Anxiety can be an uncomfortable part of life, making it hard to relax or get to sleep at night. Try using these natural essential oils for anxiety as a means of soothing yourself down and helping to promote better sleeping patterns at night.
Essential oils stimulate olfactory nerves to send calming signals throughout the body and can relieve stress, muscle & joint pain as well as boost moods.
1. Chamomile
Chamomile essential oil is well known for its soothing scent, making it the perfect remedy to help relax the nerves. By increasing serotonin levels and relieving anxiety symptoms, chamomile can promote sleep by relieving insomnia symptoms as well as reduce inflammation and alleviate nausea symptoms. Chamomile should either be added directly into a carrier oil mixture for inhalation or used with a diffuser before bed (1 hour limit).
Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata), a beloved herb with an irresistibly sweet fragrance that helps ease nerves and stress levels, boost self-esteem, enhance mood and reduce cortisol production by up to 21%. A 2019 study demonstrated how inhaling ylang-ylang reduced anxiety levels while increasing comfort among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Aromatherapy provides a safe and natural approach to relieving anxiety; however, for more serious symptoms it’s wise to consult a mental health professional. Aromatherapy may also serve as an adjunct therapy or mindfulness practice practice; therefore consult with your doctor regarding adding essential oils into your wellness plan – they may recommend certain combinations that achieve more potency while minimising side effects.
2. Peppermint
No matter if it is anxiety disorder or simply stress-induced, finding ways to ease symptoms is paramount to keeping stress at bay. Essential oils offer an organic and convenient option to add holistic treatment plans.
Peppermint oil is widely recognized for its natural anxiolytic properties, helping to increase free serotonin in the brain and alleviate symptoms associated with stress and anxiety such as butterflies in the stomach, tight chest pains, nausea and churning intestines. Peppermint can also help calm the mind and increase concentration.
Although additional peer-reviewed research on essential oils is needed, they have shown immense promise in helping individuals combat anxiety and related disorders. Unlike prescription for anxiety treatment, essential oils can target both root causes of anxiety as well as its symptoms.
3. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) has an aroma that has long been used to calm nerves. Additionally, its muscle-relaxing properties make it a good option for relieving anxiety associated with stress or physical ailments.
Rose oil, extracted from rose plants such as Rosa centifolia and Rosa damascena, is another natural anxiety relief essential oil that’s becoming increasingly popular. A 2015 systematic review showed that maze studies on mice demonstrate its anxiolytic and relaxing effects.
Orange oil, made from orange peels, contains antioxidants that have been found to aid depression and anxiety symptoms. A 2012 study demonstrated this by showing patients undergoing hemodialysis were less anxious when exposed to orange oil scent versus those who hadn’t.
Aromatherapy with essential oils may provide an effective and natural way to ease mild to moderate anxiety, but should not replace therapy, mindfulness meditation or any other calming techniques used by healthcare providers and you. If your anxiety is severe, make an appointment to speak to them about its impact and develop a treatment plan together that meets your individual needs.
4. Geranium
Geranium essential oil boasts a floral scent with both herbal and sweet notes, similar to lavender’s aroma. Due to its soothing and balancing qualities, geranium essential oil has become popular as an ingredient for use in diffuser blends, perfumes/colognes/soaps.
This natural anxiety relief oil helps alleviate stress, depression and anxiety by balancing hormone levels. It boosts serotonin while simultaneously decreasing cortisol, two substances known to be lower among people suffering from anxiety disorders. Furthermore, this product boosts immunity while combating inflammation – two key contributing factors of anxiety symptoms.
One study demonstrated that inhaling geranium oil reduced state anxiety during labor. Other research demonstrated its ability to ease acute procedural anxiety such as needle fear or dental procedures.
When using geranium essential oil as an organic anxiety relief oil, make sure it’s mixed with a carrier oil first before applying it directly onto your skin or inhaling directly. Also be wary of essential oils which contain styptic properties as these may irritate the skin; always conduct a patch test prior to testing new oils on yourself.
