Essential Oils For Stress Relief

Essential Oils For Stress Relief

If you're a living, breathing human being, it's likely that you've experienced stress at some point in your life. Stress is one of those pesky things that can sneak up on you - and while a little stress is manageable, a lot of stress can be overwhelming and detrimental to your health.
As well as self-care, positive mental health techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, conscious breathing and regular exercise, essential oils can help you overcome both the physical manifestations of stress (such as muscle tension, sleep issues, headaches, digestive issues, etc) and the emotional manifestations of stress (anxiety, emotional imbalance, irritability, sadness, overwhelm, trouble focusing, etc).
As always, we'd like to note that essential oils are a wonderful complementary & holistic tool - and shouldn't be used in place of seeking help from a medical professional if you in need of hands on support. If you aren't coping, please reach out for help! You don't have to battle through it alone.
 

How to use essential oils for stress

There are plenty of easy ways to access the benefits of your essential oils when you're feeling stressed, frazzled, worried or overwhelmed!

  • Create a spray using essential oils & spray onto bedding, furniture or clothing
  • Diffuse using an oil burner or diffuser
  • Dilute with a carrier oil and apply to pulse points (wrists, behind ears, etc)
  • Add a few drops to a piece of cloth, fabric or a cotton ball and practice deep, mindful breathing
  • Dilute with a carrier oil and use with aromatherapy jewellery
  • Inhale directly from the bottle as needed

 

The best essential oils for stress relief

Here are our favourite oils to reach for during times of stress!

Lavender

I know we tend to recommend lavender a lot, but it really is a powerhouse in the essential oil world. It's safe for all ages, is deeply calming, and can help anxious or nervous emotions.  But perhaps most importantly, lavender is the best essential oil for helping with deep, restful sleep; sleep is often one of the first things to suffer when you're stressed, and then in turn, lack of sleep leads to higher levels of stress. It's a vicious cycle! Spraying a diluted mist of lavender on your pillow each night, or diluting with a carrier oil and applying to your pulse points can work wonders for your stress levels.

Pink Grapefruit

A bright, uplifting oil, pink grapefruit is known for its ability to help you connect with your feelings - perfect to help you dive deep into why you're feeling stressed and what other underlying emotions may be at play. It can help ease feelings of sadness and anxiety, helping bring relaxation and calm. Pink grapefruit is a wonderful oil to use in a diffuser or room spray to help ease stress and tension.

Geranium

The ultimate balancer, geranium is calming & soothing. This floral oil is known to help calm frazzled nerves and gently lift feelings of sadness and emotional fatigue.  It's light, yet grounding, and particularly comes into its own in helping hormonal imbalance.  Diffuse or add to an aromatherapy bracelet or pendant.

Clary Sage

Grounding yet mood boosting, clary sage is potent and powerful.  This comforting, calming oil is known for its stress-busting effects, and it has even been suggested by researchers that it could be developed into an effective treatment for depression.  Make a balm with beeswax and a carrier oil, or inhale from the bottle when needed.

Frankincense

Multipurpose frankincense is not only known to help alleviate stress and bring a calming effect, it can also help boost your immune system; which can take a severe hit from prolonged or chronic stress. This mindful oil can also help you stay centred, balanced and steady.  Add a few drops to a carrier oil for a wonderful bath or body oil, or sprinkle into your diffuser.

Cedarwood

Often called "nature's sedative", cedarwood is an extremely calming and steadying oil.  It's used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety, relax tense muscles, and can help lift your mood. Cedarwood is also helpful for sleep, supporting you to rest and regenerate. Inhale from the bottle before bedtime, or make a sleep balm with lavender.

Peppermint

When we are stressed, we tend to either carry it in our back, neck and shoulders, or experience digestive upset - and thankfully, peppermint essential oil can help with both. A multitasker, this oil can help relieve tension and headaches, as well as soothe and settle nausea. Peppermint is also great for improving focus, helpful when you're overwhelmed as it can support you to settle down and start ticking tasks off one-by-one.  Add a few drops to a cloth and take some deep breaths, or inhale straight from the bottle.

Ylang Ylang

A well-known oil for relaxation, ylang ylang can also help decrease irritability, boost mood, and bring feelings of calm. In fact, a 2012 study showed that participants who inhaled an essential oil blend of lavender, ylang ylang, marjoram and neroli showed a significant decrease in cortisol (stress hormone) levels compared to a control group, over a 24 hour period.  Add to your diffuser or dilute with a carrier oil and roll on your pulse points.

 

Bonus - Diffuser blends for stress

Try these delicious blends in your diffuser and feel the stress lift!

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.