DIY Sweet Dreams Sleep Salve {with essential oil}

As I get older, it’s getting harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep.

So I use this homemade sleep salve to help me …

… fall asleep fast

… stay asleep (so I don’t wake up in the middle of the night)

… get deep, restful sleep 

It’s a natural way to make sure that my mind and body get all the rest they need each night.

12 best essential oils for sleep

1. lavender

2. cedarwood

3. vetiver

4. marjoram

5. neroli

6. Roman chamomile

7. bergamot

8. wild orange (aka sweet orange)

9. frankincense

10. patchouli

11. Hawaiian sandalwood

12. ylang ylang

What you need to make this sleep salve

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

coconut oil (find my favorite here)

olive oil

beeswax (I get mine here)

essential oils — Below, I share 4 recipes using different combinations of essential oils so that, hopefully, you can use essential oils that you already have in your collection.

4 oz tin jars (buy here)  OR adorable 2 oz glass mason jars (buy here)

wooden sticks for stirring (find them here)

heat-safe glass measuring cup or bowl (like these)

optional for decoration: Modge Podge (buy here) and scrapbook paper (buy here)

free printable of the recipe (find it here)

How to make essential oil sleep salve

step 1:  add 2 Tbsp beeswax to a heat-safe glass measuring cup or mason jar

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step 2:  melt the beeswax using double-boiler method

to do this:  Heat 1-2 inches of water in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring water to a simmer.  Add heat-safe glass measuring cup with the beeswax to the saucepan.  This will gently heat and melt the beeswax.  Stir occasionally.  Be patient melting the beeswax.  Beeswax has a fairly high melting point, so melting can take 10-15 minutes.

step 3:  Add 1/4 cup coconut oil to the melted beeswax

step 4:  Add 1/4 cup olive oil.

Heat in the double boiler until completely melted, stirring occasionally

step 5:  once completely melted, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

step 6:  add essential oils (60-70 drops total)

option #1 — Deep Sleep blend

25 drops lavender

25 drops cedarwood

20 drops vetiver

option#2 — Sweet Slumber blend

20 drops neroli

20 drops sweet orange (aka wild orange)

10 drops frankincense

10 drops cedarwood

option #3 —  Serene Sleep blend

35 drops sweet orange (aka wild orange)

20 drops ylang ylang

10 drops bergamot

option #4 — Peace & Calm blend

25 drops Hawaiian sandalwood

20 drops lavender

10 drops Roman chamomile

10 drops frankincense

step 7:  pour salve into 4 oz container or two 2 oz containers.

tip:  I used a 4 oz metal tin, but glass jars and certain types of plastic jars work well too (look for plastic #1 PET or plastic #2 HDPE jars so they’re safe with diluted essential oils like this salve).

step 8:  clean up

Beeswax is too hard to clean with just soap & water.

So before it hardens, use paper towels to wipe out the glass bowl/measuring cup and any utensils you used to stir the mixture.

Then once you’ve wiped off as much as you can, wash as usual with soap and water.

step 9:  allow salve to cool completely before putting on lid.

This might take a few hours to harden all the way through.  You can put it in the refrigerator to speed this step up.

step 10 (optional):  If you use a tin container like I did, then you can decorate the lid with a little scrapbook paper and Modge Podge.

• cut out scrapbook paper to fit the lid
• use a foam brush to apply a little Modge Podge to the top of the lid (this acts as the glue)
• put paper on lid, and starting from the center, use your finger to press down and smooth out any bubbles
• then cover the top of the paper with a little more Modge Podge to seal the paper
• let it dry

How to use

1. Rub sleep salve into feet and legs at bedtime
2. Then rub into pulse points on wrists
3. Finally, cup hands and place over mouth and nose.  Breathe in deeply for several seconds, exhale for several seconds.  Repeat if desired to calm thoughts and prepare for a restful night’s sleep.

other Essential Oil Sleep Aids

I love this sleep salve, but I don’t use it every single night.

Why not?  Well, our bodies can become too sensitized to essential oils (and other sleep aids) if we use them too frequently.  So I prefer to switch up both the essential oils I use and the way in which I use my essential oils for sleep.

That’s part of the reason I shared four different essential oil blends for this sleep salve.  Try it one time with one blend and then the next time you make it, change it up and use a different combination of essential oils.

Also, try mixing it up with other homemade sleep aids so that you’re not always using the same thing.  That will help your body to not grow too accustomed to a given approach and you’ll keep sleeping soundly night after night after night.  For example, try this sleep salve applied topically one night.  Then the next night use a DIY pillow spray like this.  Then the next night take a calming bedtime bath using essential oil bath salts (recipes here) and then diffuse essential oils for a great night’s sleep (recipes here).  These are just a few ideas.  Feel free to mix and match and find what works best for you.  Here are some DIY sleep aids to try making yourself with essential oils:

• 12 best essential oil diffuser blends for sleep

• calming magnesium body butter

• pillow spray

• 15 recipes for relaxing bath salts

• Silent Night bath salts

• sleep rollerball blends

get a free printable of my essential oil sleep salve recipe here

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Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.  Thank you for supporting me in this way.