What are the best essential oils to relax with?

A great way to introduce soothing fragrances into your home is through aromatherapy. We’ve compiled this list of the best essential oils for relaxation and explain how you can use them to create a peaceful and inviting home atmosphere.

Lavender

Deriving its name from the Latin, ‘Lavare’ (meaning ‘to wash’), lavender has been cherished for centuries for its relaxation properties, with the Romans applying it to their baths, beds, clothes and hair. [2] This essential oil has a woody, floral scent and can transform unscented rooms into warm environments reminiscent of nature and the outdoors.

Lavender appears to have an especially positive effect on sleep and can help promote a cosy atmosphere. One study from 2015 postulated that inhaling lavender before bed helped college students feel more vibrant and energetic the next morning. [3]

Jasmine

You might recognise the smell of jasmine from beauty products and cosmetics – as it’s one of the most popular ingredients in perfume. Extracted predominantly from the Jasminum officinale plant, jasmine essential oil has a strong, sweet fragrance that is often associated with romance. [4] Because of this, adding jasmine essential oil to your diffuser could be an inventive way to create a sensual and alluring atmosphere – perfect for date night!

The Air Wick Essential Mist Diffuser in Peony & Jasmine is an ideal choice for curating this environment. It produces a gentle, fragrant mist that will evenly disperse around the room for a naturally pleasant and romantic ambience.

Peppermint

Peppermint is well known for its crisp and uplifting aroma. Its cool, refreshing properties make it a great essential oil to use as an energy booster on dreary mornings – simply turn on your Air Wick Mist Diffuser with the Refresh scented oil and stimulate your brain into action. It’s also perfect for workouts – creating a lively, energetic feel that is sure to get your endorphins going.

Despite its ability to energise, peppermint oil can also help with winding down. Along with ylang-ylang, frankincense and sandalwood, it is often listed as one of the top essential oils for yoga and meditation sessions. [5]

Cinnamon

Our brains associate certain scents with specific seasons – whether it’s the freshly cut grass of spring or sunscreen on a hot summer’s day. As the year draws to a close, essential oils are a great way to get into the spirit and decorate your home for the festive season.

Cinnamon oil in particular can help create a warm, wintery atmosphere by bringing back memories of festive food and drinks. To transform your living space into a Christmas wonderland all year around, opt for a scent that has festive notes including nuts and citrus.

What are essential oils used for?

One of the most common ways of using essential oils is in aromatherapy, to help you destress and relax. This is a form of therapy that uses the oils to invoke a positive effect on the mind and body – and this is experienced through your sense of smell. There are two reasons for this: first, scent is linked to the deepest parts of the brain including your thoughts and emotions, and secondly, essential oils are often thought to have a holistic effect on your wellbeing.[6]

How to use essential oils

Essential oils enter the body in three main ways – by being applied to the skin, inhaled or ingested. This application method is very much dependent on what you want, as well as the type of essential oil you are using, as some essential oils can only be taken in certain ways. Some people use essential oils in aromatherapy massages, others in their bath water and many through the likes of candles and diffusers.

Are essential oils beneficial?

There are many types of essential oils, extracted from various natural elements, and each have their own properties. They’ve been used to treat illness and promote wellbeing for many years, but are now gaining in popularity thanks to scientific confirmation of their benefits to health, both mental and physical. Plus, essential oils can also help to purify the air, leading to a fresher, soothing atmosphere in the room.

How to use essential oils to scent a room

At Air Wick®, we offer many ways to enjoy essential oils safely. Here are just some of the ways you can enjoy our ‘essential oils’ collections:

Essential Mist Diffuser

Our Essential Mist Diffuser transforms natural essential oils into a gentle, fragrant mist that is dispersed throughout your home. You can find out how to use the Air Wick® Essential Mist Diffuser here.

Reed Diffusers

Alternatively, the Air Wick® Reed Diffuser uses natural rattan stems to carry fragrance oil that is released into the air. You can find out how to use the Air Wick® Reed Diffuser here.

Candles

Our Air Wick® Essential Oil Candles are combined with the rich origins of essential oils so you can create a sensuous setting for any occasion – all made with extractions from fruits, flowers and plants.

Automatic sprays

The Air Wick® Freshmatic® releases bursts of continuous fresh fragrance, as well as your choice of essential oils throughout your home throughout the day across three intensity settings. You can find out how to use the Air Wick® Freshmatic® here.

Liquid electricals

Finally, the Air Wick® Plug-Ins are perfect for diffusing natural essential oils around any room in your home no matter what your preferred scent. You can find out how to use the Air Wick® Plug-In here.

Do essential oils help you sleep?

Aside from their scents, essential oils are each known for their own unique properties. If you’re wondering what oils to diffuse for sleep, those such as lavender, cedarwood and jasmine might be great options to try. They’re considered to have soothing qualities that make them particularly useful as an all-natural remedy for improving overall sleep.[7][. Find out about the other essential oils which are often associated with sleep below:

Does peppermint essential oil help you sleep?

Many people tend to associate peppermint with proper quality sleep thanks to its familiar scent, but, this is not actually the case. Peppermint essential oil is actually in the same bracket as bergamot, grapefruit and oranges, which are known for their energising and invigorating properties.

Does cedarwood oil help with sleep?

Cedarwood is a popular essential oil to use for sleep and has a deep, woody aroma derived from tree bark. This is thought to reduce the likes of anxiety and stress, as well as acting as a natural sedative for sleeping. It’s often considered to be beneficial for occasional insomnia.[8]

Does jasmine essential oil help you sleep?

Another essential oil linked with sleep is jasmine, and studies have suggested its sedative properties come from relief of the likes of anxiety, stress and anger.[9] By clearing our minds of the emotions and feelings that can keep us tossing and turning at night, it can offer us a better chance at good quality sleep.

Essential oil products can vary in quality, so it’s important to do your research. At Air Wick®, we source our essential oils by looking for healthy plants of high quality and combining the oils in a blend of fragrances to lock in the scent. Our safe processing and manufacturing oversight of both the oils and their diffusers further ensures our essential oils offer a safe, quality-assured experience.