How to make your own dreamy sleep pillow spray
- 5 minutes
How to make your own dreamy sleep pillow spray
A lack of sleep can leave the body and mind feeling exhausted, creating anxiety and stress. But even if you get to bed on time, it's not always as easy as simply closing your eyes and drifting off. Creating a restful routine is a really key way to let your mind know it’s time for sleep, especially if you’ve had a busy day. This is why a sleep spray for your pillow comes in very handy. Also known as pillow mist, this is an aromatherapy spray made with a combination of essential oils shown to support sleep.
Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their exquisite aromas and natural healing powers. Rich in botanical activity and antioxidants, plant oils encourage radiant, healthy skin, working at a cellular level to keep your complexion soft and looking youthful. By harnessing their therapeutic properties, aromatherapy works to improve your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. This recipe uses two key essential oils:
Lavender:
This violet wonder is high in essential oils that relieve stress and improve sleep. Lavender’s relaxing benefits [ER1] are considered to be largely due to the essential oils present, whether inhaled, ingested or applied topically. This fragrant flower can be found in our Night Time and Love teas.
Chamomile flower
It’s not just lavender that provides relaxing essential oils; chamomile flower does too. These oils help calm our ‘fight or flight’, sympathetic nervous system, improving sleep quality. Chamomile flower also contains an antioxidant called apigenin, said to help calm an anxious mind. Here at Pukka we love Chamomile tea and include it in blends such as Three Chamomile, Love, Night Time and Relax.
To make your lavender and chamomile pillow spray you will need:
100 ml empty, clean spray bottle
Distilled or (boiled and cooled) water 40 g
Vodka (or witch hazel) 40 g
Lavender essential oil 20 drops
Chamomile essential oil 20 drops
To make your pillow spray:
Combine the vodka (or witch hazel) with the lavender and chamomile essential oils in your sterilised spray bottle and mix well. The vodka helps the oil mix with the water and helps the spray to dry quickly so it won't leave wet marks on your sheets. If you don’t have vodka, substitute witch hazel, which might alter the scent of your finished spray, unlike vodka which is preferable.
Add the distilled water and shake until combined.
How to use your dreamy pillow spray:
Use your pillow spray to lightly mist your pillowcase, bed linen, eye mask, or even your pyjamas just before getting into bed. Spend some time breathing deeply to allow the essential oils to reach your olfactory receptors and deliver the calming message to your brain and help you drift off. If you wake up in the night, your spray will also come in handy. We are actually evolutionary conditioned to wake up in the night, so it's completely natural. When you do, mist your pillow again, settle your mind and go back to sleep.
This pillow spray is very safe and can be helpful in establishing a wind-down routine for babies and children- simply spritz on their bedding. It is also safe to use a lavender and chamomile sleep spray in pregnancy when sleep disturbances are common. However, it is wise for all not to use essential oils internally without professional guidance. You can even use your homemade sleep spray on a dog's bed or crate to help your pet settle down (such as on fireworks night!) However, do not use your DIY sleep spray [ER3] on a cat's bedding or crate as lavender essential oil can be harmful to cats.