The invention relates to essence for promoting sleep as well as a preparation method and use method of the essence. The essence is prepared from the following components of water, ethanol, polysorbate, laurocapram, hydroxyethyl cellulose, phenoxyethanol, vanillyl butyl ether, propylene glycol, as well as various Chinese herbal extracts such as a radix polygalae extract, a semen ziziphi spinosae extract and a poria extract. The preparation method comprises the following steps: firstly, putting water, the hydroxyethyl cellulose and the propylene glycol into an agitator kettle, stirring, raisingthe temperature and keeping for 10 to 20 minutes; secondly, reducing the temperature to 50 DEG C and adding various Chinese herbal extracts; reducing the temperature to 40 DEG C, adding the ethanol, the polysorbate, the laurocapram, the phenoxyethanol and the vanillyl butyl ether and uniformly stirring, thus obtaining a finished product. The essence is smeared on postauricular corresponding partsand other corresponding acupoints during use. The essence for promoting the sleep, disclosed by the invention, has the advantages of simplicity and convenience in use andcapability of treating an internal illness by external treatment; the essence is easily adsorbed through epidermis and acts on a nervous system in a few minutes to improve the sleep.