The 7 Best Scents To Promote Sleep

For thousands of years, humans have used scents as sleep aids. Those who practice aromatherapy by using essential oil scents for sleep have shown proof of reduced anxiety and increased sleep quality.

Trying herbal, natural remedies before turning to pharmaceuticals can be a good alternative. If you’re someone who struggles falling or staying asleep at night, try burning incense or adding fragrances to your bedroom. There are many scents that aid in sleep, so try out a few to discover which are the best scents to help you sleep.

Best Scents To Help You Sleep

While each scent is distinctly unique, all of the following are scents good for sleep. Here are a few of the most popular fragrances.

Lavender

Does lavender help you sleep? In a word — yes!

Lavender is a flowering perennial plant in the mint family. It’s well-known for its distinct floral smell, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties.

One study showed that repeated application of lavender in mice demonstrated a more rapid sleep onset with a longer duration of sleep. Lavender oil can also increase time spent in deep sleep by slowing the heartbeat, reducing blood pressure and relaxing muscles.

Try rubbing lavender oil on your wrists and temples, or adding a few drops to your bath or pillow before bed. You can also keep a lavender plant by your bedside table to inhale the aroma throughout the night.

Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb that comes from daisy-like plants. It’s been ingested for centuries due to its natural health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, decreasing menstrual pain and even treating cold symptoms.

However, it’s arguably most well-known for helping to treat insomnia and being a mild relaxer. It’s commonly found in sleep-inducing tea, which is most effective when drank right before bed.

Jasmine

Known for its incredible fumes, jasmine is a plant used to make medicines — specifically for liver disease and abdominal pain. Of course, the rich scent is also a mild sedative and is said to increase sleep efficiency and decrease movement while asleep.

Vanilla

You’re more than likely familiar with vanilla, which derives from orchids and is an extremely popular scent worldwide. But did you know of its sleep-inducing properties?

Vanilla’s sweet scent is a potent relaxer that can slow down the nervous system, relaxing the body and mind and improving sleep quality. One study showed that sniffing vanilla extract can even help prevent sleep apnea in premature babies.

Vanilla scents are commonly used in bath products and candles because of its relaxing properties that promote restful sleep and relaxation.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is from trees that contain woody, flowering plants. It has a distinctly smooth, creamy, wooden odor that is persistent.

Scientific research has indicated that sandalwood can be effective in easing anxiety symptoms. It has also shown sandalwood to be a sedative, reducing wakefulness and increasing non-REM sleep.

Lemon balm

Lemon balm is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family that has calming effects. For hundreds of years, it has been used to reduce stress, ease pain, and promote sleep.

For those who suffer from chronic sleep disorders, sipping lemon balm tea before bed can be helpful by causing sleepiness.

Frankincense

Used since ancient times, frankincense is an aromatic resin obtained from trees. Its aroma is woody, earthy, spicy, and slightly fruity. Many people swear it soothes the mind through lowering anxiety levels and promoting relaxed, restful sleep.

Its calming scent also helps open breathing passages, allowing your body to acclimatize to its ideal temperature for sleep.

Consider some of the best plants for your bedroom to help you sleep as well.

Stop and Smell The Sleep

While fragrances can undeniably aid in the process of unwinding, relaxing and falling asleep — you’ll never be able to stay asleep without a comfortable, supportive mattress to fall back on. Great sleep requires a great bed. That’s why there’s bedMATCH®.

bedMATCH® is our diagnostic sleep system that does what other mattress retailers don’t — it uses math and science to make recommendations. Using 18 statistical measurements, bedMATCH® matches you with the perfect bed to meet your sleep preferences and needs.