Stress can be overwhelming and impact both our physical and mental health. Luckily, there are natural remedies to help alleviate stress, and one of the most effective is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy for stress uses the power of essential oils to calm the mind, ease tension, and promote relaxation. In this article, we’ll explore the science behind aromatherapy for stress, the best essential oils to use, and how to incorporate them into your self-care routine. Keep reading to discover how you can find relief from stress and anxiety with the help of aromatherapy.
How Does Stress Affect Us?
More than half of working adults are concerned with the amount of stress in their lives. It is important to note that people experiencing stress are more likely to report hypertension, anxiety, depression, or obesity.
People are reacting to both work and family stress by engaging in unhealthy behaviors. They may engage in comfort eating, make poor diet choices, become very inactive, smoking, excessive drinking (alcohol), and drugs (both prescription and illegal). These unhealthy choices can actually lead to further stress and begin a never-ending cycle.
Women seem to suffer from stress more often than men. 73% of women identify themselves as the primary decision-maker in the household. They are also the caregivers for their children, their partners, and in some cases one or both parents. Unfortunately, too often women do not take the necessary steps to alleviate that stress, and their own physical health suffers.
How Can Stress Affect Your Health?
The bad news is that your stress can easily turn into chronic tension or even disease states when stressors are unrelieved and ongoing. Unrelieved chronic stress can lead to a host of undesirable effects, such as:
- severe irritability and impatience
- sleep disturbances or insomnia
- mood swings
- crying
- inability to focus
- serious fatigue
- weight gain
- excessive worrying
- aches and pains
- a primary culprit in many diseases
Unrelieved stress also takes a physical toll. It can weaken your immune system, cause damage to memory cells, and increase the risk of headaches, including migraines. Digestive disorders, high blood pressure, and chronic anxiety are also shown to result from chronic stress. Studies show that the cumulative effects of stress can have serious long-term consequences. In fact, 70% of disease is caused by stress in both the body and mind!
Can Essential Oils Help Relieve Stress?
Is it possible to relieve stress with essential oils and aromatherapy? People have different ways of trying to deal with the stress of their daily lives. The stress from life, work, schedules, child-rearing, and a host of other problems can lead to mental and physical exhaustion and even illness.
Some people turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with stress. Some people may develop addictions to pornography or other things to help them relax. But what if I told you there is a completely natural way to reduce stress and help your mind and body heal from dealing with the stresses that come from modern life?
Aromatherapy and Stress
The good news is, just as the name implies, aromatherapy is a therapy that uses aroma for healing and a sense of well-being. Aromatherapy offers you many ways to deal with the stresses you may be experiencing.
Have you ever noticed how the effects of aromas on your mind and emotions can make you feel better about yourself and your situation? Aromas can improve your mood, reduce stress, give you more energy, help you relax, and even help you fall asleep more easily.
Imagine yourself walking along a country road and you smell the trees, the fragrant bushes, and the flowers in bloom. You breathe in deeply to really enjoy and savor the aroma of the country and suddenly you feel your anxiety melt away. The truth is that scents can transport you, and take you away from your daily stresses.
Aromatherapy dates back more than 5000 years and is one of the most readily available forms of healing therapy. You already practice the art of aromatherapy and just don’t realize it. Did you ever notice when you walk past a bakery you tend to stop and take a deep breath in and smell the aroma of freshly baked bread, pies, or other goodies? Or when you visit a gift shop and you try to isolate the fabulous smells that confront you when you first walk through the door.
Now, if you’re like most people, you may often take fragrances for granted. That’s because aromas are all around us every day and everywhere we go. Aromas may be commonplace, but you’ll have to agree; they greatly enhance life.
Essential Oils in Aromatherapy That Can Help With Stress Relief
There are a number of essential oils we use in Aromatherapy to reduce and relieve stress. The chemical compounds in these essential oils are diffused into the air of the home or office, and you can breathe in the small molecules of the essential oil. It is the very same process I used as a Respiratory Therapist to deliver drugs to patients. In health care, it is well known that inhalation is the second-fastest route of drug delivery into the body. Only direct injection into the bloodstream is faster. In respiratory therapy, we used a nebulizer. In aromatherapy, we use a diffuser that uses ultrasonic waves to create a fine mist of water and the essential oil. When you breathe in the mist containing the essential oil, the chemical compounds in the oil work directly in the body. Depending on the oil being diffused, the effects of the compounds within the oil create different reactions in the body. Some of these oils are well known for relief of stress and relaxation, as well as affecting the mood of the person using the aromatherapy oils for inhalation from a diffuser.
You can use aromatherapy at home or at the office. Since the office can produce a large amount of stress, many people have begun purchasing diffusers for use at work as well as at home to relieve stress and allow them to relax and function better. Essential oils can not only relieve stress but they can also clear your mind, boost creativity, and boost your productivity. They really are miracle substances straight from nature.
Finding a few minutes to relax and re-energize on a daily basis is a necessity these days. Without taking the time to de-stress you are actually doing harm to your physical and mental health in the long term.
This is where aromatherapy can help. Although there isn’t a wealth of scientific research on the subject, there are some studies that have shown aromatherapy can work for relieving stress.
Best Essential Oils For Stress Relief
Here are a few essential oils I recommend to use if you need to relieve stress and relax. Why not try a natural solution to your stress that won’t have the side effects of chemical relief?
Lavender– Lavender is probably the best-known stress-relieving essential oil. Lavender can be added to a diffuser, added to a bath, or add a few drops to your pillow to breathe in the relaxing vapors and help you fall asleep and have a restful night. Lavender has a fresh floral aroma that not only relaxes and refreshes you, but can also adapt to your mood and provide a pick-me-up if you need it. Lavender is effective at not only relieving stress but at treating insomnia, calming agitation, and improving mental concentration. It has many other uses as well, like its healing properties for burns, etc. If you only could have a few essential oils in your home, this one would be at the top of the list because it is so versatile.
Cedarwood– Cedarwood is effective at calming stress and relieving tension. It has a calming effect on the mind due to its biological effect of stimulating the release of serotonin. Using cedarwood in a diffuser at night can also act as a natural sedative, as the darkness promotes the conversion of serotonin to melatonin, which helps you sleep. Cedarwood has a woodsy scent that reminds you of walking in a forest.
Orange– The aroma of any citrus fruit essential oil has an uplifting effect that can melt away stress. In a Japanese study, it was shown that patients taking antidepressant medications were able to significantly reduce the doses of medication they were prescribed by using Orange essential oil. Our sweet orange essential oil smells amazing and reminds you of a freshly peeled orange.
Sandalwood– Sandalwood has a fresh woody aroma that works directly on the limbic system of the brain. Sandalwood is well known for helping to give you mental clarity and focus. Sandalwood is excellent for balancing emotions, which is very useful when you are stressed. If you need to find peace and harmony try diffusing sandalwood along with meditation.
Ylang Ylang– Like Lavender, Ylang Ylang essential oil is adaptable to the emotions of a person. It can be calming to relieve stress, and it can also pick you up if you are feeling mentally exhausted. This essential oil has also been used to induce feelings of passion, and the flowers are spread on the beds of newlyweds in the Far East to promote a passionate wedding night.
Clary Sage– Clary Sage not only smells wonderful but in studies on mice, it was found to stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the brain chemical responsible for feeling happy and content. Clary Sage is a natural antidepressant and stimulates uplifting feelings, boosting your mood and relieving feelings of anxiety. It also has the added benefit of boosting your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Jasmine– Jasmine essential oil is one of the most prized and hard-to-extract essential oils in the world. It is well known for its heavenly aroma and fragrance. It is also one of the more expensive essential oils on the list. However, it is also better than some of the more popular drugs for calming the nerves and reducing stress. This oil has been used for centuries to alleviate anxiety, treat depression, treat insomnia and cure decreased libido.
Frankincense– Frankincense essential oil has been prized since biblical times. It was one of the gifts brought by the wise men to the baby Jesus. Frankincense essential oil has the ability to pass through the blood-brain barrier and is effective in helping with anxiety and depression. It is also believed to increase intuition and spirituality.
Lemongrass– Using Lemongrass essential oil in aromatherapy is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety, as well as agitation and insomnia. Lemongrass can help you relax, and a recent study showed that in mice it actually stimulated a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation.
Caution
A word of caution is needed here. Whether you buy your essential oils from us or another source, be sure and buy 100% therapeutic-grade oils. Avoid fragrance oils as they do not have the effects of therapeutic-grade oils. They also may contain solvents or other chemicals. You also want to look for the name of the plant species and genus on the label. For instance, Lavender is Lavandula angustifolia. This is a sign of a quality oil.
It’s also important to note that each essential oil may not have the same effect on each person. We are all biologically unique, and just as some drugs work for some and not for others, essential oils can work for some and affect others differently.
Cost of Essential Oils
Finally, I get asked frequently why essential oils cost so much. It’s true that a bottle of essential oil can look expensive at first. But when you look at the fact that it takes many pounds of plant material to make a few ounces of essential oils, the value becomes a little clearer. Also, you can consider that a 10ml bottle of essential oil will last you for a very long time because you are talking about using only a few drops at a time. Typically, you will add 4 or 5 drops to a diffuser. So a bottle of essential oil will last you for months, even if you use your diffuser daily.
My advice is to do your own research and find out what recommendations are out there. Then purchase a diffuser and essential oils, or even try a scented candle and a hot bath. Find what works for you and use it to reduce your stress and help rejuvenate your body and mind. Use aromatherapy for stress relief. Your mind and body will thank you.
Be sure and check out our list of articles for more great information on aromatherapy and essential oils.
FAQs:
Q: What essential oil is good for stress?
A: There are several essential oils that can be helpful for stress, including lavender, bergamot, chamomile, ylang-ylang, and frankincense.
Q: How to use aromatherapy for stress?
A: Aromatherapy can be used for stress in several ways, including diffusing essential oils, adding them to a bath, using them in a massage oil, or inhaling them directly from the bottle.
Q: Which scent is most recommended for stress relief?
A: Lavender is one of the most popular scents for stress relief, as it has a calming and relaxing effect on the mind and body.
Q: Which essential oil is best for stress and anxiety?
A: Some of the best essential oils for stress and anxiety include lavender, bergamot, clary sage, ylang-ylang, and frankincense.
Q: Does aromatherapy actually work for anxiety?
A: Aromatherapy can be a helpful tool for managing anxiety, as certain essential oils have been shown to have a calming effect on the mind and body.
Q: What essential oils are best for anxiety and depression?
A: Some of the best essential oils for anxiety and depression include lavender, bergamot, frankincense, ylang-ylang, and chamomile.
Q: What essential oil is best for anxiety?
A: Lavender is one of the most commonly used essential oils for anxiety, as it has a calming effect on the mind and body.
Q: What essential oils are used for depression?
A: Some of the best essential oils for depression include bergamot, frankincense, lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang.
Q: What essential oils are good for mental health?
A: Several essential oils are good for mental health, including lavender, frankincense, bergamot, ylang-ylang, chamomile, and clary sage.