Dear Oily,Dear Sleepless,
I love using my essential oil diffuser at night. Unfortunately, my boyfriend does not like essential oils (yet!). He doesn't want the diffuser running at night when he's there.
Is there another way to use essential oils to help me sleep without using a diffuser at night?
Thanks for your help,
Sleepless
Oh boy! I guess you probably don't want my solution to be dump that guy and find someone else, huh?
I kid. We'll save that for Plan B!
Sometimes it does take people (men especially) a while to come around to essential oils. Once you get them hooked though? They'll be secretly in love forever. Until you've made a crunchy convert out of him, we can't have you losing any sleep! My solution: The Sandman Spray.
No, I didn’t name it based on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman character. I was thinking more about that creepy little fae creature that sneaks into your room at night to sprinkle dust in your eyes so you sleep better and have good dreams.
I don’t know if this will make you have good dreams, but it should certainly help you sleep without ever needing to turn the diffuser on!
The Sandman Spray
Ingredients
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 oz distilled water
- 1 oz high proof alcohol
- 12 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 8 drops Peace & Calming Essential Oil Blend
- Glass Spray Bottle
Method
- Add the salt to the bottom of the spray bottle
- Add the essential oil to the salt, mixing until the salt fully absorbs the oil (this prevents it from separating)
- Add your liquid of choice
- Put the cap on the bottle and shake like crazy
- Spritz on your pillow and sheets before going to sleep at night

The Sandman’s Magic Mix
For this recipe, I used Lavender and Peace & Calming essential oils together. It’s a delightfully relaxing combination.There are plenty of other oil combinations you could use. Any of the oils listed here would work. Other alternatives might include Roman Chamomile and Northern Lights Black Spruce. Or you know, use whatever you like best to count sheep.
A Note on Liquids
The liquid you choose to use in a spray is up to you.Distilled water works just fine, but the scent might dissipate faster. You can also use high proof alcohol or alcohol free witch hazel.
I prefer a mix of alcohol and distilled water, but when I’m feeling lazy, I’ve totally gone with just the distilled water. You may want to spot test it on your sheets to make sure it doesn’t stain anything (it shouldn’t).
Dream On
The best part about this little spray bottle of sleepy goodness? You can spritz it on your side of the bed only and then your boyfriend can't complain! I bet he'll be secretly stealing it behind your back to use though. Or maybe he'll just steal your pillow because it'll smell so good.If you need a little extra oomph in addition to the spray to help you fall asleep (and stay asleep!), try my dear friend Overthrow Martha’s Bedtime Balm.