A Few Drops of This Essential Oil Could Help You Sleep

Burning the Midnight Oil?: Lavender has long been a go-to aroma for relaxation and sleep, but a less-familiar essential oil may present another option. A small study recently found an association between Japanese Hinoki root oil and improved sleep.

The Study: Japanese researchers developed a blind crossover study to examine the effects of essential oil distilled from the root of the Hinoki (Japanese cypress) tree. 12 Japanese women ages 35 to 60 spent two weeks smelling Hinoki oil before bed and two weeks sniffing an unscented control. They inhaled three drops of oil in a paper cup for 10 seconds, then placed it 30 centimeters away overnight. Participants wore headbands to record brain waves and wristbands to track sleep, and completed a questionnaire each morning to report how they slept and how they felt upon waking.

The Takeaway: Repeated exposure to Hinoki root oil was linked to better morning alertness and less fatigue. The sleep trackers and headbands recorded fewer nighttime awakenings and brain-wave changes associated with smoother sleep progression.

Keep in Mind: The findings came from a very small pilot study, so it’s too soon to say whether the oil will meaningfully improve sleep for a broader population. While aromatatherapy may be worth exploring, the most effective approach to better sleep often starts with going back to the basics.