Let’s face it–life can be stressful. But you can use essential oils to promote relaxation.
Whether you’ve just had a hard day or negotiate tense situations on a daily basis, it’s important to have a toolbox of self-care solutions that can ease your mind, and you can absolutely use essential oils to promote relaxation.
When we turn to natural solutions for relaxation, like essential oils, we reap the benefits of powerful worry and tension -busters without the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs, or the adverse health effects of alcohol. Essential oils for relaxation have the power to help calm even the most worried head and ease an overworked mind and body.
Want to start today? The simplest way to add some intentional relaxation to your essential oils self-care routine is our Chakra line!
How Essential Oils Work to Promote a Relaxed State of Mind
Essential oils are made up of aromatic molecules that can pass through the blood/brain barrier. This ability to reach the brain directly allows them to have a positive effect on the parts of our brain that control feelings of worry
In fact, a study by a German University found that essential oils could have many direct biological effects on things like blood pressure, the breath, immune function, heart rate and stress levels.
Essential oils can be both stimulating and calming, with some oils affecting people differently depending on what they need at the moment. This means that a stressed person might feel calm after using a particular essential oil that has an uplifting effect on an individual who feels tired . In fact, some essential oils are called “adaptogens” because of their capacity to adapt to the needs of the user. Amazing!
Calming essential oils have the unique ability to adapt to multiple levels of worry and discomfort for people who fight occasional nervous tension, which makes them such an impressive method for promoting relaxation.
Cedarwood Essential Oil
The rich woody aroma of Cedarwood Essential Oil has the ability to quickly calm the mind while relieving tension and worry.
Inhale Cedarwood Essential Oil directly from an essential oil inhaler for instant relaxation.
Try adding a few drops to a diffuser in your bedroom to promote a good night’s sleep.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils used for relaxation and a very powerful adaptogen. Its fresh aroma can help lift your spirits or relax your mind and melt away your worries.
This soothing and calming essential oil works wonderfully for promoting sleep, reducing feelings of worry, and helping to improve your mood and ability to concentrate.
To utilize its calming benefits, apply a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil to a personal aromatherapy inhaler and inhale deeply. You can do this any time you need an instant feeling of relaxation.
Lime Essential Oil
Lime Essential Oil has a wonderfully fresh, tart aroma that can help you feel refreshed and can uplift your mood. When you feel stressed, this invigorating fragrance can help fight fatigue and motivate you to embrace the positive aspects of life.
This bright citrus oil has relaxing and centering properties that can help relieve irritation and worry. Using lime essential oil in a diffuser is the best way to clear the air and lift stress.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus Essential Oil has the cooling power to refresh the mind instantly with its strong menthol aroma. It can help boost energy and fight mental fatigue while stimulating the body and the brain.
If you are feeling under the weather, Eucalyptus Essential Oil can help promote feelings of clear breathing and open airways, lessen feelings of soreness and help with overall rejuvenation
Pour a few drops into a personal diffuser or rub some oil diluted to 1% into the hands and inhale. Breathing in eucalyptus vapor can help give your body a boost in circulation, and can immediately improve worried feelings and mental fatigue.
Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot is a unique citrusy essential oil that has been popular with Italians for many years to rejuvenate the skin and calm worry . Bergamot is a bitter fruit that produces a sweet oil that uplifts and delivers a relaxing, calming environment when used in a diffuser. It has the power to help turn around a bad day by promoting feelings of happiness and ease.
Although citrus oils are known for their stimulating and invigorating properties, Bergamot Essential Oil has a unique ability to ease tension during high-stress situations. Diffuse Bergamot oil at home to ease a stressful environment into an uplifting and calming place to focus.
Orange Essential Oil
It’s hard not to feel happy when you smell the citrusy sweet fragrance of fresh orange. Not only does Orange Essential Oil smell delicious and uplifting, but studies show that inhaling the aroma of orange essential oil may lead to reduced feelings of worry.
One study in Japan found that subjects who inhaled Orange Essential Oil had lower blood pressure and greater “feeling of comfort” than subjects who inhaled fresh air.
Using Orange Essential Oil in a diffuser can help brighten the mood of the whole room. Boost the energy and concentration of everyone in the office by diffusing orange oil and watch how fast a stressful workday can turn around.
Rose Essential Oil
Rose not only smells lovely, but studies have found the inhalation of rose essential oil can inhibit the production of stress hormones. If you are feeling down on yourself or worried about the future, this potent oil can help boost your self-esteem and bring a sense of tranquility and peace to your mind. Its ability to encourage feelings of hope and joy can instantly put a smile on your face in any situation.
Diluted Rose Essential Oil is an excellent quick pick-me-up when dabbed onto the wrists or the neck. I would try a 0.5-1% dilution. You can also inhale it directly from the bottle or utilize an essential oil inhaler when you are running errands and need some peace of mind.
Chamomile Roman Essential Oil
Chamomile has long been a favorite flower for its calming effect on the digestive and nervous systems. It’s used to soothe a variety of digestive issues and skin concerns and is a popular choice to improve mood and sleep.
Chamomile Essential Oil is very effective at helping relieve stressful situations when it is diffused or directly inhaled. Because of its many soothing benefits when used topically, it’s often incorporated into salves, body oils and lotions.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
This essential oil made from the Ylang Ylang flower has been used for centuries in religious ceremonies, celebratory events and for aromatherapy. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil has considerable calming and uplifting effects when inhaled, and its rich tropical scent can quickly bring on a positive mood to people dealing with anger-related worry.
When you feel down or troubled, put a few drops of diluted Ylang Ylang Essential Oil on the back of your neck for a rejuvenating and calming effect. This oil also makes a wonderful addition to a soothing bath: invigorate your senses and relax away worry by adding 2 drops to a tablespoon of bubble bath.
Grapefruit Essential Oil
The ultra-fresh citrus aroma of Grapefruit Pink Essential Oil has the power to help enhance your mood and brighten your day. It’s refreshing and clears the mind when inhaled, alleviating feelings of fatigue and mental worry from tough situations. A quick whiff of this potent essential oil can help you become mentally ready for anything while promoting feelings of relaxation and confidence.
You can also add it to your shower in the morning to help start the day off on the right track.
Sandalwood Indian Essential Oil
Sandalwood is a favorite among people who utilize essential oils for rituals and meditation, and its dry, woody aroma has been used to help with mood enhancement for centuries. This essential oil from the Indian sandalwood tree works wonderfully to enhance the sense of being grounded and awakens the mind. Its sweet, rich aroma promotes well-being and helps with focus, mental clarity and maintaining emotional stability amid the demands of daily life.
Use Sandalwood Essential Oil anytime during the day by rubbing the oil, diluted to 0.5-1%, into your palms or putting a few drops onto a cloth or handkerchief and inhaling the aroma. It’s also a great oil to use for prayer time or during meditation.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is known as the king of essential oils for good reason–it has the power to rejuvenate skin, the body and the mind. Ancient civilizations used it for their most sacred practices, and it was even given as a birthday gift to Christ. Frankincense Essential Oil has an aroma that promotes feelings of peace, satisfaction, overall wellness and relaxation.
Because this oil is quite potent, it is best used in a diffuser to help relieve and promote relaxation. When used properly it’s also an excellent addition to a bath or a shower.
Jasmine Essential Oil
Nothing smells quite as beautiful as a freshly bloomed jasmine flower, and it’s been used for ages to improve sleep and lift moods. Jasmine Essential Oil has been touted to be effective in helping deal with worry and sad feelings. It is also said to stimulate the mind and promote feelings of optimism.
To reduce troubled feelings, rub a few drops of a 1-2% dilution onto the wrists or enjoy a self-massage on the neck and shoulders. Dilute a few drops in liquid soap and add to a hot bath to brighten your mood and melt away the worries of the day.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil has been used as a remedy for physical and mental disturbances since the times of the ancient Greeks. It can be a powerful tool to help reduce feelings of sadness or displeasure. Peppermint has a spicy and minty aroma that promotes mental clarity and alleviates fatigue after a stressful situation.
Use it to help calm your frayed nerves by adding it to your diffuser. It not only eases stress but can help fight blue feelings and help you get into the right mental space to face life’s challenges.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea Tree is one of the most versatile calming essential oils. It can help to improve symptoms of skin conditions like acne and dandruff and is great mixed with other oils to create relaxing essential oil blends. Its woody, mentholated fragrance is a powerful mood enhancer and when inhaled can instantly calm the mind and promote a positive outlook.
Tea Tree Essential Oil is lovely added to a bath or a shower after an intense day. It also works well as a room freshening spray when added to water in a spray bottle and can be mixed with some of your other favorite essential oils for relaxation.
Promoting Relaxation is Complex
Everyone is different, and no two people will have the same results from the same essential oil. Many blends have the potential to calm the nerves and promote relaxation, so do some experimenting and find what oils and DIY blends work the best for you.
Essential oils are concentrated and potent compounds that have the ability to help you relax and beat the effects of worry and sadness. Because they are so powerful, it’s important to remember to use them cautiously. Some people may be allergic to a specific type of essential oil, so it’s a good idea to test a patch of skin with a tiny bit of diluted oil before applying liberally.
Always buy essential oils that are 100% pure to make sure you are receiving products that are free from dangerous toxins or chemicals.
With so many calming essential oils to choose from, you’ll have no problem finding what works for you and soon be on your way to a lifestyle centered around peace and relaxation.
