More research is needed to show if they help with health issues, but scientists agree that their soothing scent can lift your mood. Here are some of the best stress relievers.
When you inhale the scent molecules in essential oils, they travel to the brain and have the biggest effect on the amygdala, the emotional centre of the brain. Your smell system affects the part of your brain that regulates emotion. That’s how smells can trigger memories and feelings and how aromatherapy can reduce stress and anxiety.
Essential oils can be absorbed by the skin, but they are potent and you should test them on a small spot first. If you get a rash or hives, it could be an allergic reaction. It’s better to mix the essential with a carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba.
There are different ways to inhale essential oils. The old way is a sniff from the open bottle. A diffuser is an oil in water over a candle flame. Do this in a well-ventilated room. For dry evaporation, put a few drops on cotton wool and smell it. The final option is steam inhalation: put a few drops in hot water, place a towel over your head and breathe in the steam.
Here are 10 of the best rated oils for helping with stress and anxiety.
1. LAVENDER
It can calm anxiety and may help you sleep better. In a 2013 study, people spraying a little lavender oil on their clothes felt less stressed at work.
Mix a few drops with a teaspoon of carrier oil or an unscented bath gel. Stir into warm bathwater just before you get in. You can also enjoy the scent by drinking lavender-infused herbal tea.
Lavender oil can be part of skincare for conditions such as eczema, acne and burns. It may also help ease muscle pain and headaches.
2. CHAMOMILE
A 2017 study found that just over half of the test subjects had less severe anxiety symptoms when using a chamomile extract.
Let chamomile calm you before bedtime in a diffuser before bedtime. Massage diluted chamomile oil into your skin or add it to a warm bath. It’s a strong oil, so use very little.
Chamomile can also help with indigestion, wounds or ulcers and pain or inflammation.
3. ORANGE
A 2012 study found that participants who inhaled orange essential oil didn’t become more tense in an anxiety-inducing situation. The scent can also heighten the senses and increase alertness.
4. SANDALWOOD
One of the world’s most expensive essential oils, sandalwood can reduce anxiety, as was shown in a small 2006 study. It’s used in aromatherapy for a sense of peace and clarity. The oil can be diffused, put on the skin or inhaled.
5. GERANIUM
This has sedative properties, so it may help to reduce stress. In a small 2017 study, it was found that women inhaling the oil during the first stage of labour had less stress during the rest of the birth. Another study showed that the oil lowered the anxiety of people in hospital after a heart attack.
Apply a few drops of geranium oil to a cotton ball and waft under your nose. Used on the skin against inflammation or eczema. Geranium oil can also relieve nerve pain and conditions linked to diabetes.
6. BERGAMOT
Earl Grey tea gets its fragrance from this oil from the peel of citrus fruit, the Citrus bergamia. Some studies show that the oil may help you relax.
Place a few drops on a cotton ball and inhale two to three times for anxiety. Bergamot can also ease pain and inflammation or lower cholesterol. Just know that it makes the skin more sensitive to the sun and can cause dermatitis in some people.
7. NEROLI
Neroli is extracted from the flowers of bitter orange trees. Not much research on this one, but it’s used as a sedative in some parts of the world. The oil may help the brain release serotonin and reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. One study found that it eased symptoms in menopausal women and another that it lowered PMS symptoms.
You can rub it on your skin, use it in a diffuser or in a warm bath. Soak a cotton ball in the oil and place it under your pillow for a calm night.
8. ROSE
In one study, rose oil decreased breathing rate and made participants feel more relaxed after applying it to their skin. Pregnant women in another test said the oil reduced their anxiety during delivery.
Soak your feet in a basin filled with warm water and diluted rose essential oil. Add rose oil to your scent-free moisturiser and massage it into the skin.
9. JASMINE
Jasmine is calming, as a 2013 study showed. Participants said their mood improved a lot and negative emotions were much fewer. Other researchers suggested that jasmine oil could be useful for relieving depression and improving mood.
Inhale jasmine oil from the bottle or from a few drops on a tissue which you can also put on your pillow when you sleep.
10. YLANG YLANG
This can help lower blood pressure and make you feel relaxed. It won’t work for a test, for instance, because it also impairs memory and makes you think slower.
Apply diluted ylang ylang to your skin, add it to a room diffuser, or inhale directly.
WHAT TO BUY
Integrative medicine specialist Yufang Lin from the Cleveland Clinic in the US says this is what to look for when you shop essential oils:
100% pure: Choose oils that don’t have added ingredients or synthetic oils. And say no to “fragrance oils.”
Sold in dark glass bottles: They protect the oil’s quality since light and plastic can damage them.
Choose manufacturers who:
- Use the plant’s botanical name. For example, peppermint oil would also list Mentha piperita on the label.
- Specify the part of the plant used to make it (for example, the leaf).
- Extract oils through distillation or mechanical cold pressing.
- Sell organically grown oils.
Sources: https://www.healthline.com, https://www.verywellmind.com, https://health.clevelandclinic.org, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org
10 OF THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS TO FIGHT STRESS
Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar
on
October 21, 2021
Rating:
Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar
on
October 21, 2021
Rating:
