Relaxing Pillow Spray Recipe With Essential Oils

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Relaxing Pillow Spray Recipe with Essential Oils
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With six kiddos in the house, sleep can be hard to come by sometimes. Fortunately, I’ve found ways to naturally improve sleep quality, including ditching the night lights and using magnesium oil before bed. This relaxing pillow spray is another healthy (and great smelling!) way to promote a good night’s sleep.

So would a simple scent make a difference in your sleep? Good question!

Pillow Spray for Your Sleep Routine

As I’ve searched for answers on sleep over the years … as every parent has I’m sure … I’ve learned a lot about just how essential sleep is for our health. In fact there’s no way to be healthy without good, quality sleep, and enough of it.

It turns out that establishing a solid sleep routine with little cues that it’s time to wind down and get some shut-eye is not just important for babies and kids. Grown-ups need these routines too, whether it be an epsom salt bath, or some self-massage, or just reading a good book.

In the same way, smelling a familiar, relaxing scent every night moments before we hit the pillow can send a strong and comforting signal to our over-wired, over-stimulated brains to prepare for sleep.

Proven Essential Oils for Sleep

Part of the answer is that this pillow spray recipe uses the proven sleep-inducing powers of some great essential oils. I’m sure you’ll recognize some of the players here!

Soothing Ylang Ylang

It may be a little difficult to pronounce, but ylang ylang is a potent relaxer. Its unique scent is frequently used by perfumers (and just so happens to be a featured ingredient in the popular Chanel No. 5!).

Ylang ylang has been used to relieve anxiety and as a sedative for more restful sleep. Even though it has a feminine, floral smell, a 2016 study showed its anti-anxiety benefits were even more pronounced for male mice (interesting!).

Stress-Relieving Bergamot

Bergamot essential oil, like other oils of the citrus family, has an uplifting scent that helps ease tensions. This oil is versatile since it can be used to both rejuvenate the mood while relaxing the mind. (Bergamot is highly phototoxic … but this is more of a concern in a lotion than in a nighttime pillow spray.)

Relaxing Lavender

Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils for both its scent and its skin-healing properties. It’s also well known for its ability to relax the mind and improve sleep quality. In one study, sleep-deprived college students inhaled either lavender or a placebo. Those who used lavender slept better and felt more refreshed upon waking up.

A Word on Carriers

Normally when making something with essential oils a carrier oil is used to safely dilute the oils. Honey, glycerin, and even castile soap will also help to disperse essential oils.

Since this spray is meant for fabric, olive oil or honey aren’t really the best options here. This spray uses alcohol to disperse the essential oils. The vodka also evaporates quickly to avoid damaging or staining fabrics.

Relaxing Pillow Spray Recipe

I’ve been using this homemade pillow spray for several weeks, and have noticed that I’m sleeping more deeply and feel more rested upon waking up.

Pillow Spray Ingredients

Pillow Spray Instructions

  1. Put the vodka and essential oils into the glass spray bottle and swirl the bottle to combine.
  2. Fill the bottle with water until almost full, leaving room for the lid. Cap the spray bottle, and shake well to combine.
  3. To use the spray, lightly mist a pillow a few minutes before bedtime. Be sure to shake the bottle well before each use.

Want another way to freshen linens? Try this homemade linen spray to scent bedding and towels without chemical fresheners.

Do you use any scents or essential oils in your sleep routine? What has helped you the most with getting better sleep? I’d love to know!

This relaxing homemade pillow spray smells wonderful and will help you get a good nights sleep.
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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

35 responses to “Relaxing Pillow Spray Recipe With Essential Oils”

  1. Andrea Avatar

    I was given a sleep spray that is lavender, vetivert and wild chamomile. I have had my best sleep ever! I plan to re-create using your recipe. Thanks so much for posting.

  2. Binky Avatar

    Given that oil and water don’t mix, what’s it doing in this recipe? What purpose does it serve, since it can’t mix with the oils? I’m confused.

    I got a sample of “Deep Sleep Pillow Spray,” and despite my incredulity, it works marvelously! The problem is it’s expensive, and I’d like to try to recreate it, hence my landing here while looking for tips. Unfortunately, one of the main ingredients is “perfume,” so I can’t entirely recreate it. Argh. And I can’t begin to guess what purpose water serves in an oil recipe! (I don’t work with essential oils much, so please excuse my ignorance.)

    Thanks!

    1. Paul Johnson Avatar
      Paul Johnson

      When Essential Oils are made a byproduct of the distillation process is hydrosol which is a mix of the essential oils in the distilled water, which is used in soaps and perfumes. I myself prefer adding either witch hazel or 91% rubbing alcohol so that the self live for the mix is longer. But for this water will also work. When making tinctures I use 190 proof alcohol non GMO, of course, but that is not needed for this spray.

  3. Selkaen Avatar
    Selkaen

    Instead of vodka or alcohol I’d use disper or solubol for essential oil dispersion but I don’t know if it’s available for you guys who live in the US. Great idea though, I’d love to try it on my hyperactive kids when they go to bed.

  4. Grace Avatar

    I have to say Thank god for you. I have a sleep disorder where my mind doesn’t shut down. I have been on medication for years to sleep and I still can’t sleep. I have tried many of your health recipes and liked them all. Some how I missed this one and I’m very excited to try it. Thank you

    1. Paul Johnson Avatar
      Paul Johnson

      Grace I too have health issue that don’t allow me to sleep, even taking sleeping pills. What has help me is taking the following in 4oz Filtered Water
      2 dropped full Valerian Root tincture (This herb shut off buzy brain, as I call it)
      1 dropper Passion Flower tincture
      Take these with the herb water.
      2 caps Calcium/Magnesium with Vit D (I use County Life brand)
      3 caps L-Tripophan (I make my own pills)
      L-Tripophan is the Amino Acid I Turkey that make you tired. You body converts it to Melatonin.
      If I haven’t slept in day I also take 1 full dropper of 50 to 100mg per dropper of hemp CBD oil in MCT oil. The MTC oil allow the CBD to pass through the Blood / Brain barrier to the receptors in the brain, where alot of sleep issue originate.
      Make alot of my own supplements, tinctures, household products and Essential oil blends. The household product recipes as well as others I use are from this website thanks to Katie. Supplements I choose to make my own to save money and to avoid preservatives, fillers and flow agent, which is hard for my body to process with all my health issue.

  5. Kathleen Brown Avatar
    Kathleen Brown

    Although this does help me sleep I have had a severe reaction related to breathing. I have a viral induced asthma and though my recent lung problems were viral induced, but it wouldn’t go away for weeks. After reading up, I’m wondering if it may be micro particles from the spray. Plus I figured if a little is good, more is better. Lol ? Best to have cautions on this post for numbskulls like me (who are so desperate to sleep), who don’t understand the importance of waiting till the spray is dry, not spraying it on themselves, etc.

  6. Marla Avatar

    I use lavender oil on my feet nightly. I also make a pillow spray wth just lavender oil and water. 10 drops per 1 oz of filtered water. I use the spray every night on my pillows and lightly mist my nightshirt as well. Works great for me! I also add Vetiver sometimes but I find it very strong so I don’t use much.

  7. Lori Geurin Avatar
    Lori Geurin

    I enjoy the soothing affects of applying lavender to my wrists and neck before bed. I love the idea of spraying it on your pillow and will have to try this.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe, Katie!

  8. Tanya S Avatar

    We do equal drops of lavender…balance (rocky mountain oils)…and cedarwood….in a diffuser for bedtime when needed. Works great for my teenage son that has anxiety.

  9. Elizabeth Fresse Avatar
    Elizabeth Fresse

    Would witch hazel work instead of vodka? We don’t use alcohol and I don’t really want to buy any just for this…

    1. Susan J South Avatar
      Susan J South

      I use witch hazel instead. It doesn’t leave any residue or stain.

  10. Shirley Revelle Avatar
    Shirley Revelle

    I’ve never heard of essential oils being toxic to cats. I have two cats and diffuse essential oils almost daily. I try to use organic but have a couple oils that are not organic. No problem for my cats. Just to let you know.

    1. Abi Avatar

      Some essential oils are harmful for cats, please look at it.
      Bear careful with the oil quality too. Other than that, I’m looking forward to try it

  11. Jill Avatar

    Can there be a substitute for the vodka? Could you use rubbing alcohol?

    1. Paul Johnson Avatar
      Paul Johnson

      Yes, I use rubbing alcohol in my spray deodorant. Which is almost exactly same except I use My own made Thieves EO and I don’t use any water just Rubbing Alcohol. I do like the idea of using Witch Hazal instead of Acohol.

  12. Nicole Avatar

    I am always looking for great, easy ways to get better sleep. I have two crazy kids and this may help. I think it’s so helpful that I am pinning it too.

  13. Mary P Avatar

    Since this has water, do you need a preservative or does the Vodka suffice?

  14. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    I use lavender oil in coconut oil and rub it on my son’s chest before bed. Helps him calm down and get to sleep more quickly.

  15. Linda Avatar

    I use magnesium oil as my base, since it is proven to relax the muscles, to that I add 10 drops each lavender and chamomile in a roller bottle and put on the bottom of my feet right before bed. Works like a charm. I like your idea as well and may add it to our night time routine. Maybe just a light spray.

  16. Elise Avatar

    This sounds lovely and I’ve heard essential oils are toxic for cats. I wonder if there is a safe way I could do this one vs spraying it?

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