To find out the exact answer when you’re dwelling into the essential oils kingdom, it’s important to first get a good understanding of what suffering from anxiety actually feels like and what’s in the essential oils that really help heal the situation. Anxiety is basically a mental condition that leads to some more psychological conditions. In one sentence, anxiety is all about not staying in the present moment – lamenting about the things of the past and fearing about the possible danger in the future. These two tendencies automatically make you nervous, restless, and tense and as a result, you start experiencing a lack of focus, concentration, motivation, energy, and some other not-good generic conditions. Staying in the present moment is the name for ‘mindfulness’, and this mindfulness is quite opposite of the condition which you call ‘anxiety.’
Hope you got the hints to determine whether you’re suffering from anxiety or not. If you are and the feeling is overwhelming, it may be a good time to talk to professionals such as A Kind Place to get anxiety under control. Now, what’s there in essential oils that impact your mental health is the next essential thing to know.
A Short-cut to Essential Oils’ Role in Relieving Anxiety
It’s all about essential oils’ scents and molecules that help us feel calm. But how does all that happen? Healing using the power of aromas is known as ‘aromatherapy’ which is a form of complementary therapy. Different scents trigger our limbic system, the part of the brain linked specifically to our emotions and memories. When we inhale a scent of essential oil, it triggers a reaction in a part of our brain associated with fight or flight response, and as a result, sets off a reaction in our body such as feeling calm and energized. The limbic system also links scents with emotions. The aroma of lavender can rewind a memory of a summer holiday in France and associate that memory with feeling calm and relaxed.
Now, with an exemplified reputation of essential oils’ usefulness for anxiety relief, let’s figure out which essential oils must be preferred by anxious minds!
Bergamot Essential Oil
Whether it’s some moments or even days of stress and negativity, this citrus magic can help you out anytime. Bergamot essential oil is believed to be able to eliminate anxiety and other depressive symptoms as well as improve mood. The invigorating citrus scent of the oil helps calm both your mind and nerves, leaving you in feelings of calm and relaxation. Some studies also found that almost 15 minutes of exposure to Bergamot scent created a significant increase in the feelings of positivity. Aside from its usefulness from the aromatherapy aspect, the oil also gives something more calming when applied topically. A gentle 5-min massage of the oil on the back of the neck and bottom of the feet is shown to relieve nervous tension.
All these and many other properties of the oil make it show up in almost every list of the best essential oils for anxiety you scroll down.
Chamomile Essential Oil
We got some good news for chamomile tea lovers – no problem if you don’t have time to prepare and take the tea, a few drops around can do the same as the tea does. Chamomile essential oil, when inhaled, is shown to be useful in providing relaxing and sedative effects.
Aiming to promote a peaceful, full night’s sleep? Then putting 2-3 drops of the oil on your pillow is going to be a good decision. If you’re planning to have a foot massage as an anxiety-relieving treatment, using Chamomile essential oil would definitely make you feel a bit more relaxed.
Clary Sage Essential Oil
Feeling overly stressed out? Your cortisol (stress hormone) levels are reaching their highest. Clary Sage essential oil is mainly popular for controlling cortisol levels, keeping you safe from stress and anxiety disorders.
Feeling anxious causes your blood pressure and heart rate to rise, Clary Sage essential oil is shown to help balance these two things. Moreover, many natural products available out there that claim to be helpful for anxiety and stress relief use Clary Sage essential oil just because of its calming and relaxing properties.
Rose Essential Oil
This one belongs to exactly what you’re thinking about right away. Yes, the oil is extracted from rose petals which have an enchanting sweet, floral scent that provides a calming effect. Some studies found that massaging diluted Rose essential oil on the stomach not only relieved pain but also reduced anxiety and stress caused by the severe pain. Also, there’s good news for pregnant ladies – taking an aromatherapy foot bath with Rose essential oil mixed in the warm water helped lower labor pain and pregnancy-related mental stress and anxiety.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Aromatherapy before bed can help you get a quality night’s sleep and Ylang Ylang essential oil proves to be the best choice in this regard. The oil is believed to have a profound calming effect and promote relaxation, helping you get your mind clear enough for sleep. It’s kind of sensual, floral scent is shown to help improve your focus which you can utilize in the bedroom for a more intimate time with your partner. It also helps lower cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, making it an ideal aromatherapy essential oil to use in workplaces and in the bedroom.
Additionally, many first-hand users of the oil claim that inhaling Ylang Ylang essential oil and Lavender essential oil blend helped them control their stressful thoughts and stay in a state of calm and relaxation.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Using Essential Oils
- Essential oils, if massaged for anxiety relief, must be diluted with some carrier oil like almond or olive etc. Undiluted ones can be adversely reactive to the skin if applied in their undiluted form.
- Pregnant ladies must consult their doctor before using any essential oil. We mentioned that Rose is useful for labor pain, but this must be done after doctor consultation.
- Keep children away from them.
Wrapping Up
Whether you’re living with an anxious mind day to day or are simply feeling anxious at the moment, there are ways you can choose to stay calm. Remember that just moving towards essential oils without searching about where to get the pure thing is more a mistake than a wise shift. We highly recommend Vinevida.com, a U.S. based company well-reputed for offering pure and natural essential oils at budget-friendly prices. Hoping for the best for all the anxious minds who got through the text.