Conquer anxiety naturally with the power of essential oils! This blog post explores ten powerful essential oils scientifically proven to ease anxiety and stress and DIY recipes for aromatherapy blends you can make at home.
Introduction
Do you ever feel like anxiety is creeping into your life, leaving you feeling stressed and uneasy? You’re not alone. Millions of people around the world struggle with anxiety, and it can be debilitating. But there is hope! Nature has provided us with fantastic tools to help us manage our anxiety, and essential oils are one of the most powerful.
I have used essential oils to relieve stress, help me sleep, and support healing cuts and bruises. I am also training to become a certified aromatherapist, and I recommend the essential oils below. They are sourced ethically and are organic. Quality and purity are imperative when using essential oils.
What are Essential Oils, and How Do They Work for Anxiety?
Essential oils are potent plant extracts endowed with remarkable healing attributes. These oils engage the olfactory system, which governs our sense of smell within the brain. Upon inhalation, the aromatic molecules of essential oils journey to the limbic system, the brain area that oversees emotions. This system also plays a crucial role in managing our response to stress, making essential oils effective in soothing our nerves and mitigating feelings of anxiety. Please go here if you need professional help or to speak with a counselor.
One thing that I find fascinating about using essential oils is the molecules can pass the blood-brain barrier. The blood vessels in the brain consist of endothelial cells, which are very close together. The function of the cells is to protect the brain from foreign agents entering the brain and disrupting brain function.
The narrow space between the cells of your blood-brain barrier is known as a tight junction, which only allows small fat-soluble molecules to pass through to the capillary wall and into the brain tissue. Studies have shown most pharmaceuticals are neither small enough nor fat soluble, so they cannot pass the blood-brain barrier.
Meanwhile, the molecules in essential oils are tiny and fat-soluble, allowing them to access and heal brain regions affected by environmental toxins and emotional and mental stress. Essential oils can also be used to help treat depression. You can read this in my blog post, 7 Essential Oils for Depression.
10 Essential Oils for Anxiety Relief
Many different essential oils can be helpful for anxiety, but here are 10 of the most effective. You can also purchase or read more about the oil by following the link.
- Lavender: (Lavandula angustifolia) Lavender stands out as a highly favored essential oil for alleviating anxiety, offering a serene and soothing fragrance that aids in reducing stress and enhancing sleep quality.
- Bergamot: (Citrus bergamia) Bergamot, with its citrus fragrance, will help to uplift your mood and reduce stress. It is also a great oil to use in a diffuser.
- Frankincense: (Boswellia carterii) Frankincense has a grounding and calming scent that usually promotes relaxation and focus. It is a great oil to use for meditation or yoga.
- Ylang Ylang: (Cananga odorata var. Genuina) Ylang Ylang has a sweet, floral scent that can help ease anxiety and promote feelings of peace. It is a great oil to use in a bath or massage.
- Sweet orange: (Citrus sinensis) Sweet Orange has a bright, cheerful scent that can help to uplift your mood and reduce stress. It is a great oil to use in a diffuser or personal inhaler.
- Clary Sage: (Salvia sclarea) Clary sage has a slightly nutty, warm, musky, herbaceous scent that can help balance hormones and reduce anxiety. It is a great oil to use for massage or in a bath.
- Vetiver: (Salvia sclarea) Vetiver has a deep, earthy scent that can help to ground you and ease anxiety. It is a great oil to use in a diffuser or massage.
- Chamomile Roman: (Anthemis nabilis) Chamomile has a calming and relaxing scent with a fruity, sweet, fresh, apple-like aroma that can help promote sleep and reduce anxiety. It is a great oil to use in a bath or diffuser.
- Jasmine: (Jasminum grandiflorum) Jasmine has a beautiful warm floral with lily-like, fruity, waxy, spicy, tea-like, and green notes scent that can help to promote feelings of peace and happiness. It is a great oil to use in a diffuser or massage.
- Cedarwood: (Cedrus deodara) Cedarwood has a warm, woody scent that can help ground you and ease anxiety. It is a great oil to use in a diffuser or massage.
Additional Essential Oils for Mitigating Anxiety
Although not included in our top 10 selections, the following essential oils are also widely recognized for their anxiety-reducing properties. They make lovely supplements to your collection of essential oils.
- Rose Otto Oil (Rosa x damascena) is extracted from the Bulgarian Damask rose. Rose oil is celebrated for its delightful floral aroma and soothing impact. It aids in lowering anxiety and enhancing emotional health. Certain essential oils are best mixed with carrier oils, like jojoba, to formulate a blend that delivers sensory enjoyment and emotional balance when applied to the temples, wrists, and the nape of the neck.
- Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin) Patchouli oil is renowned for its stabilizing and soothing effects, rendering it an excellent option for reducing stress, anxiety, and discomfort. It can be used in a diffuser or applied in a diluted form to the skin to foster a serene and balanced atmosphere. The deep, earthy scent of patchouli oil comforts and provides relaxation, establishing its importance in reducing anxiety.
- Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens var roseum) geranium oil, with its delightful floral scent, is favored for easing stress and anxiety. It possesses the capacity to decrease heart rate and encourage relaxation, addressing a range of anxiety-related issues effectively. Incorporate Geranium oil into a moisturizing lotion and apply it to the skin for a calming and fragrant addition to your self-care practices.
- Neroli (Citrus aurantium) Neroli essential oil has been a favorite in perfume-making for hundreds of years with its deep floral, citrus, and subtly herbal fragrance. A tiny amount makes a significant impact. It can calm abrupt and intense emotions, helping restore the heart’s warm and trusting connection with life.
- Juniper berry (Juniperus communis) Juniper berry essential oil, characterized by its piney, fresh, and woodsy scent with a distinct resinous undertone, possesses an energizing quality! It’s excellent for dispelling stagnant energy and infusing any space with a vibrant ambiance. Reinvigorate your spirit using an energizing massage oil made with juniper berry, which aids in alleviating the body’s deep-seated tension and stress.
- Sandalwood (Santalum album) Sandalwood essential oil, known for its sweet, woody, and sensual aroma, provides a sense of safety and trust, allowing for open-heart expression. For centuries, it has played a role in spiritual rituals, capable of fostering a state of inner peace that extends into everyday existence.
Recipes
Here are four blends that relate to different types of anxiety. When blending these recipes, dilute 15-30 drops into a carrier oil of your choice, such as jojoba, olive, or coconut oil. Or you can add the drops directly to an inhaler or into a bath, blending the oils with carrier oil or bath salts.
Tense Anxiety: Type 1
Symptoms: bodily tension, muscle pain, aches, sore body
Essential oils: sandalwood, lavender, clary sage, chamomile roman, patchouli
Tense Anxiety Blend
Clary sage 10 drops
Lavender 15 drops
Chamomile roman 5 drops
Restless Anxiety: Type 2
Symptoms: overactivity, sweating, dizziness, nervousness
Essential Oils: Vetiver, cedarwood, juniper berry, chamomile roman, frankincense
Restless Anxiety Blend
Vetiver 5 drops
Juniper berry 10 drops
Cedarwood 15 drops
Apprehensive Anxiety: Type 3
Symptoms: feeling of uneasiness, apprehension, worrying, overanxiousness, paranoia
Essential Oils: bergamot, lavender, neroli, rose otto, geranium, cedarwood, patchouli, orange (sweet)
Apprehensive Blend
Bergamot 15 drops
Lavender 5 drops
Geranium 10 drops
Repressed Anxiety: Type 4
Symptoms: feeling on edge, irritable, difficulty in concentrating, insomnia, exhausted
Essential Oils: bergamot, neroli, rose otto, sandalwood, Vetiver, cedarwood
Repressed Anxiety Blend
Neroli 10 Drops
Rose otto 10 Drops
Bergamot 10 Drops
Mind Ease Inhaler
Ingredients:
- 5 drops of bergamot essential oil
- 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil
- Personal inhaler
Important Safety Disclaimer
While essential oils are a natural complement to help manage anxiety, they are not by no means used as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult healthcare professionals for a proper diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. Essential oils should be viewed as part of a holistic self-care approach, not as stand-alone solutions for anxiety.
Always use essential oils carefully, especially if you are pregnant, on medication, or in the sun. A book by Tisserand Young called Essential Oil Safety is a great resource to reference, and you can purchase the book here on Amazon.
Conclusion
In addressing anxiety, the objective is not to eliminate it entirely but rather to develop strategies to navigate it effectively. Essential oils serve as companions in this journey, offering soothing whispers amidst life’s louder moments. Encourage yourself to explore and experiment, crafting an aromatic melody that aligns with your essence.
It’s crucial to recognize that the most powerful remedy resides within you. Self-compassion, embracing life’s challenges, and dedicating yourself to self-care is fundamental to achieving tranquility.
Take a deep breath, release your burdens, and allow the gentle fragrance of lavender, frankincense, and other aromatic aids to lead you toward inner peace. The route to facing your Faceless Enemy is not found by fleeing the storm but by mastering the art of navigating it with elegance, one aromatic inhalation at a time.
May your path be marked by serenity, resilience, and the subtle encouragement of essential oils.
References:
- The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy – Valerie Ann Worwood Purchase Here on Amazon
- Essential Oils to Boost The Brain and Heal the Body – Jodi Cohen Purchase Here on Amazon
- Aromahead.com Additional Learning