Last Updated on November 11, 2022 by Brenda
When you feel anxious, stressed, or burned out, use the best essential oils for stress and anxiety discussed in this article to relieve those symptoms and feelings that are not who you are. You will never ever have the foggy feelings you get from the effects of pharmaceutical drugs! Those are overused anyway and make you feel worse because you feel you have no control in your brain.
When you keep essential oils available you can use them at any time in a diffuser while you rest and relax to take your worried, nervous, and fretful thoughts away. I use mine when I have apprehensive times and the fragrance alone has me feeling less concerned thinking better.
Relieving Anxiety and Stress with Aromatherapy
I too know the triggers that can cause anxiety: over loaded at your job; a coworker being not nice; a boss being too demanding with no patience; running kids all over for their events; illness within the family; financial problems; relationship issues; being a caregiver to a loved one; and many more. Anxiety drugs are given to people today more than any other time in our history, yet anxiety still exists because drugs don’t work!
The same chemical reaction causes your symptoms of stress and anxiety. Worry mostly causes anxiety. Stress happens in a threatening setting and you will know the difference. Your heart will race and pound, you might have sweaty hands or underarms, and stomach upsets. When your mind and body experience stress or anxiety your body responds. Did you know that your gut is your second brain?
How Essential Oils Work to Relieve Stress and Anxiety
Essential oils are aromatic and have molecules to pass through the blood-brain barrier to control your feelings of anxiety and stress. The smell of Jasmine is as calming and better for you than the drug, Valium. Essential oils reduce stress level hormones, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and the immune system’s response to stimuli.
The curious thing about essential oils is that they can be equally calming and stimulating. One person might feel restless while another person might feel soothed using the same essential oil. Adaptogens is the name given to essential oils that adapt to each individual for their needs.
Feel rested and calmed when having a relaxing warm bath adding a few drops of the essential oils suggested below for reducing stress.
Using Essential Oils to Relieve Anxiety video.
Methods for Applying Essential Oils for Stress and Anxiety
- Rub a few drops of essential oil onto your wrists, temples, feet, and all over with a carrier oil for relaxation.
- Inhale directly from your cupped palms using 2 drops of essential oil inhaling deeply.
- Use all day by putting a couple of essential oil drops on a tissue, cotton pad, scarf, and inhale throughout the day to stay calm.
- Close the drain in your shower and add a few drops that will be in the steam for uplifting your mood; you’ll think you’re in a sauna.
- An ultrasonic or nebulizer diffuser is handy and more beneficial when at home, the office, or anywhere you are for yourself, the kids, and pets too.
Most Popular Essential Oils for Stress and Anxiety
Essential oils are handed to us by Mother Nature! What a gift the ancients knew about that have been passed on to our society today but with a bit more technology.
The quick way to use 100% pure essential oils immediately is with a diffuser. However, you can get the oils into your blood stream in a few minutes with a massage. I would take my favorites to my massage therapist and she would rub my body completely and when finished I’d go home and take a nap after a stressful day at work.
If you have a partner or good friend, give each other a relaxing experience achieved only with essential oils. Use with your favorite carrier oils, creams, or lotions. Grapeseed is a good carrier oil choice as is Jojoba. Never apply the concentrated essential oils directly to your skin.
The best essential oils for stress and anxiety listed below are in alphabetical order for you to find easily by name.
Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
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This essential oil relieves stress, tension, and headaches by releasing the chemical serotonin in your brain that steadies and calms moods. It is a warm woodsy fragrance that uplifts your mood being ohh-soo calming. It will also invigorate you, so you can get going again.
It stimulates brain serotonin that converts to melatonin to help control sleep giving you calmness and restfulness. I love it!
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Cinnamon Leaf (Cinnamomum verum)
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This inviting aroma is reminiscent of baked cinnamon rolls that gives off a warm spicy fragrance somewhat like Cinnamon Bark and Clove. Blend it with Clove Bud, Cedarwood, Lavender, Lemon, Rosemary, Sweet Orange, Thyme, and Ylang-Ylang with a carrier oil for more anxiety relief. When you feel exhausted and at your road’s end, this will boost and uplift your spirits.
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Copaiba Balsam (Copaifera reticulta)
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The Balsam conifer tree is one of my favorites growing high in the Colorado mountains. It oozes sap or gum resin that is used in essential oils and comes from Brazil.
This essential oil is often simply called Copaiba and increases your mental focus and clarity. The aroma is somewhat like honey and is light and mild. The base note is woody, slightly balsamic, and sweet.
Copaiba Balsam essential oil will relieve your feelings of anxiety and stress. Use in your diffuser, on your skin with a carrier oil as a massage for a beautiful glow and it will lift your mood while you apply it. Your emotions will be calmed down and you will feel centered where you are.
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Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
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With its woody and sweet fragrance, you will feel clear minded, relaxed, and breathe easier. It will help to keep you mentally focused all day increasing blood flow to your brain. This should not be used around pets. This essential oil is another adaptogen used for bad breath, colds, flu, and other respiratory distress. Rub in a few drops directly in your temples, wrists, feet, and aching muscles and let the cooling, tingling effect calm your muscles after a tiring day.
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Grapefruit (Citrus racemosa)
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Grapefruit essential oil is used to ease nervous exhaustion and relieve depression. The pink Grapefruit essential oil has a fresh, sweet citrus smell that is very characteristic of the fruit. Grapefruit can cause photosensitivity so stay out of the sun when it’s on your skin. Avoid use during pregnancy. It will lift your spirit energy and is used for congestion and fatigue. It reduces stress headaches and is clarifying after a long day.
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Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
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Lavender essential oil encourages mindfulness and increases focus with its pure calming floral aroma and is one of the adaptogens I discussed above for picking you up, calming you, and can improve concentration, helps get you to sleep and reduces stress and anxiety. Lavender adapts to any mood you might have. After rubbing it on your skin with a carrier oil, it enters your blood stream within 5-minutes.
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Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
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Lime smells just like the real fruit. It has a crisp refreshing scent but does not smell tart as does the real lime. It, and all citrus, are great mood stabilizers with a sweet fragrance. It will make your room smell great used in a diffuser to relieve fatigue and mental anxiety. Inhale and use in your bath water for a calming, restful, and comforting time.
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Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
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Peppermint essential oil has that delicious mint flavor used in toothpaste and breath mints containing menthol for cooling and is very concentrated so a little goes a long way.
Use in your ultrasonic diffuser and also as a massage with a carrier oil such as Avocado, Argan, Coconut oil, Almond, cream, or lotion. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Keep away from pets and children. Do not ingest Peppermint essential oil.
By keeping you sharp focused and alert, your mind concentrates better ridding you of fatigue, anxiety, and stress.
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Rose (Rosa x damascena)
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Rose essential oil is strong, extremely floral, and soft like the Damask Rose. It is sweet and expensive and goes a long way. The fragrance is comforting and provides harmony and balance. It will improve your mood and spirts reducing anxiety and stressful thoughts and feelings. This oil is good for your dry skin as well.
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Sandalwood (Santalum album)
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The blend from Healing Solutions® contains 30% Jojoba pronounced ho-ho-ba is a waxy oil blended with the Sandalwood to rub on your skin. The wood from India is earthy, woody, and slightly balsamic and it’s thick so don’t use in a diffuser. It will lift your mood and calm your mood grounding you.
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Ylang-Ylang (Canaga odorata)
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This essential oil is another adaptogen that can be calming or stimulating depending on your feelings. If you’re mad at the world and stressed about that, use this oil in a diffuser or put a drop on your wrists with lotion. It will give you peaceful and calming feelings immediately. I love this essential oil; it reminds me of flowers in Tahiti.
Always buy 100% pure essential oils and not those saying flowered or anything with the word fragrance. Those will be fake—and cheap.
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Recipe Blend for Anxiety and Stress
- 2 drops Clary Sage essential oil
- 2 drops Bergamot essential oil
- 1 drop Frankincense essential oil
Bergamot is wonderful for anxiety; however, stay out of the sun when it’s on your skin and mix with a tablespoon of carrier oil such as Jojoba or Moringa oil that is good for dry skin too.
Possible Side Effects Using Essential Oils
If you have not used essential oils before, do a patch test about the size of a nickel on your top wrist. If you don’t itch or get a rash, you’re probably okay to go. Dilute the oil with a carrier oil, lotion, or cream and apply to your skin areas. One to two drops should work in two tablespoons of a carrier oil.
Final Thoughts About Stress and Anxiety Essential Oils
Stress does not have to overtake our lives and make our hair fall out. We are not superman! Unwind and relax with a glass of wine and diffuse the essential oils that are best for stress to see it evaporate like the dew in the morning sun.
Feel welcome to leave your comments and questions below and I will reply to each one of you. Come back often to our website for more updates and useful information.
