7 Essential Oils that Actually Helped with My Anxiety
7 Essential Oils that Actually Helped with My Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal human response to stressful events and situations; but, in many people, anxiety can become overwhelming and even debilitating (I’ve been there myself).
Fortunately, there are some excellent natural, drug-free remedies that have been shown to help with symptoms of anxiety. And the MOST natural among them are Essential Oils. Research and Real-World Experience has shown that the best essential oils for anxiety are:
- Bergamot Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Chamomile Essential Oil
- Rose Essential Oil
- Orange Essential Oil
- Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
- Clary Sage Essential Oil
Anxiety is a Normal Response…Until it’s Not
Did you know that Anxiety is a perfectly normal response stressful situations? In fact, it is anxiety that moves us into Fight or Flight Mode when we encounter a dangerous or otherwise highly stressful event.
Unfortunately, in many people, anxiety can interfere with normal functioning when it affects you even when there are no stressors present. At this point, one’s anxiety can be considered problematic. I’ve experienced social and generalized anxiety, and I found a great deal of relief through essential oils.
My Personal Experience with Anxiety
As I’ve stated many times, I’m not a doctor. It is just my real-world experiences that led me to research and find what works for me regarding my own health. And I can tell you first-hand that anxiety can be debilitating and can also affect physical health.
Regretfully, I allowed myself to be “drugged” for my anxiety for quite a while. Not surprisingly, I experienced almost no relief from my anxiety, while having to deal with several unwanted side-effects. So, I strongly feel that all-natural solutions were the way to go…at least for me.
So, if Not Medication, then What?
It was the synergistic combination of a clean diet, exercising smartly, and essential oils that helped me—and continues to do so to this day! I don’t want this site to dive too much into diet and exercise, but I will make just a quick point:
For me (everyone’s results will vary), the answer to my anxiety, as well as other health issues that I was dealing with, turned out to be:
- Eating Low Carb, Moderate Protein, High Fat (sometimes in ketotosis, but not constantly)
- Exercising Just 2 Days out of every 10 Days (one day is resistance training, the other is extra-low intensity cardio/movement)
- Implementing a Strategic Regimen of Essential Oil Use (Diffused, Topical and Occasionally ingested <don’t ingest essential oils unless directed by your healthcare professional>)
For me, this has been amazing for my physical and mental health.
I’ve experienced social and generalized anxiety, and I found a great deal of relief through essential oils.
So, What are the Best Essential Oils for Anxiety?
Bergamot Essential Oil
If you’re feeling anxious or have a case of the “blues,” or even simply having an “off” day at work, home or school… bergamot essential oil can help lift your spirits. Extracted from the peel or rind of the bergamot citrus fruit, bergamot essential oil has been used for centuries to promote emotional wellness.
Bergamot’s calming, soothing aroma helps lift one’s spirits when you’re feeling blue or suffering from stress and anxiety. Research studies have proven bergamot essential oil effective in reducing pain and alleviating stress buildup from work, home or school obligations.
Bergamot essential oil is frequently used in massage therapy to rejuvenate the skin. When inhaled, the soothing aroma helps calm nerves and can even help to relieve stress-related anxiety.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender is one of the most popular and useful essential oils. And it was the first oil I used to relieve my anxiety. Lavender has been used since ancient times for many purposes. It can be used for a number of purposes ranging from cleansing cuts to promoting sleep to relieving stress and tension.
Lavender’s anxiety-reducing effects have been known for millennia. Ancient Romans and Turkish people used it in their baths as the soothing camphor-esque aroma mixed with its floral notes produces a very calming effect.
Studies have shown that using lavender essential oil prior to expected stress-inducing events, such as giving a presentation, going to the dentist or going for a surgery, can help reduce stress and anxiety. If you feel worried or troubled, lavender essential oils can help put you at ease.
Lavender’s Bonus Points: In addition to soothing nerves, lavender oil can be used to help reduce itching and swelling from insect bites, alleviate pain from minor burns and put a stop to motion sickness.
Chamomile Essential Oil
You are probably familiar with Chamomile as a tea. Steeping its leaves in just-off-boiling water for just 4-7 minutes provides a sipping tea that is great at relaxing nerves. But to get the most benefit from chamomile, its essential oil can’t be beat.
If your anxiety comes with a little irritability, a racing mind or maybe an aggressive-feeling form of worry, then chamomile essential oil might be just what you need. The essential oil of chamomile soothes the body—inside and out—so it can be used to relieve mild rashes and skin irritations, fight seasonal allergies, lessen gastrointestinal distress, ease PMS and other menstrual issue, and the list goes on!
Add in chamomile’s antioxidant properties and you’ve got a powerhouse of an essential oil!
Rose Essential Oil
Like many others, rose essential oil has been used for millennia as a natural treatment for many health issues. And, for just as long, rose oil has been a staple of many all-natural beauty treatments.
Regarding anxiety and related concerns, rose essential oil has been proven to help induce feelings of calmness and relaxation. In fact, rose essential oil is so good at its job that it’s also used by many to get better sleep!
For those times when worry and stress are keeping you up at night, give rose oil a try.
Orange Essential Oil
Just a few drops of orange oil will make you feel like you’ve been transported to robust orange grove. Orange essential oil has been known to help to uplift mood and reduce feeling of stress with its fun, sweet, citrus smell.
Orange oil is perfect for those days when you feel the weight and worries of the world weighing down on you. Many aromatherapists refer to orange essential oil as “happiness in a bottle!”
While many oils on this list are wonderful when combined into a custom blend, orange essential oil is definitely one that can work wonders all on its own!
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang Ylang is an adaptogen, whose physiological purpose is to maintain balance. So, if you are feeling super nervous, even hyper, about something, ylang ylang will help to calm your nerves. Conversely, if you are feeling down and depressed, it will work to lift up your mood.
If your anxiety commonly includes an element of fear, ylang ylang essential oil might be perfect for you. Ylang ylang has been shown to bring out cheerful feelings of happiness. It is also known to increase one’s courage and feelings of optimism—two things that are often lacking when we have overwhelming anxiety.
If you’re looking for an essential oil that will work wonders for your mood, as well as improve your skin and hair, ylang ylang is where it’s at!
Clary Sage Essential Oil
Clary Sage Clary sage oil comes from the flowery perennial plant and is used as both an herb and oil. It’s best known for its ability to clear your mind of confusing or depressing thoughts so you can have a more positive outlook on life now and for the future.
Clary sage essential oil has been shown to help balance hormones. Many women have even discovered the soothing effects of clary sage in alleviating discomfort from their monthly cycle.
Clary sage is one of the best oils to add to almost any blend to help with stress and anxiety. If you’re feeling moody, tense or pressured, a blend of clary sage oil and chamomile in your bath water is a great way to help you relax, and even help you get a good night’s sleep.
For those open to meditation to help bring calm and balance into their lives, try placing a few drops of clary sage oil on your brow and temples while meditating. You might find this practice to help dispel doubt and confusion, while increasing clarity to your thoughts and even an uplifted disposition.
How to Get the Most out of these Essential Oils to Help with Worry and Anxiety
I suggest experimenting with making your own blends of the oils we’ve discussed today. I recommend diffusing them, to start. Then, when you have found combinations that are helpful for your anxiousness, as well as pleasing to your senses, try some topical applications.
It is best to rotate the different blends that you come up with so that your body doesn’t adapt, thus decreasing the effectiveness.
Finally, never ingest any essential oil unless you are sure that the oil is pure, organic and meant for internal use…and even then, I recommend consulting a professional healthcare practitioner before swallowing any essential oil.
In closing, I hope that, as they have for me, these essential oils help you with occasional feelings of stress and anxiety.
