How to Make Herbal Body Oil for a Soothing Bedtime Routine

You know how important sleep is for your health! There are endless tips on the internet about how to tweak your lifestyle for a better night’s sleep, but in this neck of the woods, we talk about herbs! How can you use herbal routines to help get the rest you need?

For starters, it’s helpful to have a serene space and calming evening rituals that help prepare your body and mind for sleep. Having an herbal infused bedtime routine is not just about winding down; it’s about setting yourself up for a night of quality sleep and waking up feeling refreshed.

I love working with teas and footbaths to support rest, but right now I want to talk about oiling up. Herbal body oiling is the #1 herbal tool I use to calm my nerves before bedtime.

“Adding body oil to your nightly ritual is a game changer.”

If you don’t already oil before bed, welcome to the world of body oiling! It helps you relax, drift off more easily, and leaves your skin feeling amazing. Body oiling is something I have done for over 30 years, and I RARELY miss a night. And especially while travelling, I always carry my body oils to counter the restlessness that can come with sleeping in different places.

I tell the story of how sometimes I’ll be drifting off and my body will wake me up to remind me to oil my feet so that my sleep will be better. That may sound a bit crazy, but it’s true. It goes something like this: I am lying in bed relaxing, and my feet will start to rattle themselves and heighten their sensation, drawing me to oil them! I keep a thick towel at the edge of my bed, I lean over, oil the heck out of my feet, wrap them in the towel and then not soon after, I am fast asleep. I have been doing this for decades!

You can use coconut oil, shea butter, or any carrier oil that you like. The oil itself is grounding and soothing to the nerves. But…why not infuse the oil with nerve supporting herbs? Bedtime oil it is!

Before we make the bedtime oil, here are a few of those tips for adjusting your lifestyle for better sleep.

What Is Sleep Hygiene?

Think of sleep hygiene as your bedtime guidebook—it involves setting up your nightly routine and surroundings to make sure you catch the Z’s you need.

Key parts of sleep hygiene include:

• Maintaining a Regular Sleep Schedule: Establishing consistent bedtime and wake-up times reinforces your body’s internal clock (yes, even on weekends!). Going to bed at the same time every night is one of the best things you can do to support a good night’s sleep.
• Creating a Comfortable Sleep Environment: Ensuring your bedroom is conducive to sleep—quiet, dark, and cool, with no night lights or screens in the room.
• Engaging in Relaxing Pre-Sleep Activities: Activities like dimming the lights, looking outside at the stars or gentle stretching can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. We also have a rule in our house: No talking politics before bed!
• Limiting Screen Time: Minimizing exposure to screens at least a couple hours before bedtime.

How to Make Body Oil to Help You Sleep Better

Adding body oil to your nightly ritual is a game changer. Give yourself the gift of ending your day with a gentle massage using a beautifully scented oil. This simple yet luxurious practice can help you decompress, ease muscle tension, and prepare your body for a rejuvenative sleep. The best part is you can easily make your own herbal massage oil at home with a few natural ingredients:

• Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla): Chamomile’s calming properties promote relaxation for body and mind, ideal for preparing for a restful sleep.
• Elderflowers (Sambucus spp.): While elderflowers don’t necessarily make you sleepy, they are a ‘dreamy’ herb. Incorporating them in topical oils can help soothe inflammation and create an environment of peace and healing.
• Lavender (Lavandula spp.): Lavender’s comforting aroma helps to ease stress, and improves sleep quality, making it essential for inducing deep slumber.

Print Recipe

Bedtime Herbal Body Oil Recipe

Oiling your body is one of the best things you can do for your nervous system. This recipe is rich in nerve tonic herbs that help to calm tension and anxiety. Here’s how to make body oil at home.

Author: Kami McBride

Ingredients

• 2 cups olive oil (480 ml)
• 2 1/2 tbsp crushed dried chamomile (2.5 g)
• 2 1/2 tbsp crushed dried elderflowers (2.5 g)
• 2 1/2 tbsp crushed dried lavender (2.5 g)

Instructions

• Put herbs and oil into a sterilized glass jar, then cap and label with the contents and date.
• Let steep for two to four weeks, occasionally shaking the jar to keep the herbs fully submerged in the oil. 
• To strain, place a strainer into a clean jar, then put muslin on top of the strainer.
• Pour the oil and herbs through the muslin, being careful not to let the herbs spill over the side of the cloth into the jar.
• Discard the herbs into your compost pile that is designated just for herbs.
• Bottle your finished Bedtime Body Oil in a clean, labeled jar.

Notes

You can refrigerate your herbal oil to help preserve its shelf life. In general, your herbal infused oils are good for one year as long it is stored with some care. Remember that light, excess heat, exposure to moisture, and fluctuating temperatures break down the integrity of the oil. 

Using Your Homemade Oil

To use, pour a small amount of your herbal body oil into your palms and rub your hands together to warm it. Massage the oil into your skin using gentle, circular motions, starting from your feet and working your way up. Focus on areas of tension and take your time to relax. If you’re short on time, you can just focus on your feet. This is part of an Ayurvedic practice called Abhyanga, which emphasizes the benefits of body oil massage to help with your overall physical and mental well-being.

The best time to apply body oils is after a bath or shower, to help you lock in moisture. I have an extra-large, super thick beach towel that I lay on my bed or the floor, depending on the time of the year. I oil up and lie on the towel and relax for a few minutes. Then I put on a thick cotton bathrobe that I hang around in for about half an hour to give the oil a chance to soak in. I body oil at the end of my day so I don’t have to worry about residual oil on my clothes.

Drift into Dreamland

Treat yourself next time you’re getting ready for bed. Light a candle, play some healing music, and enjoy a gentle massage with your homemade herbal oil. It’s a simple but powerful way to show yourself some love and care. As you doze off, you’ll set yourself up for a rejuvenating night’s sleep.

Explore These Additional Resources

Interested in more herbal oil recipes? Join my Handcrafted Healing Herbal Oils Course, where I guide both beginners and seasoned oil makers in crafting high-potency herbal-infused oils. Learn how to create top-tier oils, salves, body butter, and herbal body care products with unwavering confidence so you can support yourself and your loved ones with nature’s gifts.