. When you get out of the shower, you’ll still be able to smell the oil on your hair as you lay down to go to sleep. Essential oils like Clary Sage, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, and Ylang Ylang are calming oils that promote healthy sleep while simultaneously providing the hair with soothing and beautifying benefits.

Massage 

Essential oils have long been used to help enhance the art of massage. Using essential oils with calming, relaxing, and soothing properties during massage is a simple way to promote a good night of sleep. You can place a few drops of an essential oil in your hand, rub between the palms, and massage into the temples or neck. Massaging these areas with essential oils is an effective way to relax the mind and body, and can help calm you down before bedtime. You can also use calming essential oils to massage the shoulders, arms, back, legs, or feet to help relax certain areas of the body, or even the body as a whole. Diluting essential oils with a carrier oil will help the oils to absorb into the skin, so that you can still enjoy the aroma of the oils as you sleep. Before applying any essential oils topically during a massage, please read all instructions to ensure that the oil is approved for topical use.

Cup of Tea 

A common method for soothing the body before sleep is to drink a warm cup of tea. You can always add a drop or two of an essential oil to your nighttime tea to help soothe and relax the body for bed.*

Make sure the tea you choose is not caffeinated, as stimulants tend to keep the body and mind awake. The addition of Bergamot oil can turn regular tea into Earl Grey, while oils with unique flavors, like Dill oil, make a wonderful addition to herbal tea. Many people drink chamomile tea before bed, so it is no surprise that adding a few drops of Roman Chamomile oil to tea can help soothe the body and mind.

Before adding an essential oil to your tea, make sure that the oil has been approved for internal use and is safe to add to food and drink.

It will take a little experimentation, but once you’ve discovered your favorite calming essential oils, you can develop a personalized bedtime routine that leads to quality, consistent sleep. Consider your specific needs when it comes to sleep, and use your favorite bedtime oils to help you create a restful sleeping environment. You will no longer lay awake at night counting sheep when you have the natural, potent power of essential oils at your disposal—ready to help you slip into the kind of peaceful sleep that your body and mind desperately need in order to tackle another day


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