Relieving Stress With Essential Oils Part Iii
Although stress is a natural mechanism designed to keep us prepared for challenges, most modern lifestyles add more daily stress than our bodies are made to handle. In fact, studies have shown that modern, everyday stresses, if left unchecked, can negatively impact our health! In the third part of my Relieving Stress series, Ive included some additional suggestions to help you alleviate some of the stress in your life.
Essential Oils For Anxiety And Stress Relief
We all have days that seem to get away from us. Whether we are trying to figure out how to handle stress at work or running scattered errands, stress and worry can take away from our well-being. With that being said, finding a solution that works best to mitigate your feelings of stress or anxiety is important.
Wondering what the best essential oils for stress and anxiety are? We offer five essential oil blends that help combat worry and stress: Anxiety Ease, Be Still, Stress Relief, Tranquility and Worry Less.
To understand the difference between these synergy blends, well go over some of the powerhouse essential oils that make each one unique.
Top 13 Essential Oils For Natural Stress Relief
- 10 February, 2021
- 6 min read
Essential oils are a beautiful tool for natural stress relief. They are simple and quick to use, yet very powerful in their effects. Just inhaling the fragrance of certain oils can have a calming effect on your nervous system.
Essential oil molecules are so tiny that they can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the limbic system of your brain. The limbic system is sometimes called the emotional center of the brain because it’s linked to emotions and memories. Anything that stimulates the limbic system has the potential to affect your mood.
Specific essential oils are known to have a calming, mood-boosting, and stress-relieving effect. Here’s more about how you can use them to combat stress and which particular ones are the best.
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Clary Sage Essential Oil
With a beautiful earthy smell, Clary Sage is effective in calming stress and anxiety. The oil acts as an antidepressant by promoting feelings of wellbeing and inner peace. Clary Sage is also known to act as a great hormone balancer and help reduce symptoms of PMS. Apply directly to feet or pulse points to help balance hormones. Alternatively combine with a few drops of chamomile to enjoy in a hot bath.
Choose Your Calming Essential Oils For Stress And Anxiety
There are truly endless options when it comes to treating stress and anxiety with aromatherapy! Dont let our best of list overwhelm you after all, our goal is to help you find LESS stress, not more! Instead of getting overwhelmed, consider walking away from this article with just one calming essential oil you want to try and go from there.
If choosing one still seems intimidating, thats why were here to help! Hit us up in the LiveChat box or give us a call. We can help suggest specific oil blends to address your unique symptoms related to stress and anxiety.
And, dont forget we offer free shipping! Now, thats NOT stressful at all! Happy shopping, and let us know how we can help you find your healthy place.
Cautions: Do not use essential oils undiluted topically. Some essential oils are not safe for children ages 10 and younger. Keep out of reach of children. If pregnant, consult your doctor before use. We do not recommend the ingestion of essential oils.
Please Be Advised: The International Federation of Aromatherapists does not recommend that Essential Oils be taken internally unless under the supervision of a Medical Doctor who is also qualified in clinical Aromatherapy. All cautions listed for individual oils do not include those cautions from ingestion.
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Can Stress Make You Physically Weak
The most common physical side effects of stress are headache, upset stomach, sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, chest pain, anxiety etc. problems / diseases that come along with these issues.
Stress will affect our Immune system, Circulatory system, Nervous system, Digestive system and will really take a toll on our health if left unattended.
It is a cycle of physical problems one leading to another and a lot of them start with STRESS.
Safety Of Essential Oils
Essential oils are generally safe, but if you are pregnant, breast feeding or have a medical condition you should consult your doctor before use.
Always read the label and do not exceed the recommended dosage for your chosen essential oil. Keep out of reach of children, avoid contact with the eyes and do not take essential oils internally unless specifically told to do so.
If youre having a hectic day, why not take some time out with Rescue Remedy® Dropper?
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Do Essential Oils Really Work For Stress Relief
The fragrance of essential oil has a powerful influence on our moods and emotions, lifting our spirits and inspiring joy. So when we smell the essential oils, it is not only pleasing to our senses but they release our inner feelings and open our minds.
Do you know our sense of smell is the fastest way to reach our brain and elicit a response? Do you even know that our Nose is called as external brain?
Read more about how our sense of smell works to heal different body systems in this post.
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Why Use Essential Oils
Before we get into the nitty gritty on some of the benefits of essential oils, we should probably talk about what they are and why you should even use them in the first place! Essential oils are compounds that are extracted from plants in order the essence, including helpful properties and the specific aroma from that plant. These substances can have positive physical and mental effects in just a few drops, but how?
Scent is one of our 5 senses that is able to impact your brain through the olfactory system. This system has a nerve that runs from the nose to the brain, sending signals to parts of the brain that are in charge of emotions, mood, and memory. These brain parts also influence the autonomic nervous system that leads to physical changes! Meaning aromatherapy with essential oils through inhalation, diffusing, and more can lead to physical and emotional changes in your body. Wow!
All in all, using certain essential oils can be a natural remedy to boost your wellness and provide a nice calming effect to relieve symptoms of stress, and help you drift off to sleep at night.
How May Essential Oils Help Reduce Anxiety
Current research shows that inhaling essential oils in the form of aromatherapy has a soothing and therapeutic effect on the nervous system. However, much of the research has been in animal studies. Human studies that show promising evidence often lack rigor.
For instance, animal research from 2010 suggests that certain essential oil scents, such as bergamot, lemon balm, and peppermint, contain specific plant compounds to help induce relaxation.
Despite the lack of substantial evidence, many people find essential oil aromatherapy to be an enjoyable experience. This is due to the aroma of the oils traveling through the olfactory nerves to the amygdala in the brain, which elicits an emotional response to promote clarity and calm.
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When To See A Doctor
Some people may find that essential oils can help promote relaxation and relieve stress.
However, chronic anxiety can have a detrimental effect to both a persons mental and physical health. If anxiety is causing significant distress or disruption to a persons daily routine, they may wish to consider seeing a doctor.
Symptoms of anxiety can include:
- difficulty sleeping
Best Essential Oils For Stress Management
Stress impacts the human body and behavior in predictable ways. Chronic stress increases heart rate, elevates stress hormones, raises blood pressure, and causes a rash of affects that can include headaches, body pain, fatigue, nausea, sleep issues, emotional distress, etc., all of which, when left unchecked, contribute to serious health issues. We know that a healthy diet, plenty of exercise and rest, mindfulness, and relaxation are all key to long term stress-relief strategies. Together, they lower cortisol, increase endorphins, promote sleep, reduce negative effects of stress, and improve mood. The devil, of course, is in the details. Trying to carve out the time to exercise, cook a healthy meal, get more sleep, or do something we enjoy can be well, stressful. Sometimes we just have time for something small and meaningful. And that, in a nutshell, is the beauty of incorporating essential oils into our lives aromatherapy doesnt require us to carve out extra time. Like firelight and relaxing music, these oils can gently boost contentment and relaxation while working quietly in the background of our days.
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But How Do Essential Oils Help Stress
It’s true: research shows that using essential oils in aromatherapy can relieve stress and also may have a positive effect on heart rate and blood pressure, and thus on your risk of heart disease.
There are two main ways that essential oils are used: you can dilute them in a carrier oil and apply them directly onto your skinusually using a roller. Another common way is to diffuse themeither via an actual diffuser, or by adding them to a cotton ball or a tissue. Some experts say that diffusing essential oilsin whatever way you preferis best for stress relief.
How To Use Essential Oils For Anxiety
Essential oils are often used in aromatherapy, which is a form of alternative medicine that uses plant extracts to support health and wellness.
Certified aromatherapist and founder of THARA SACRA Tara Gangadharan says there are benefits to using the oils. When we inhale an aroma, the molecules hit our olfactory bulb and travel through the limbic system to our primitive brain where emotions are processed and our memories are formed, she explains. This is why a specific scent can sometimes strongly conjure up a specific memory. Thats also why certain scents can bring us to our immediate present or transport us back in time. The use of aromatics helps transport our emotions to a safer space where we can better manage our emotional responses to anxiety.
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Aromatherapy is an individual experience, so various scents can be emotional triggers and evoke personal memories. Aromatherapy is not one-scent-fits-all. Gangadharan adds, saying that you shouldnt be afraid to try new and different scents to see what calms your anxiety specifically. She suggests floral scents like lavender, rose, jasmine, bergamot, and vetiver, which can be soothing and supportive, while fruitier scents can be uplifting. Wood or root-based essential oils can also be supportive and help us ground and find roots when we are feeling unbalanced.
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The Best Ways To Use Aromatherapy Essential Oils For Stress Relief And Sleep
Just as there are many different types of essential oils to choose from, there are also many different ways to use them! Here are some of the best ways to use aromatherapy essential oils so that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to achieve long-term stress relief and better sleep:
- Diffuse: The first way that you can use aromatherapy essential oils for stress relief and sleep involves using an oil diffuser. A diffuser allows the amazing aroma of the oils to fill the entire room! Just add a few drops of your favorite oil , turn the device on, sit back, and relaaaax.
- Skin-safe massage: Another way that you can use aromatherapy essential oils for stress relief and sleep involves diluting the pure essential oil with a carrier oil or lotion so that you end up with a massage oil/cream that can be applied directly to your skin. Some essential oils are already diluted and are skin-safe like our rose essential oil, so be sure to double-check beforehand. Once diluted, you can gently massage the oil onto your skin in circular motions and onto pulse points for both physical and mental benefits!
- Relaxing Bath: Theres nothing more relaxing than a nice warm bath, so adding essential oils to the mix can really take it up a notch to help you get de-stressed and ready for bed. All you have to do is add a few drops of your favorite relaxing essential oil to your bathwater and enjoy before bedtime.
How To Use Essential Oils
Essential oils can be inhaled through the nose, allowing them to directly stimulate the areas of your brain associated with mood and emotion. They can be sprinkled on a handkerchief or pillow, added to a warm bath or used in diffusers, vaporizers, humidifiers or specially designed oil burners.
You can also apply essential oils to the skin to allow them to pass directly into your bloodstream. Most essential oils should not be used neat. Add a few drops to a carrier oil such as almond oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil or coconut oil before using. You should always carry out a patch test before using a new essential oil to make sure it does not irritate your skin.
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Essential Oils For Anxiety And Stress According To Experts
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Besides making your home feel like a spa, using essential oils for anxiety treatment has risen in popularity in recent years. Whether one is adding these compounds extracted from plants to a bath for relaxation or diffusing them in the bedroom to promote a long nights sleep, the holistic use of aromatherapy to heal physically and mentally is something worth looking into if it helps ease any stress or anxious thoughts.
And its not surprising that people are looking for new treatments when you consider that weve seen a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, seeking professional mental health care is the first step toward identifying and treating anxiety. A new survey from Minded revealed that more than 80% of participants found mental health medication to be most effective for their mental health condition, but 66% of those same people say misinformation, stigma, or fear prevented them from trying meds sooner.
Aromatherapy is mostly used as a short-term solution to calming nerves. But do these essential oils work? Are essential oils safe? And do essential oils actually have health benefits?
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Below, are some common essential oils for easing anxiety.
Diffuse Your Stress Away
If you love using natural products, essential oils are one of the best options for stress relief. They calm your body and mind in a number of ways but especially through your sense of smell.
Besides individual oils, you can also look for blends specifically formulated to ease stress and promote relaxation. Remember that this process is a very individual one, so keep experimenting until you find the scents that soothe your stress!
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Where To Apply Essential Oils For Stress Relief
Generally, essential oils can be inhaled from a diffuser as well as applied topically by mixing with a carrier oil. For stress relief, it is a good idea to use a combination of methods to get the best results.
Apply stress relief roll on blend on your pulse points.
Full body massage with stress relief massage oil.
Diffuse essential oils in your room calming essential oils like lavender, neroli after the hectic day and energizing essential oils like eucalyptus, lemongrass at your desk.
Top 5 essential oils for beginners
Research On Essential Oils For Stress
Study One: Lavender oil, with its constituents of linalool and linalyl acetate, potentiated the GABAA receptor response caused by a low concentration of GABA, suggesting the anxiolytic, anticonvulsant and sedative activity
Study Two: A study showed that bergamot improves mood as well as mild symptoms of stress-induced disorders and facilitates sleep induction.
Study Three: Essential oils for lavender, clary sage, sweet orange and sandalwood have been reported to be both efficacious and safe for the relief of anxiety disorder, which is helpful in the case of anxiety-related stress.
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Add A Few Drops To Your Shower
For a luxe and soothing bathing experience, Villafranco recommends dropping the oils onto your shower flooraway from the stream of water so they can vaporize slowly instead of getting washed down the drain right away.
The more you use a certain oil, the more your brain will start to associate it with releasing stress, so go ahead and smell your way to calm.
What Are The Best Aromatherapy Essential Oils For Stress Relief And Sleep
Clearly, using aromatherapy through essential oils can benefit your health and upgrade your self-care routine. That being said, not all essential oils have the same benefits to help relieve stress and support sleep, so knowing which ones to use if key!
Here are some of the best essential oils for stress relief and sleep that you definitely need in your arsenal:
- Jasmine Essential Oil: Just like how jasmine tea can be calming, jasmine essential oil can have the same effect! This floral scent is very relaxing, helping to relieve stress and drift you off to sleep. Other benefits of jasmine essential oil are that it can help nourish your skin, soothe muscle soreness, and help you breathe easier.
- Rose Otto Essential Oil: If you love floral scents and need to relax, rose otto essential oil is a great option! This essential oil may help to soothe symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as help to alleviate physical maladies such as headaches. Plus, WOW’s rose otto essential oil is a skin-safe blend with 100% pure jojoba oil to make it affordable and accessible — how’s that for stress relief?
- Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender essential oil has a reputation for being one of the best essential oils to help you calm down and relax — making it great for stress relief and sleep! Not only that, but its also a natural disinfectant.
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