I love essential oils! I consider myself a newbie, but have used them in my life and my home for over a year. I’ve found a few oils for stress that I use regularly and I want to share them with you.
If you’re new to essential oils, the simple description is that they are the essence of plants. For centuries, oils have acted as natural healing tools. Or just to smell good. Back then, oils were extracted from the actual plant, but today they’re manufactured. Here’s where I want to caution you a little. If you’re going to purchase essential oils online, make sure they are PURE!!! What do I mean by that? The oils have ZERO synthetic materials in them. The challenge is, the ingredients do not have to be shared by the manufacturer. In full disclosure, I am a rep with DoTerra. I became a rep with them because I trust them and I know their oils work. In all honesty, I don’t care where you buy your essential oils. I just want you to know what’s in them.
A few other cautions for you. Some essential oils are light-sensitive and some oils may not agree with you and your system. The oils that are light-sensitive are in the citrus realm. When applied to the skin, you can get sunburns if you’re out in the sun for too long. Also, because we are all individuals and we are all different. I might love an oil that doesn’t work for you. If you’re going to start to experiment with oils, make sure you test them slowly in the beginning. Lastly, if you do test an oil and start to see or feel any type of bad reaction, stop using it! You don’t want to keep applying something you just introduced if it is going to cause you harm.
Ok, so how can essential oils help you?
The simple answer is in every way, shape and form. The more complex answer has to do with how the oils interact with your brain. When you use essential oils, they connect with your limbic system. This is a part of the brain that affects your memory, how you breathe, the circulation of your blood and even the regulation of your hormones. To say that essential oils can have a large impact on you is an understatement. Essential oils not only affect you physically, they can also change the chemistry within you and affect you mentally. They can be calming, give you energy, balance the air in your environment and so much more! Let’s get to the fun part…the oils themselves!
Six Oils Recommended for Stress
Before I dive in, I want to be clear – these oils don’t only help with stress. The oils I’m about to share with you help with stress, pain management, the internal systems within you and they have household uses. For each oil, I’ll give you a bit about what it does and three ways you can use it – diffusing, topically and internally. Keep in mind, you can diffuse with just a few drops in your palms or by using a diffuser. For the oils that you can take internally, aim for one drop for every 4oz of fluid.
The first essential oil I recommend is lavender. It helps with anxiety and frustration, balances your mood, clears out those negative thoughts and provides an overall sense of calm. I call it the Queen of Oils because it can do so much for you. Lavender can be diffused to help create that sense of calm you’re looking for and to clear out some of the chaos that’s in your mind. You can also use lavender topically to help treat scars, aches and pain, acne and even eczema. Just add a few drops to your bath or massage oil and you’ll feel relief. Lavender is also great internally by adding it to your water or tea to reduce anxiety.
The second oil is frankincense. I love this oil because like lavender it helps with anxiety, but it also helps when you’re feeling grief, nervous or obsessive compulsive. This one I call the King of Oils. If you have any type of lung issue (i.e. asthma, COPD, etc.), you need to be diffusing frankincense because it helps to loosen the mucus in your lungs. Think of it like a pulmonary anti-septic. Topically, frankincense can be used to balance skin imperfections. It has been know to reduce the blush that comes on suddenly when you’re nervous. Internally, frankincense supports the immune system.
Cedarwood is the third oil I want to encourage you to try. If you have kids, this one definitely needs to be in your home because it helps calm excitability in those rambunctious little ones. Additionally, if you don’t sleep well and have bouts of insomnia, this oil can be a game changer. Cedarwood is similar to frankincense where when it’s diffused, it helps to clear up the mucus in the lungs. It can also relieve mental strain and that overexcited brain. Topically it kills bacteria, can prevent and destroy fungal infections and even acts as a circulatory stimulant to get the blood flowing. Cedarwood you do not want to use internally.
Roman Chamomile is another oil that is great for stress management. It helps diffuse feelings of anger, curbs your depression and irritability and help you process trauma. When it’s diffused, roman chamomile brings about an overall sense of calm to your environment. It can soothe skin when used topically and when applied to the bottom of your feet, help you fall asleep fast. Make sure to dilute this one with a carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil because some can be sensitive to it. Like a few other oils, roman chamomile supports a healthy immune system too. Add it to your tea or any other hot beverage to let it sooth internally.
One oil that I don’t have (yet) is clary sage. This one helps when you have a guilty conscience, brings you back to normal when you’re exhausted from being repeatedly nervous and can limit panic attacks. Similar to frankincense and cedar wood, clary sage when diffused eases symptoms of asthma and chest colds, like a whooping cough. What’s even more amazing is that when applied to the abdomen, it can sooth indigestion or menstral cramps. This is another one that should be diluted with a carrier oil. Clary sage also strengthens the nervous system and reduces high blood pressure when taken internally.
The sixth, and possibly one of my favorite oils is wild orange. This oil helps to relieve symptoms of depression, releases negative thoughts and can even help stop vertigo attacks. While I’m not a scientist and cannot definitively say, I think it’s because it’s an energizing oil. When diffused, wild orange uplifts and freshens the air. It can help you (and your kids) overcome fear and anxiety. My favorite way to use wild orange is to add it to my homemade cleaners because of the wonderful smell I get when I clean the counters. Wild orange can brighten skin and kill bacteria when applied topically. Just by adding wild orange to your water, it can relieve pressure from gas, cramps and intestinal spasms, relieve a nervous stomach and aid in indigestion.
But wait…there’s one more!
I couldn’t finish this post without giving you my all time favorite oil – lemon. I love lemon oil because it stops by burnout in its tracks, clears out my brain fog and gets rid of my sluggishness. Lemon oil can even help you focus before a challenging exam or an interview you’re nervous about. When you diffuse lemon oil, it brightens your outlook for the day and leaves you alert. It can even be added to your homemade cleaner, just like wild orange. Lemon oil can also smooth your skin, take away the pain from insect bites and stings and stop external bleeding, like nosebleeds. When you added to your water, lemon oil treats a sore throat, eases symptoms of bronchitis and limits a cough and cold.
After reading this, if you’re wondering “How can I get my hands on some of these oils?” you can shop my DoTerra site or go to your trusted resource. Remember, no matter where you buy your oils, make sure you’re getting pure oils.