How Essential Oils May Relieve Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

By Lori Lines

Looking for an effective way to relieve any stress, depression or anxiety? Then hear this! Certain essential oils have proven to be successful in relieving the aforementioned and all you have to do is either inhale the oil’s scent or massage it into the skin with a blend of them. It has been proven that after prolonged use of these essential oils, you will experience reduced anxiety and improved mood and this is usually over a six month period appropriate application.

A study that was conducted by scientists state that as soon as you apply your selected essential oil, its healing compounds are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream in not more than five minutes thus relieving you of your stress or anxiety. They reason they absorb so quickly is because essential oils are known to contain a highly active concentration of plant essences.

When you choose to inhale instead of applying to the skin, the cells present in your nose receive the essential oils molecules and afterwards, signals are sent to a part of the brain called the limbic system. This part of the brain is known to rule your emotions and this confirms why smelling certain essential oils triggers feelings of joy, peace, excitement or contentment. Apart from your emotions being triggered, be informed that your limbic system is connected directly to other parts of your brain that are known to control the following

• Breathing 
• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Stress levels
• Memory
• Hormone balance, among many others

Since not all essential oils can effectively help in easing anxiety or depression, take a look at those that do. They include:

Bergamot
This essential oil is a powerful mood booster that is known to effectively alter depression. Its scientific name is Citrus aurantium (L) var bergamia and since the citrus family is known for its uplifting effects, bergamot has been acknowledged to be particularly powerful. When infused with lavender and frankincense together with sweet almond oil and massaged on your hands one day for an entire week, depression levels are known to significantly reduce and little to no pain is felt.

Where anxiety is concerned, a study was made where individuals exposed to highly stressful situations inhaled bergamot as their method of administration and it was found that a ten minute long  weekly inhalation reduced autonomic nervous activity to a balanced state. In addition to that, significant reduction of heart rate and blood pressure was also recorded.

Clary sage
In the event that you would want to experience feelings of calmness, clarity and contentment, this should be the essential oil of your choosing. It is an essential oil known for clearing those dark clouds that are, at times, present in your mood and in addition to that, it’s euphoric and uplifting. You can choose to add it to your bath for a more blissful and relaxing soak or you can diffuse it before bed.

Lavender
This purple flower helps in promoting a healthy and peaceful mood, which is why it is regarded as the purple flower of peace. It smells divine and is also known for its other practical uses such as sleep control and pest control. Studies show that patients with mild to moderate depression showed improvement after they received about sixty drops of lavender tincture every day. This proved that lavender oil can be used as an effective substitute where other potentially and common addictive psychoactive drugs used for anxiety are concerned.  

Depression, stress and anxiety are serious mood disorders so please do not face this struggle alone by trying any of the above mentioned essential oils for at least six weeks in addition to consulting a qualified professional. You will be glad that you did!

All Essential Oils listed above can be purchased here.
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*Always consult a qualified medical professional before using any natural product and seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.  The information contained in this article as well as all Essential Oils articles in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only, and it is not meant to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment in any manner.  Never delay or disregard professional medical advice,  Us the information solely at your own risk; the author accepts no responsibility for the use thereof.  The information and materials are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness or injury.

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