How to Fall Asleep When You Just Can’t
None of lullabies doesn’t work. Your thoughts are racing. You replay what you did or didn’t say, how you should have acted. But sleep doesn’t come. Sounds familiar? If so, you're not alone. In Ukraine's current reality, sleepless, high-stress nights can last for days.
So, it's no surprise that you wake up feeling drained, without energy, unable to collect your thoughts. And during the day—work, family, kids… Countless responsibilities that won’t wait. This pace is exhausting, and it becomes harder and harder to enjoy life. And so the cycle continues.
The nervous system isn’t just asking—it’s screaming for help. You could turn to pharmaceuticals for quick symptom relief. But they won’t treat the root cause.
Sometimes, the reasons for sleeplessness aren’t obvious: maybe your room is too hot, your pillow or mattress is uncomfortable, or bad habits get in the way—alcohol, overeating, screen time. Some people deal with chronic stress, depression, or an overworked neuroendocrine system.
Quality Sleep Depends on the Quality of Our Lifestyle
Essential oils and hydrosols won’t replace your mattress, regulate your room temperature, tell you “stop overeating,” or take away your phone. BUT! They can influence your neuroendocrine system—and the brain that regulates it.
The most common cause of poor sleep is an unbalanced nervous system and its symptoms: chronic stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD. So our goal is to balance the nervous system and our emotional state before bed. There are many rituals to support this: breathwork, herbal tea, meditation, and of course—aromatherapy.
So, Which Essential Oils Work Best?
Many essential oil molecules can support better sleep, but let’s focus on the main ones with sedative properties.
Essential Oils:
Foundation level – Chamomile, lavender (linalool), marjoram (flowering plants with light molecules), and rosewood oil (though it's not from a flower).
Advanced level – Vetiver, frankincense (root and resin oils with heavier molecules).
Special mention – Bergamot, the number one oil for anxiety.
Hydrosols:
For children’s poor sleep, lavender and chamomile hydrosols are very effective — and just as great for adults.
All of these oils and hydrosols have a calming effect on the nervous system at the molecular level —this is backed by evidence-based science.
But There’s Another Side to It
Let’s say you love the smell of lemon—your favorite scent. That joyful, hedonic experience brings you pleasure. And when you feel pleasure, your body releases chemicals that also relax the nervous system.
The takeaway? Experiment! What works for one person might not work for you. An unexpected aroma might become your personal relaxation aid.
Essential Oils That Help You Sleep
Let’s touch on sleep anatomy first.
Sleep isn’t just a passive state that “happens” at 10, 11, or 12 p.m. It’s regulated by neurotransmitters—biologically active chemicals that transmit electrical impulses between nerve cells.
One key neurotransmitter in the central nervous system is GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It plays a major role in relaxation, sleep regulation, and even muscle relaxation.
GABA is activated or produced by specific neurons in the hypothalamus—a part of the brain’s limbic system.
That’s why essential oils for sleep are not placebo. They act through a complex biochemical process triggered by plant molecules.
Bedtime Relaxation: How to Fall Asleep Naturally
Yes, you can fall asleep without pills. Here are a few of our favorite rituals to support that.
1. Diffusion
For adults:
Use therapeutic-grade essential oils in a waterless diffuser.
For children:
Diffuse hydrosols in a humidifier.
Why?
This way, calming molecules from oils and hydrosols are delivered straight to the limbic system, the brain’s emotional center.
Blend for a waterless diffuser:
Or try bergamot + chamomile (especially for depression or morning fatigue):
Diffuse for 15–20 minutes about an hour before bedtime.
For kids:
Add a few spoons of lavender hydrosol or chamomile hydrosol to a humidifier.
You can also mist the child’s bed, pillow, or mattress.
2. Dry Inhalation
If others in your home aren’t fans of strong scents, use a personal inhaler.
Add your favorite oil or blend — for example:
- Frankincense + myrrh
- Chamomile + lavender
This is a discreet and effective way to relax.
3. Topical Use
There are two options: full-body or targeted application.
Full-body:
Use a massage oil blend (carrier oil + essential oils), or buy a ready-made one — like our body oil Relax
with lavender, marjoram, and pine. It's pre-formulated for therapeutic use.
How to apply:
After a shower, spritz warm skin with German chamomile hydrosol, then apply the blend Relax without
wiping off the hydrosol. Warm, moist skin absorbs oils better. You can massage it in gently yourself—or
ask someone close to give you a relaxing massage.
Pair this with diffuser aromatherapy and a short breathing exercise instead of doom-scrolling—and
you’ll drift off in no time.
Targeted application:
Use a roller blend Sleep:
- Apply to temples and palms
- Rub hands together and inhale deeply
Then apply vetiver or the roller blend Soul to your feet — gently rub in. The feet have the highest
concentration of nerve endings and quickly absorb essential oils into the bloodstream.
Tip: Combining multiple application methods significantly improves results.
4. Relaxing Bath for Kids (or Foot Soak for Adults)
For children:
Add a few spoons of lavender or chamomile hydrosol to their bath.
Optionally, massage feet with Relax oil or blend roller Sleep (for children 2+).
Adjust dilution with a carrier oil if needed.
For adults:
A foot soak works wonders too.
Add 1 drop chamomile + 3 drops lavender (or other oils from our list) to warm water.
Soak for 5 minutes.
Finish with a vetiver oil foot rub—or even better, the blend roller Soul with pre-formulated synergy.
Leave Insomnia Behind
Good sleep is the foundation of your health—don’t ignore it. Sleep hygiene should become your best friend, and our simple rituals from Aroma Fields can be the aromatic addition that works on a molecular level.
Give your body and mind the care they truly deserve. Stop typing “how to fall asleep” into search bars. Start small: an evening walk, screen-free time, gentle rituals with essential oils, hydrosols, and blends from Aroma Fields. Within a month, your life can change for the better—you’ll see.
You can purchase essential oils, hydrosols, and blends at Aroma Fields website.