Best Essential Oils to Help You Sleep After Flying
Traveling can be an invigorating experience, yet the journey often comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to sleep. The disruption of circadian rhythms, coupled with the stress of travel and potential jet lag, can leave travelers feeling exhausted and restless long after they’ve reached their destination. Essential oils, known for their therapeutic properties, can provide a natural solution to enhance relaxation and promote better sleep post-flight. This article delves into the best essential oils to help you unwind and catch some much-needed Zs after flying.
Understanding the Impact of Flying on Sleep
Flying disrupts our natural body rhythms in several ways. The change in time zones can confuse the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythms), leading to jet lag. Additionally, cramped seating, noise from the aircraft, and bright cabin lights can hinder your ability to relax. Stress and anxiety around travel can also contribute to difficulty falling asleep. All these factors make it essential to have effective strategies at hand to facilitate restful sleep after a flight.
Why Use Essential Oils?
Essential oils have been utilized for centuries due to their various health benefits. These concentrated plant extracts possess unique aromas that can influence our emotions and physical well-being. Many essential oils are known for their calming properties, making them ideal for combating the effects of travel-induced insomnia. By utilizing aromatherapy with essential oils, travelers can create a peaceful environment conducive to sleep.
Top Essential Oils for Sleep
1. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is perhaps the most famous essential oil for relaxation and sleep. Its soothing aroma has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality. Studies indicate that inhaling lavender can increase slow-wave sleep—a crucial phase for restorative rest—while decreasing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disturbances.
How to use: Add a few drops of lavender oil to your pillow or use a diffuser in your hotel room before bedtime. Alternatively, consider mixing it with a carrier oil and applying it to pulse points like wrists or behind ears.
2. Chamomile Essential Oil
Known for its calming effects, chamomile oil is derived from the flowers of the chamomile plant. This oil is particularly effective at reducing stress and anxiety levels, promoting relaxation, and facilitating better sleep.
How to use: Diffuse chamomile oil in your room or mix it with a carrier oil for a relaxing massage before bed.
3. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot oil, extracted from the peel of the bergamot orange, has a fresh citrus scent that is surprisingly calming. It is known to decrease stress levels and anxiety while promoting feelings of happiness and relaxation.
How to use: Use bergamot in a diffuser or combine it with other calming oils (like lavender) in a relaxing massage blend before bedtime.
4. Frankincense Essential Oil
Traditionally associated with spirituality and meditation, frankincense oil has grounding properties that help calm the mind and body. Its rich aroma promotes tranquility and reduces feelings of anxiety, making it an excellent choice for easing into sleep after flying.
How to use: Diffuse frankincense oil in your space or add it to a warm bath before bed for an immersive sensory experience.
5. Cedarwood Essential Oil
The woodsy scent of cedarwood oil is known for its sedative properties that help support deeper sleep patterns by increasing melatonin production in the body. It provides an earthy aroma that many find comforting.
How to use: Mix cedarwood with a carrier oil for topical application or incorporate it into your nighttime diffuser routine.
6. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
With its sweet floral scent, ylang ylang oil is celebrated for its ability to enhance mood while reducing stress levels. It has relaxing qualities that encourage emotional balance and tranquility, making it effective in combatting insomnia caused by travel-related stressors.
How to use: Diffuse ylang ylang oil in your sleeping environment or add it to your skincare routine as part of a calming nighttime ritual.
7. Vetiver Essential Oil
Renowned for its earthy scent, vetiver oil has excellent grounding properties that help calm overactive minds and promote relaxation, making it beneficial for those grappling with insomnia after flights.
How to use: Use vetiver alone or blend it with other essential oils in a diffuser or roller bottle for easy application on pulse points before bedtime.
8. Clary Sage Essential Oil
Known for its ability to reduce tension and promote relaxation, clary sage oil has been researched for its potential in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression while fostering restful sleep.
How to use: Diffuse clary sage before bedtime or apply diluted clary sage on pulse points as part of your evening routine.
Practical Tips for Using Essential Oils After Flying
Utilizing essential oils effectively requires a bit of know-how:
1. Create an Aromatherapy Roll-On
A convenient way to carry your favorite essential oils while traveling is by creating an aromatherapy roll-on blend. Combine several drops of your chosen essential oils (like lavender, chamomile, and bergamot) with a carrier oil such as coconut or jojoba oil in a small roller bottle. Apply this blend on your wrists or neck when you need relaxation during or after your flight.
2. Use an Essential Oil Diffuser
Incorporating a portable diffuser into your travel essentials can significantly enhance your sleeping environment. Fill it with water and add drops of essential oils like lavender or cedarwood before settling down in your hotel room or home after flying.
3. Take a Relaxing Bath
If time allows upon arrival at your destination, consider taking a warm bath infused with essential oils such as lavender or chamomile. The warm water combined with soothing aromas will help you unwind after the stresses of travel.
4. Incorporate Meditation or Breathing Exercises
Combine essential oils with meditation techniques or deep breathing exercises to amplify relaxation effects further. Diffusing calming scents like frankincense while meditating can establish tranquility that enhances sleep quality.
5. Use Pillow Sprays for Travel Comfort
Creating a pillow spray using distilled water mixed with a few drops of essential oils such as lavender or chamomile can help prepare your sleeping environment wherever you are—on the plane or in accommodations—creating an inviting atmosphere conducive to rest.
Conclusion
Post-flight fatigue is common for travelers due to disrupted circadian rhythms and various stressors associated with air travel. By incorporating essential oils into your post-travel routine, you can create an environment that supports relaxation and promotes restorative sleep. Lavender, chamomile, bergamot, frankincense, cedarwood, ylang ylang, vetiver, and clary sage are among the best options available that cater specifically toward achieving peaceful sleep after flying.
Whether through diffusion methods, topical applications, or relaxing baths—these natural remedies can assist you in overcoming the fatigue associated with travel while enhancing overall well-being during your adventures abroad! So pack those essential oils next time you fly; they’ll be invaluable allies on your journey!