With the busy lives we lead these days, stress and anxiety are unfortunately no strangers to many of us. Finding the balance between work, family and friends as well as making time for ourselves can quickly make us feel overwhelmed.
The great thing is that essential oils offer a safe, natural remedy for stress and anxiety and are a wonderful way to complement traditional methods to relieve these conditions.
Aromatherapy techniques like diffusing, massage and even infusing your evening bath with essential oils are effective and safe ways to soothe symptoms of stress and anxiety and let your mind and body relax.
You might be curious as to how exactly essential oils can help with stress and anxiety and which ones work best.
As you know, aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic purposes. Essential oils are pure extracts taken from plants and contain tiny molecules known as aromatic compounds which have powerful scents that interact with our bodies.
Breathing in the powerful aroma of essential oils triggers a response from your brain’s limbic system, an area which controls emotions and memory.
Depending on the type of plant and its properties, the benefits of essential oils can be anything from helping with sleep, stress and anxiety to improving focus and concentration or even uplifting your mood.
In this blog we will be talking about the best essential oils for stress and anxiety, including tips for safe use and application.
1. Bergamot
From the citrus family, bergamot is a large, orange-like fruit native to Italy and its essential oil has a revitalising scent which can help decrease stress levels by reducing heart rate and nervous activity in the body.
The citrus family of essential oils are well known for having an uplifting effect because of a compound called D-limonene found in their fruit peels.
Bergamot essential oil is therefore a great choice to help support and settle a stressed out mind and assist in relieving the body of stress-causing hormones like cortisol.
You can use bergamot essential oil for stress & anxiety relief by diffusing it, adding a few drops to your bath or applying it to your skin for a massage. An aromatherapy diffuser is a great way to enjoy the benefits of this oil.
Bergamot essential oil can cause skin irritation in some people, so when using it on the skin or in the bath, always remember to combine it with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil and do a patch test before continuing.
A good ratio is 1-2 drops of essential oil to 2 tablespoons of carrier oil.
Bergamot essential oil blends for stress & anxiety relief
You can use the following blends in your diffuser or with some carrier oils for topical application to enhance the benefits of bergamot essential oil!
Citress relief!
2 drops bergamot
2 drops lemon
2 drops frankincense
Herbal remedy
3 drops bergamot
2 drops clary sage
2 drops lavender
2. Patchouli
Patchouli is a unique essential oil with a deep, calming scent that comes from the leaves of the Patchouli plant and is known for helping to reduce symptoms of anxiety.
Patchouli essential oil has actually been proven to support the production of ‘feel-good’ hormones in your body, specifically serotonin and dopamine - the ones you get from doing exercise - also known as ‘endorphins’ and which make you feel great!
Patchouli essential oil has quite a powerful scent making it a great base note in your blends. You don’t need many drops to reap its benefits.
Patchouli essential oil blends for stress & anxiety relief
Why not try out some Patchouli blends for your diffuser or mix it with some carrier oils to enhance the benefits of this magnificent essential oil.
Calm your nerves
2 drops patchouli
2 drops ylang ylang
1 drop sweet orange
No more anxiety
2 drops geranium
2 drops clary sage
1 drops patchouli
1 drop ylang ylang
3. Clary Sage
The earthy, herbaceous scent of Clary Sage essential oil can have a balancing effect on hormones that are out of whack - especially handy for women who might be experiencing things like PMS or unbalanced oestrogen levels.
Clary Sage essential oil is also a natural sedative that works wonders for helping you wind down for a good night’s rest and brings an instant sense of peace and calm to your environment making this oil literally an essential for anyone battling symptoms of stress and anxiety like increased heart rate, insomnia, overthinking, and general irritability.
Clary Sage essential oil blends for stress & anxiety relief
Clary Sage works great when diffused in your bedroom or home. Here are some blends to amplify the soothing benefits of Clary Sage essential oil:
Rest and restore
3 drops clary sage
2 drops cedarwood
2 drops lavender
Balance blend
2 drops clary sage
2 drops frankincense
2 drops ylang ylang
4. Frankincense
As one of the world’s most ancient essential oils, Frankincense has been used throughout history for spiritual purposes and celebrated for its woody, earthy scent that promotes mental and physical healing.
The aroma of Frankincense essential oil promotes a sense of overall well-being and relaxation which can help in managing the effects of anxiety and stress.
Frankincense essential oil contains two compounds called limonene and alpha-pinene which have been shown in studies to assist in relieving stress as well as reducing brain fog, helping with clearer thinking and better memory.
So if you’re having difficulty concentrating or focusing on work due to stress or anxiety or have a general feeling of being overwhelmed with life, you can use some Frankincense essential oil to ease tension and instantly feel more calm and centred.
Frankincense essential oil blends for stress & anxiety relief
Here are some blends for your diffuser or to try out with some carrier oils for a stress relief massage with Frankincense essential oil:
Deep Relief
4 drops frankincense
3 drops cedarwood
2 drops lavender
Stress blanket
2 drops frankincense
2 drops cinnamon
2 drops sweet orange
5. Cedarwood
This list would not be complete with the warm, woody and comforting scent of cedarwood essential oil. Cedarwood has calming and grounding properties making it the perfect essential oil for easing symptoms of stress and anxiety like restlessness, difficulty concentrating and overwhelming thoughts and feelings.
By breathing in the sweet, sedative scent of cedarwood, you can overcome such uneasy feelings with a sense of peace and calm.
Cedarwood is known for being a mood enhancer and promoting feelings of joy and wellbeing. In addition, inhaling the scent of cedarwood essential oil is recommended for treating respiratory conditions and is beneficial for improving your breathing.
Cedarwood essential oil blends for stress & anxiety relief
Cedarwood makes a great base note in blends with its deep, earthy scent and pairs well with many essential oils:
Destress
4 drops cedarwood
3 drops lavender
2 drops frankincense
Breathe easy
3 drops cedarwood
3 drops frankincense
2 drops eucalyptus
Unwind
3 drops cedarwood
2 drops sweet orange
1 drop clary sage
1 drop lemon
6. Ylang ylang
Last but not least on our list is the sweet, rich and floral aroma of ylang ylang essential oil known for its ability to uplift energy, increase optimism and courage and even reduce the activity of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.
Feeling anxious and stressed can be an indicator that your cortisol levels are too high which can then impact other parts of the body. The scent of ylang ylang essential oil is known for having properties that trigger a sense of serenity and is particularly useful in helping people with overcoming anxiety and panic attacks.
Ylang ylang essential oil blends for stress & anxiety relief
Try out these blends in your diffuser or with some carrier oils for topical application to amplify the soothing benefits of Ylang ylang essential oil:
Surrender
1 drops ylang ylang
2 drops sweet orange
2 drops cedarwood
3 drops lavender
Calm breeze
1 drop ylang ylang
2 drops frankincense
3 drops mandarin
Aromatherapy and essential oils are for everyone and are a safe and natural option in treating stress and anxiety. Whether you choose to diffuse your essential oils or mix them with a carrier oil for a massage or a bath, you can beat the uneasy feelings caused by these common conditions while enjoying the overall benefits of aromatherapy in your daily life.
Starting and ending your day with some of these essential oils will help you to remain calm and centred before a busy day ahead or relax and let go at the end of a stressful one.
And with so many different essential oils to choose from, you can experiment with blends to find your favourite scents and choose the ones that work best for your particular symptoms.
If you tried some of these blends or you’ve got some more blend suggestions for stress & anxiety that we could try, reach out to us on Facebook & Instagram on dfusenz. We’d love to hear from you!
