If you can’t stop thinking about the previous day’s events when you lie in bed, or if you’re simply having trouble sleeping, a sleep spray could be the solution. There are countless ways to create an atmosphere that helps you fall asleep, and many of them involve aromatherapy. Whether it’s a lavender candle before bed, a diffuser, or a gentle pillow spray for sleep, all of these sleep aids harness the power of scent and aromatherapy.
Sleeping is one of the most natural things in the world. Just like humans, almost all animals need some kind of rest or sleep. However, our busy lives, stressful schedules, and the constant fear of not performing enough often make us neglect the importance of good quality sleep, which is crucial for maintaining our energy levels during the day.
Given the many juggling demands of modern life, making the right choices for your health and wellbeing can often be a challenge. We read countless articles and self-help books, and follow tons of health influencers online who extoll the value of meditation and daily mantras. The ways to boost your wellbeing seem endless, but often it’s the simplest tips that make the biggest difference.
How does pillow sleep spray work?
Grazia spoke to George Dyer, co-founder of Ecole, a company that designs products focused solely on improving sleep. George and co-founder Ewan Jones have curated a brand that is backed by science and aromatherapy experiments to help improve sleep hygiene and bedroom environment.
So how does the pillow spray work, you might be wondering? George told Grazia that when we smell something, it immediately stimulates our limbic system, the part of the brain involved in emotions and behavior. “Different scents have different roles, and certain pure essential oils have been scientifically proven to lower heart rate and slow down the body’s stress response system (reducing stress and anxiety).”
“Pillow spray works on your limbic system to promote relaxation and, when combined with a great nighttime routine, can help you get a longer, more restorative night’s sleep.”
Creating habits and rituals helps to create patterns in our minds. In this case, the scent of essential oils tells your mind that it’s time to relax. But how should you use a pillow spray to get the most out of it? George suggests: “Spritz your bedsheets five to 10 minutes before you go to sleep. The scent can be quite strong at first, but after a few minutes longer the scent becomes perfectly subtle. If you want a little more peace and tranquility, I recommend misting the curtains and into the air around your bed to create the ultimate sleep bubble.”
Why is it important to have a bedtime routine?
“When your body is ready to sleep, physiological processes kick in and you start to relax,” George says. “This lowers your heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature, and slows down your stress response system.”
“But in today’s world, several obstacles hinder this process from the start: bright screens, overstimulation from blue light, late-night Netflix binge-watching (sorry), and of course, stress and anxiety all have a negative impact on our natural cycle.”
But it’s not all bad news: George says that “if you create a pre-bedtime routine that incorporates activities that promote stress relief and relaxation, over time your brain will learn to associate certain behavioral patterns with relaxation and sleep, just as nature intended.”
We all lead busy lives, which is why it’s more important than ever to give your brain time to reset and recharge. A pre-bedtime routine and pillow sleep spray can do just that. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best pillow sprays that will help you get into deep, restorative sleep.
Shop: Best Sleep Pillow Spray
1 of 11Wellness Foundry, No. 6: Fairy Aura Spray, £36
Made with Rose Quartz Moon Charged Crystal and a custom blend of essential oils to clear your mind space. Use in the morning for an instant mood boost and bright energy. During the day, purify your space to create a tranquil sanctuary, then finish off by spraying your bed and pillows for a good night’s sleep. We only produce 10 bottles per month, so get yours soon.
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ThisWorks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, £14.50
Fall into a deep sleep with this pillow spray, a calming blend of lavender, vetiver and chamomile. This award-winning sleep mist is calming and proven to work. On Amazon, the pillow spray has over 11,000 reviews, and in a study conducted by This Works, 97 percent of participants experienced improved sleep when using Deep Sleep Pillow Spray.
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Ecole Sleep Pillow Spray, £14.99
Echor’s sole focus is to help people reach their true potential by promoting better sleep. Their pillow mist is formulated with pure essential oils, including sleep-inducing lavender, anti-inflammatory geranium, refreshing eucalyptus, and sweet orange, to help you drift off into a deep, restorative slumber.
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Tisserant Aromatherapy Sleep Better Pillow Mist, £9.70
Tisserant Aromatherapy Sleeping Mist is an award-winning soothing antidote to the stresses of everyday life. Made with a pure blend of delicate jasmine, soothing sandalwood and relaxing lavender essential oils, it will help you wake up from a quality night’s sleep.
Five of 11credit: REN Skincare
REN Clean Skincare and Now To Sleep Pillow Spray, £19
Made with ingredients that have long been used to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, including frankincense, hops and lavender, this divine scent will help you drift off to sleep, calming your thoughts and relieving tension in your mind and body.
6 of 11credit: L’Occitane
L’Occitane Aromachology Relaxing Pillow Mist, £19.50
Made from a dreamy blend of lavender, bergamot, mandarin, sweet orange and geranium essential oils, L’Occitane Sleep Spray is sure to become an essential part of your pre-bedtime ritual.
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NEOM Perfect Night Sleep Pillow Mist Spray, £19.90
Neom Organics Pillow Mist is made with a blend of 19 organic essential oils, including English lavender, sweet basil, and jasmine, to release therapeutic oils throughout the night while you rest, helping you get a deeper, better sleep.
8 of 11Plantopia Lights Out Face and Space Mist, £18
Transform your bed into a peaceful retreat with Plantopia’s Face & Space Mist. Spritz your face, linens and pillows with the dreamy scent made from ashwagandha and sandalwood, sourced from a 50% Indigenous Australian-owned venture that champions Indigenous culture and people.
9 of 11ERESOS CBD Eucalyptus Sleep Mist, £90
This beautiful CBD Eucalyptus Sleep Mist contains a blend of lavender and chamomile formulated to enhance the quality of your sleep. The CBD is released through the pillow fibers to help you relax throughout the night. The compact tube comes in a small canvas bag so you can take it with you on your travels. Simply twist the lid to spray.
Ten of 11credit: Rich
Lush Twilight Body Spray, £20
Lush is a leading cosmetics brand with an ethical strength in animal rights and sustainable products. Twilight Body Spray was a hit when it was launched, with customers raving about its use as a pillow mist to help them fall asleep. The spray contains a concoction of calming lavender, sweet tonka and ylang-ylang.
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Neal’s Yard Remedies Goodnight Pillow Mist, £15
This deeply relaxing sleep mist from Neal’s Yard is sure to leave you waking feeling rested and rejuvenated. Made from a blend of organic lavender, vetiver and mandarin, the scent will set the mood for the night and help you sleep better.
What ingredients should you look for when choosing a quality pillow spray?
When choosing a pillow spray, make sure you choose one that has the purest ingredients. Considering that you will be inhaling the ingredients in the spray, you want to make sure it is natural.
George from Ecole recommends opting for 100% essential oils, which are natural compounds extracted from plants and have botanical scents. “Choose one with lavender, geranium, eucalyptus, and sweet orange (like ours!), each with their own unique properties that collectively help reduce stress hormones (like cortisol), lower blood pressure, and slow heart rate,” George says.
Geranium also has anti-inflammatory properties that help open airways, making it beneficial for snorers, while lavender has been shown to increase slow-wave sleep, helping you wake up more energized the next morning.
When buying a pillow mist, make sure the ingredients are scientifically backed (like those on our list) so you’re buying an effective product and not a marketing gimmick. Also, be sure to check that products such as pillow mists are not tested on animals, as there’s no need for them to be.
Do you have any tips on how to relax at night for better sleep?
Finding a relaxing ritual before bed, like reading a book, having a light-hearted conversation, or listening to music instead of watching TV, is an easy habit to try. Here are some other tips to help relax your mind and body before your head hits the pillow:
• odor – Start your evening off relaxing by spraying your pillow with pillow spray, putting on a diffuser, or lighting an essential oil candle.
• Journaling – If you find that your mind is filled with intrusive thoughts at night and you can’t switch off and sleep, journaling might be the solution. Writing down your thoughts before going to sleep is a great way to get any worries out of your head.
• Nostalgia and humor – Did you know these two boost levels of serotonin and oxytocin, which help relax muscles and calm your body’s stress system? If you’re avoiding blue light before bed, why not pull out an old family photo album and have a good laugh at your mom’s terrible perm? This double whammy will get your body ready for bed and keep you smiling all night long.
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