Your sleep environment can be a huge factor acting on your sleep. Being an anxious or stressful person can affect your sleep and this is very commonly overlooked. Rather than looking to find out what works for them personally, many people make the mistake of purchasing the wrong products in hope that they will help them.
A pillow spray could be a great product to help you ease into better sleep. Essential oils and fragrances✓ are known to induce emotions and affect mood. You will find that some of the most common pillow sprays include lavender. According to Science Daily, numerous studies have found that linalool✓, a fragrant alcohol found in lavender to contain relaxing effects.
We are diving deeper into the world of pillow sprays to try to clarify what different properties their ingredients have and what they can do for your sleep.
(Important Facts, Studies, Advice, Considerations & FAQs In Conclusion)
| BRAND | PILLOW SPRAY | FRAGRANCE TYPE | QUANTITY | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This Works | Deep Sleep Pillow Spray | Mix | 75ml | £19.50 |
| Nuonove | Lavender Sleep Spray | Lavender | 75ml | £11.99 |
| Echor | End Of Day Pillow Spray | Mix | 50ml | £14.99 |
| Kally Sleep | Sleep Spray | Lavender | 120ml | £13.99 |
| The White Company | Sleep Soothing Pillow Mist | Mix | 125ml | £29 |
| L'Occitane | Aromachologie Relaxing Pillow Mist | Mix | 100ml | £19.50 |
| Masters of Mayfair | Lavender Pillow Spray | Lavender | 120ml | £20 |
1. This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • Kind formula to your skin • Cruelty-free and vegan • Subtle and relaxing scent | • Lavender • Chamomile • Vetiver |
This Works have been on the market for some time and offer a wide range of products that help aid sleep and relaxation. Their Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is infused with lavender essential oil which is a common ingredient in pillow sprays. Apart from lavender it also contains chamomile and vetiver to help you relax better.
This Works believe that a pillow spray should be embedded into your nightly routine, especially if you regularly suffer from sleep anxiety. Research conducted by the brand found that 97% of people who tried and tested this spray slept better while 89% fell asleep faster. The sleep spray is also not harmful to your skin (no sulphates, phthalates, synthetic colours, petrolatum, Parabens or GMOs) and is meant to naturally balance your skin’s health.
An added plus is that it is cruelty-free and vegan. With thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, This Works Deep Sleep Spray is clearly very popular. Customers have noted that the scent of the spray is not so overpowering that it keeps you awake which is, obviously, something important in a pillow spray.
2. Nuonove Lavender Sleep Spray
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • All natural scented spray • Suitable for people with delicate skin • Can be used as a room freshener | • Lavender • Lemon • Patchouli |
The Nuonove Lavender Sleep Spray could serve as a great option for those hunting for a natural sleep aid. It has been purchased by a large number of customers who believe it has aided in easing sleep anxiety and the stresses of everyday life. You can use the spray as a room freshener or as a classic pillow spray directly on your bedding.
The main ingredient of the Nuonove Sleep Spray is lavender, which is an all-natural, plant-based fragrance. As an essential oil, lavender is known to be very relaxing for the mind and body, allowing people to fall asleep. When using essential oils, it is important to consider the strength of the oil in the spray. Too harsh of an essential oil may be harmful to the skin.
Nuonove states that 89% of their lavender pillow spray users have delicate skin but have had no issues with the spray. This is useful as it lets us know that it may be suited to future customers with sensitive skin too. When using this product, all you need to do is spray around two or three pumps of the sleep spray under your pillow or around your sleep environment and wait a few minutes to experience its full effects.
3. Echor End Of Day Pillow Spray
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • Cruelty-free and vegan • Anti-inflammatory • Elegant glass bottle | • Lavender • Geranium • Eucalyptus |
The Echor Sleep End of day Pillow Spray is a new player on the market compared to some of the other brands but seems to be very popular already. The blend of 100% pure essential oils including lavender, eucalyptus, geranium and sweet orange comes in a reusable glass bottle that sits comfortably in your hand when spraying.
The blend is cruelty-free, meaning that it has not been tested on animals, as well as vegan. The different oils all fill their distinct functions, starting with the classic lavender which is a well-known remedy for relaxation and can help you wake up feeling more energetic. The geranium essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties and can help to open up your airways.
Eucalyptus oil can help reduce the activity of the stress response system of the body which could lead to decreased anxiety and deeper sleep. The sweet orange in combination with the other oils creates an elegant and relaxing smell. Remember to spray your bedding about five minutes before going to bed to allow for the scent to settle. The Echor End Of Day Pillow Spray can also be used as a room spray if you like.
4. The White Company Pillow Mist
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • Elegant glass bottle • Contains six essential oils • Suitable gift item | • Lavender • Sage • Chamomile |
The White Company has crafted this sleep mist, aiming to provide you with a ‘tranquil night’s sleep’. The team has worked with experts in the British perfume industry in its creation and the designers picked six soothing essential oils to ensure a relaxing scent. The oils include – and are not limited to – sage, lavender and chamomile.
At times, lavender on its own can be quite strong and overpowering for bedtime. With this, the sage and chamomile help balance the harsher tones of the lavender, giving it a gentle, herbal fragrance that could make it a great option if you are looking for a mixed sleep mist. Happy customer reviews mention the fresh fragrance being very relaxing and also say that it is a good gift item.
The White Company recommend that you not only use the mist on your pillow and sleep environment but use it on your sleepwear too. If you are looking for a well-made spray in an elegant bottle that could be a good gift or luxury item, then this might be a good one for you.
5. Kally Sleep Lavender Pillow Spray
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • Good quality-price ratio • Not fragile for travelling • Can help reduce anxiety | • Lavender • Tremella mushroom extract (hydrating) • Chinese skullcap root extract (anti-inflammatory) |
Lavender is the undefeated champion in most pillow sprays and Kally's pillow spray is no exception. The main ingredient, lavender, can help calm you and send you to sleep. It is a known remedy against anxiety and stress and as such, the spray can also help you to sleep better and letting you wake up feeling more rested in the morning.
The Kally Sleep team recommend spraying it in the air above your bed each night in order to let the spray settle down in a fine mist. The spray comes in a 120 ML plastic bottle which is beneficial if you want to bring your pillow spray with you when traveling without risking it breaking.
Another good feature of this product is the lower price in comparison to some of the other products on this list. Given its popularity and the natural ingredients, this pillow spray should give you a lot of value for your money.
6. L'Occitane Relaxing Pillow Mist
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • 100% natural scent • Complex, yet not overpowering fragrance • Promotes relaxation | • Lavender • Mandarin • Bergamot |
The L’Occitane team have chosen a handful of essential oils to blend into the mist. You can expect to see the well-known lavender, mandarin, sweet orange, bergamot and geranium. A balance of sweet and musky tones could help sleepers to get a good night's rest.
The Aromachologie Relaxing Pillow Mist is designed to help soothe and relax the user by providing a peaceful and sensitive environment. The blend is meant to promote relaxation and well-being in order to boost sleep. Customers believe that the spray is slightly more complex than your average pillow spray and isn’t as strong and overpowering as some others.
The brand recommends spraying this 100% natural scent in your bedroom about 15 minutes before going to bed, which is a bit more in advance than most other brands. This speaks for its complexity and need to settle in order to fully appreciate its benefits.
7. Masters of Mayfair Lavender Pillow Spray
| HIGHLIGHTS | FRAGRANCE NOTES / PROPERTIES |
|---|---|
| • Could help against anxiety • Elegant packaging • Vegetarian and Vegan friendly | • Lavender |
The essential ingredient in this pillow spray is lavender which is added to create a soothing ambience and promote relaxation. The ingredients in this pillow spray are also 100% natural and the product is entirely vegetarian and vegan-friendly. Masters of Mayfair also ensure they are choosing ingredients from responsible and ethical sources.
Some customer reviews state that they are on their second and third purchase. They also note that it serves as a great gift, for yourself or a loved one. The bottle is made of plastic which makes it more durable and it comes in an elegant packaging. The spray can also be used around your home to create a calming ambient atmosphere, you can even spray it on sleeping eye masks.
The Masters of Mayfair team believe that this is a great option for those who suffer from insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and high stress and they recommend you to spray your sleeping environment up to as long as 30 minutes before going to bed to allow the essential oils to settle.
Scent Perception And How Fragrances Affect Us
Scents are something very personal and possibly one of the most difficult things to buy online without the possibility of sampling. Two people can smell the same scent but since it is very common that people have small differences in the olfactory receptor genes, the two could perceive different scents.
Research shows✓ that our sense of smell can play a very important part in the physiological effect on our mood, working capacity and stress and that fragrances can, directly and indirectly, affect our cognitive functions and brain activities. For example, a study✓ showed that being exposed to odour cues while sleeping can increase learning success.
With this article, we aim to help you get a better understanding of these popular pillow sprays by describing their fragrance as well as their suitability and usage as thoroughly as possible.
What Is Aromatherapy?
The word aromatherapy (Aroma = “pleasant scent” + Therapy = “healing”) is referring to the therapeutic or medicinal use of essential oils that are received through the olfactory system or absorbed through the skin. Aromatherapy is being used in many different areas, including but not limited to pain-relief, anxiety, relaxation and, of course, sleep. It is however difficult to say to what extent aromatherapy is actually helpful in itself or if it is just an added factor to well-being in combination with other treatments.
A study✓ showed that there was a significantly positive effect in pain reduction in patients in a nursing home suffering from chronic pain, but the difference was not that significant between the group that received a massage with essential oils from the group that received a massage without aromatherapy.
Another study✓ suggests clear improvements in anxiety levels in cardiovascular patients being treated with aromatherapy after a cardiac stent insertion. While studies on aromatherapy are showing mixed results, what is clear is the fact that aromatherapy can be a helpful and also a cost-efficient addition to standard pain and anxiety management.
Essential Oils And Their Benefits
Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic oils that have been extracted from different plants through different methods, such as steam distillation or pressure and research✓ suggest that they have been used since as long ago as 4500 BC by the ancient Egyptians. Each type of oil has its own properties and can be beneficial in different areas and one common area where aromatherapy is used is to improve sleep quality.
A systematic review✓ on the effects that inhaling essential oils have on sleep shows that essential oils have a positive effect on sleep disturbance. The most commonly researched essential oil is lavender oil, but we have also had a look at some of the other most commonly used essential oils in pillow sprays to see what benefits they can add to your sleep and daily life.
Lavender Essential Oil In Pillow Spray
The vast majority of the most appreciated pillow sprays on the market today include lavender essential oil. This is no coincidence as lavender is the most studied essential oil when it comes to sleep quality and the brands are quick to incorporate this popular fragrance into their mixes.
Lavender Essential Oil Benefits
Lavender has been shown✓ to have a calming effect on anxiety without being sedative, which can make it a reasonable alternative to traditional medicine in the treatment of anxiety problems. There are also indications pointing at lavender essential oil being beneficial against depression and insomnia. A study✓ including 42 female college students showed improvements in both depression and insomnia, measuring parameters such as length of time taken to fall asleep and severity of depression among others.
Chamomile
Many people turn to Horlicks and other beverages, such as chamomile tea, at nighttime in order to relax and settle into sleep. Research✓ shows that Chamomile essential oil can, similarly to lavender essential oil, help reduce anxiety, stress and depression and thus make you sleep better.
There are two different types of chamomile, the Roman chamomile and the German. The German is more common in pain treatment while the Roman is suitable for reducing anxiety. Chamomile essential oil is often used to treat menstrual cramps, headaches and insomnia.
Geranium
Another popular essential oil is of geranium, which is commonly used in cosmetics such as soaps and detergents thanks to its pleasant natural perfume. It is also a common ingredient for treating skin-related problems, such as eczema, as it has antibacterial properties. A study✓ shows that women in labour who were treated with aromatherapy containing geranium essential oil reported a significant reduction in anxiety. Furthermore, this essential oil is also said to have sedative properties which explains why it is common in pillow sprays.
Clary Sage
Another anxiety-reducing member commonly found in pillow sprays is Clary sage essential oil. Clary sage is a herb that grows in warmer environments and has a refreshing scent that makes it suitable for aromatherapy. It has antibacterial as well as antidepressant properties and studies✓ show that inhaling Clary sage essential oil can help reduce blood pressure and thus help with relaxation in stressful situations.
Peppermint
Peppermint is a very common scent and used for a variety of things, such as treating common colds, relieving IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrom), and combating pregnancy nausea although some studies✓ show no difference between peppermint oil and placebo. It has milder antimicrobial properties and can thus be good against bacteria and fungi. Peppermint is generally safe but should not be taken in larger doses as they can be toxic. Peppermint should also not be used on children or infants as inhaling the menthol present in peppermint could be harmful to them.
Which Pillow Spray Should I Choose?
When choosing a pillow spray, we recommend that you consider what you will be using it for and when you will be using it. Some people opt to spray their home textiles, such as sofa pillows or curtains, with a pillow spray as aromatherapy throughout the day while others use it exclusively at nighttime and on their pillows.
If you are looking for one to spray your pillows before bedtime, we suggest using one that has a milder scent. If the pillow spray is too harsh in scent, you might be dissatisfied when using it at night as it could potentially do the opposite and keep you awake. You should opt for a balanced ingredient pillow spray that will soothe you and help you relax.
If you are prone to nighttime anxiety or insomnia, a pillow spray containing a blend including lavender could be a good option for you given the calming properties of the lavender. Make sure to check what other essential oils your pillow spray contains to see if these match your needs, whether these are to reduce stress, depression or maybe some kind of pain.
In conclusion, a pillow spray could be a useful purchase that could help you wind down whenever you need to. When searching for a pillow spray, take a good look at the reviews as they can often tell you what to expect. Try to find deals or check out samples in a store if you can, in order to find the one that you like.
How To Correctly Use A Pillow Spray
Every brand has its own usage instructions but it is generally recommended to spray your bedding a few minutes before going to bed in order for the spray to settle, become less intense and for the scent to develop fully. Different sprays will have different properties and effects but a pillow spray should never be used as a medical treatment without first consulting with a specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make lavender pillow spray?
You can make your own lavender pillow spray by diluting lavender essential oil in an alcohol such as vodka and then mix it with water and place it in a spray bottle. However, mixing your own pillow spray is not recommended as this should be done by an experienced professional chemist.
What is a pillow spray?
A pillow spray is a spray containing a mix of fragrances, often from essential oils, that can be sprayed in your bedroom or on your bedding in order to create a calming atmosphere that could help you relax into better sleep.
Where can I buy lavender pillow spray?
Most pillow sprays on the market include lavender, thanks to its calming properties. Many sleep brands offer pillow sprays today and we would suggest that you try a sample before purchasing one as the perception of fragrances is something very individual.
