Ho wood (Cinnamomum camphora) is another essential oil that’s known for its calming and relaxing effects. In In traditional medicine, rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) essential oil was highly valued for its grounding effects on the mind and body, and was often used to promote relaxation, reduce stress and to improve mood. However, due to concerns over the sustainability of the slow-growing rosewood trees, ho wood essential oil has become a popular substitute for rosewood in aromatherapy blends, as it has a similar chemical composition and aroma to rosewood and is a more sustainable alternative.

One of ho wood’s main constituents is linalool which, as we talked about in lavender, is well known for its relaxing and sedative effects on the nervous system. Ho wood also contains camphor, which can alleviate muscle tension and promote relaxation. It can also help to open up the sinuses (in case nasal congestion is one of the things standing between you and a restful night’s sleep!) Several other chemical constituents may also contribute to ho wood’s therapeutic benefits, including geraniol, linalyl acetate and eucalyptol.

Myrrh essential oil is derived from the resin of the Commiphora myrrha tree and has a lovely warm, grounding scent. Its use as a relaxant can be traced back to ancient Egypt where it was commonly used as an incense in religious ceremonies and in embalming. Myrrh was also used in cosmetics and perfumes and was one of the key commodities traded along the ancient trade route known as the Silk Road, which connected the East and the West.

The phytochemicals that contribute to myrrh’s aromatherapeutic benefits as a relaxant include various sesquiterpenes and terpenoids. Myrrh’s sesquiterpenes, particularly the sesquiterpene curzerene, have been found to provide calming and sedative effects, helping to reduce feelings of anxiety, stress and restlessness. Myrrh also contains various terpenoids such as alpha-pinene, limonene, and beta-caryophyllene, all of which have sedative effects and may help to promote sleep.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is another well known herb famous for its potent sedative and relaxing effects. Valerian was used in ancient Greece and Rome as a sedative and sleep aid and was traded as a commodity throughout Europe and Asia. In medieval Europe, valerian root was commonly used to treat nervous disorders and was considered a staple remedy for promoting relaxation and improving sleep.

One of the primary constituents in valerian essential oil is valerenic acid, which works by increasing the amount of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate anxiety and promote relaxation. Valerian also contains bornyl acetate, which is known for its pleasant, woodsy aroma, and may help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Isovaleric acid also has a sedative effect on the body and is responsible for the strong, pungent odor of the plant that some people dislike. It may be an acquired smell, but isovaleric acid can promote relaxation and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, all of which can interfere with sleep.

Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for promoting sleep and reducing anxiety. Native to the Mediterranean region, the ancient Greeks and Romans used clary sage as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments, including nervous tension and anxiety.

Some of the constituents in clary sage essential oil that lend themselves to aromatherapeutic sleep aid include linalyl acetate, linalool, geranyl acetate and sclareol. Linalyl acetate is known for its calming and soothing effects on the nervous system, and linalool has sedative and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. Geranyl acetate contributes a sweet, floral and slightly fruity aroma as well as sedative and anxiolytic effects. Clary sage’s musky smelling diterpene sclareol contributes antidepressant and anti-anxiety actions, both of which can help to quiet an overactive mind and prepare you for sleep.

German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is one of the best-known nervine herbs, often used in aromatherapy for promoting relaxation and improving sleep quality. The small herbaceous plant is native to Europe, and has been cultivated for its calming and soothing properties for thousands of years.

Chamazulene is responsible for German chamomile’s deep blue color, and it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and sedative properties. I much prefer the scent of CO2-extracted German chamomile over steam-distilled, so the one I’m using will not contain chamazulene. German chamomile’s constituent matricin converts to chamazulene during the heated extraction process, so CO2-extracted chamomile oil will not contain chamazulene. That said, matricin itself has been shown to have sedative and anxiolytic effects, which may help to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality when inhaled.

In addition to matricin/chamazulene, German chamomile also contains bisabolol, apigenin and linalool, all of which can also help to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium) is distilled from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree and contributes a fresh, citrusy aroma to our sleep inhaler.

In traditional medicine specifically in the Mediterranean region, the bitter orange tree was valued for its medicinal properties and calming, sedative effects. Petitgrain contains several of the same constituents we talked about earlier, including linalool, linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate and a-Terpineo, all of which have sedative and anxiolytic effects that can help to promote relaxation. These compounds interact with GABA neurotransmitters in the brain, helping to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

The essential oil of sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) has been traditionally used as a calming sedative and a natural remedy for insomnia and other sleep disorders. The aromatic Mediterranean native has been cultivated for its medicinal and culinary properties for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks and Romans used sweet marjoram as a medicinal herb to treat various ailments, including digestive problems, respiratory infections and nervous disorders.

In addition to the terpene linalool, it contains additional terpenes Terpinen-4-ol, a compound with sedative properties that can help reduce anxiety and stress and y-Terpinene, known for its calming, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Terpineol is yet another terpene that contributes sweet marjoram’s pleasant, herbaceous floral scent and is known for its sedative and anxiolytic properties.

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata) essential oil has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for its digestive and respiratory benefits. More recently, it has become popular in aromatherapy for its calming and uplifting properties.

Tangerine essential oil is extracted from the peel of the fruit and contains several constituents that contribute to its potential sedative effects, including the terpenes limonene, myrcene and terpinolene. Limonene is found in most citrus essential oils and has been shown to have calming and relaxing properties. Myrcene is known for its sedative and analgesic effects and the terpene terpinolene has been found to have sedative effects as well.

One study done on the aromatherapy effects of tangerine on brain waves, moods and sleep onset latency found that inhalation of tangerine essential oil not only had a calming effect on mood and decreased anxiety, it also increased slow-wave sleep and shortened the amount of time it took participants to fall asleep.

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oil is derived from the peel of the bergamot orange, a citrus fruit primarily grown in Italy. Known for its calming and soothing properties, bergamot is often used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. In traditional aromatherapy practices, bergamot was typically combined with other essential oils, such as lavender and chamomile, to create blends that were specifically designed to help with sleep.

The essential oil of bergamot contains several constituents that are believed to have sedative effects, including linalool and linalyl acetate, both constituents also found in lavender. Bergamot contains limonene, a monoterpene commonly found in citrus essential oils (like tangerine) that has been studied for its sedative effects. Bergamot also contains the furanocoumarin bergapten, a compound that has been shown to have sedative effects in animal studies.*

* Note that Mountain Rose Herbs’ bergamot essential oil is fractionated to remove the bergapten in order to make it non-phototoxic. Furanocoumarins can cause an exaggerated response to UV radiation, which can damage the skin cells and lead to inflammation and burns.

Benzoin (Styrax tonkinensis) is a resin extracted from the bark of trees in the genus Styrax that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years throughout Southeast Asia, China and India. The rich, vanilla-like resin was once among the world’s most traded commodities and highly valued for use in incense and perfumes, as well as medicinal remedies.

Benzyl benzoate is the main constituent in benzoin essential oil, making up 50-85% of the oil’s composition (depending on the cultivar and extraction method). Benzyl benzoate has a pleasant, sweet, balsamic scent and is believed to have grounding, sedative properties. Benzoic acid is helpful for alleviating stress and anxiety. Vanillin, as you might suspect from its name, is the same compound that gives vanilla its distinctive aroma (woot!). It also has a soothing effect on the nervous system, promoting relaxation and restful sleep.

In my humble opinion, benzoin resin oil is the perfect oil to round out just about any aromatherapy EO blend. In all honestly, I included benzoin primarily because I adore the scent of vanilla and just really wanted to include “vanilla” notes in my formula. The fact that it contributes as a relaxant was secondary. Try it. It literally smells like sweet dreams, fluffy clouds and angels’ wings.