“Keep Calm And Apply Essential Oils For Anxiety.”

Essential oils are naturally extracted from leaves, flowers, roots, and/or bark of plants. They are great natural sources of remedy for anxiety. It is recommended to use pure essential oils, i.e., those which are not diluted with additives or chemicals.

Listed below are the top 3 essential oils for anxiety:

1. Lavender essential oil

Lavender oil is regarded as the most common and most popular type of essential oil. It has a cool, relaxing, calming effect on the body and mind. It helps restore the nervous system to its original state and brings about better sleep and inner peace. It also helps alleviate panic attacks, restlessness, stomach ailments, irritability, and general nervous stress and tension.

The second edition of the book ‘The Handbook of Essential Oils: Science, Technology, and Applications’ has extensive information about the many different clinical trials. These showed the positive relationship between decreased anxiety and stress and lavender essential oil inhalation. A study indicated that oral intake of lavender essential oil capsules produced anxiolytic effects.

Other studies have shown that lavender essential oil has the capacity to reduce anxiety in people who fear going to dentists or who are scheduled for bypass surgery of the coronary artery.

2. Rose essential oil

Rose essential oil is second only to lavender essential oil with regards to popularity and widespread use. It is known for alleviation of anxiety, stress, and depression. It also helps ease grief, panic attacks, and shock.

The ‘Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal’ published a study involving women who were experiencing their first pregnancy. The study had two groups of pregnant women; one group was given a warm water footbath for 10 minutes, while the other group got a ten minute session of rose oil footbath and inhalation. The results were then checked with a control group. The study indicated that footbath and aromatherapy helped decrease anxiety in women who have become pregnant for the first time.

3. Vetiver essential oil

Vetiver essential oil offers a calming, grounding, soothing, and revitalizing energy. It is generally used during times of trauma for enhancing self-awareness, stabilization, and tranquility. The oil is considered a tonic for the nervous system as it helps reduce hypersensitivity and nervousness. It is useful for alleviation of anxiety, shock, and panic attacks.

A study about the positive effects of vetiver essential oil on anxiety was published in the Natural Product Research. The study examined anxiety-like activity and behavior in rats and the effects of vetiver oil on it. It was found that the oil helped lower anxiety in the rats.

How to use essential oils for anxiety relief?

Essential oils can be used in three different ways, i.e., orally, aromatherapy, and topically.

Aromatherapy involves inhalation of the essential oils’ scent via hot water vapor, direct inhalations, humidifier, vaporizer, vent, fan, cologne, perfume, or aromatherapy diffusers.
Several essential oils are safe to ingest orally. It is however important for people to ingest only pure essential oils which have been deemed as safe for human consumption by the FDA.
Topical application of diluted essential oil is quite popular with users. The oil can be directly applied on the skin, teeth, hair, etc. or used in diluted form during a massage.

Follow this guide and begin using essential oils for anxiety today. In time when used with a combination of CBT, you have some proven methods for full anxiety recovery.