Essential oils (EOs) are natural plant extracts that are usually oily liquids at room temperature. When you inhale them, they can impact brain health and functions associated with mood and neurodegeneration as they can easily reach the brain.
Essential oils have earned attention for their potential in managing stress and anxiety, providing a natural alternative to traditional pharmaceutical treatments. The aromatic compounds in essential oils work together with the olfactory system, triggering responses in the brain that can influence mood and emotions. Studies have found that several essential oils, such as chamomile, lavender, and bergamot, hold anxiolytic and antidepressant properties, helping to ease symptoms associated with these mental health disorders.
This article will provide all the facts about the top essential oils effective in treating anxiety and depression, and their advantages.
How common is stress and anxiety?
Stress and anxiety have become a part of our routine lives. As the National Institute of Mental Health mentioned, approximately 31% of adults in the US will have anxiety problems at some stage of their lives.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) approximately, 265 million people are affected by anxiety disorders.
How to manage or treat anxiety?
There are several ways to treat or manage anxiety such as
- Meditation
- Breathing
- Therapy
- Exercises
- Aromatherapy
What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the ancient way of treating your mind or body with essential oils. When you inhale or apply on the skin, these oils send signals to your brain and knock the amygdala to impact your brain.
Inhaling essential oils is the most popular way of aromatherapy. It’s fast, easy, and safe. You can inhale these popular oils through
- Vapor balms
- Small nasal inhalers
- Using a lamp diffusion method
- Room sprays
- Directly inhaling the frag
the fragrance from a cotton ball or tissue with a few drops of oil2
According to a study, aromatherapy was found effective for ICU patients treating anxiety and depression disorders.
Advantages of aromatherapy with inhalation:
Aromatherapy with inhalation is effective for
- Improve sleep (lavender oil)
- Skincare (tea tree oil and lavender)
- Enhance your mood (orange and lemon oil)
- Help in pain management (eucalyptus)
- Respiratory relief (eucalyptus and peppermint)
- Support the immune system (tea tree oil and eucalyptus)
- Support digestive (ginger and peppermint)
- Enhance focus and promote mental clarity (rosemary and peppermint)
Aromatherapy essential oils blends:
Aromatherapy essential oil blends combine a variety of oils to create synergistic effects, offering adapted solutions for mood enhancement, relaxation, stress relief, and overall health.
Here are some essential oil blends used for stress and anxiety treatment
Lavender blends for anxiety and stress:
Lavender oil is one of the most trendy and versatile essential oils used in aromatherapy. It is believed to be beneficial due to its calming properties.
According to a study, lavender oil is effective through inhalation with a dose of 2 drops within 30 minutes. This treatment effectively decreased anxiety as well as improved sleep quality in adult people.
Further, this study suggested a mixture of lavender and bergamot oil is more helpful than lavender oil alone in reducing anxiety and stress.
Relaxing anti-anxiety aromatherapy recipes for diffusers:
Here are some relaxing aromatherapy recipes you can use with diffuser and get unlimited mental and physical health benefits.
1. Anti-anxiety recipe:
This is the first recipe we are sharing for those who are trying to escape from their worries and anxiety issues.
This is the combination of clary sage, patchouli, geranium, and ylang ylang.
- 1 drop of patchouli essential oil
- 2 drops of geranium essential oil
- 1 drop of ylang ylang
- 2 drops of clary sage essential oil
2. Soothing anti-anxiety recipe:
This relaxing recipe consists of
- 3 drops of geranium essential oil
- 3 drops of lavender oil
- 2 drops of lemon essential oil
3. Tranquil anti-anxiety recipe:
It consists of
- 2 drops of clary sage essential oil
- 1 drop of lavender essential oil
- 2 drops of bergamot
4. Anti-anxiety recipe for mind sharpness:
This wonderful anti-anxiety recipe contains soothing sandalwood. When combined with grapefruit, lime, and bergamot essential oils, it sharpens the mind and relaxes the body. Here is the recipe
- 2 drops of bergamot essential oil
- 2 drops of sandalwood oil
- 2 drops of lime essential oil
- 2 drops of grapefruit essential oil
How to make aromatherapy blends for massage oils or roll-ons:
It is essential to dilute approximately 20 ml of essential oil in carrier oil, as essential oils can be harsh. Additionally, do not apply to broken skin or rash, and discontinue use immediately if rash or itching occurs.
Materials you needed:
- Essential oils
- Carrier oils (such as almond, grapeseed, and coconut,)
- Roll-on bottles (for making roll-ons)
- Small funnel or pipette
- Glass bottles (dark-colored for storage to protect from light)
- Small funnel or pipette
- Labels (for naming and dating your blends)
Here are some recipes for aromatherapy blends for massage and roll-ons:
Recipe 1:
- 7 drops of ylang ylang essential oil
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 1 drop of neroli essential oil
- 5 drops of sweet marjoram essential oil
Recipe 2:
- 5 drops of bergamot essential oil
- 4 drops of mandarin essential oil
- 4 drops of lavender essential oil
- 3 drops of lemongrass essential oil
Recipe 3 for motivation and romance:
- 3 drops of jasmine essential oil
- 8 drops sandalwood oil
- 2 drops vanilla essential oil
Recipe 4 for a feeling of comfort:
- 5 drops of frankincense essential oil
- 5 drops of petitgrain essential oil
- 1 drop of jasmine essential oil
- 3 drops of marjoram essential oil
- 1 drop of vetiver essential oil
Aromatherapy Blends For a Quick Spritz :
Creating aromatherapy blends for a quick spritz involves mixing essential oils with a hydrosol or water and a solubilizer (such as witch hazel or alcohol) to ensure the oils disperse properly. These spritzes can be used for personal fragrance, room freshening, or therapeutic advantages.
Basic Spritz Formula
- Essential Oils: 10-20 drops total
- Water/Hydrosol: 60 ml (2 ounces)
- Solubilizer: 5-10 ml (1-2 teaspoons) of vodka or witch hazel
Materials Needed
- Essential oils
- Solubilizer (witch hazel or alcohol)
- Distilled water or hydrosol (such as lavender water or rose water)
- Solubilizer (witch alcohol or hazel)
- Spray bottles (if possible dark glass to protect the essential oils from light)
- Small funnel or pipette
- Labels
Here are the specific recipes for aromatherapy blends for a quick spritz.
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1. Anti-anxiety recipe for cure:
- 5 drops of chamomile essential oil
- 5 drops of wintergreen essential oil
- 5 drops of peppermint essential oil
Anti-anxiety recipe for pleasure:
2. Anti-anxiety recipe for pleasure:
- 3 drops of vetiver essential oil
- 12 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of vanilla essential oil
Note:
Aromatherapy is good for feeling balanced, relaxing, reducing stress, improving mood, and well, easing minor discomforts, and boosting the immune, respiratory, and circulatory systems. But it doesn’t cure serious diseases.
