Peaceable Home: Aromatherapy Pillow Spray
After the expansion of summer, with it’s busyness, activity and action, it seems as natural as breathing that Fall should bring us to a state of looking inward once more. As I begin to contemplate darker nights and shorter days I naturally seek comfort in routines and familiar rhythms that harmonize our days and nights.
The first shift that I notice, as we transition from our free wheeling summer to a more structured back-to-school rhythm, is the return of our bedtime routine. As the nights draw in it feels natural to linger a little, take more time over our bedtime rituals and take pleasure in the snuggles and stories that we all crave and love.
I fell in love with essential oils a decade before we began our family, so it has been very natural for me to incorporate them into our hearth and home. Even when my boys were babies I noticed the benefits a drop of chamomile or lavender could bring, a seemingly tiny alternation that could have profound affects. Something I began to incorporate into our night time routine some years ago was an aromatherapy pillow spray, also known at our house as a ‘fairy spray’.
Being a lover of the magical wee folk my son was excited to spray his room and pillow each night with a scented mist that let the little people know he wanted them to visit his dreams. Of course it didn’t hurt that the oil combinations were those designed to help him nod gently off to sleep and, hopefully, stay that way all night.
Though essential oils are no magic bullet for any issue, they certainly can help to support health and well being. Our olfactory system is the greatest trigger for memory, so a scent can have a profound affect on our emotional state. I’m sure we’ve all experienced that intense pull back to the past, as a waft of perfume or even a cleaning product triggers vivid recollections of childhood.
My hope is that for my children the scent of chamomile and lavender, orange and frankincense or sweet rose tinted geranium, will conjure cozy nights of warm blankets, loving snuggles and magical tales that weave into their dreams. A simple spray, a scent that builds up a sense of place over time, can help to support a child in knowing they are truly safe and can rest peacefully.
Different combinations of oils will have different outcomes so choose a recipe that you think will be a good match for your child. If in doubt, allow them to smell two or three oils and choose the one they prefer, after all it’s their pillow! Here are a few recipes you might wish to try.
For each of these I use a 100ml (about 3.5 oz) spray bottle and I aim to use about 5-6 drops of essential oil in each mix. This gives a fragrance without it being pungent or distracting. As the oils sit in the water the scent will continue to build so you don’t need to worry about adding more oils as you go along.
Relaxation and Sleep Aid
- Geranium 3 drops
- Lavender 3 drops
Bad Dream Banisher
- Lavender 2 drops
- Chamomile 2 drops
- Orange 1 drop
Anxiety Support
- Bergamot 2 drops
- Lavender 2 drops
- Geranium 2 drops
Pillow sprays (or magical fairy sprays!) are a great way to introduce the benefits of aromatherapy to your child, bringing a sweet scent to bedtime and gentle support as they rest their heads each night.
If you are looking for more information on the benefits of aromatherapy for your child Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child, is a wonderful resource packed with information and ideas.
