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I thought it would be handy to showcase which aromatherapy oils are the best to help relieve stress and how you can incorporate them into your lifestyle to make stress a thing of the past.
The best stress-busting essential oils that aromatherapy has to offer are:
- Bergamot
- Lemon
- Lavender
- Gerarnium
- Chamomile
Bergamot Oil
Bergamot oil is a very uplifting oil and is great for keeping you feeling positive and avoiding stress. I love the smell of Bergamot - it always puts me in a 'happy' mood.
Bergamot can help with -
- depression
- nervous tension
- relaxation
- general well being
Lemon Oil
Lemon oil also has uplifting properties (most of the citrus oils do) and gives you a feeling of positivity. Lemon oil has the advantage of being anti-bacterial and anti-viral so if your immune system is feeling the effects of too much stress, lemon oil can help.Lemon oil can help with -
- relaxation
- nervous tension
- general well being
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil has so many properties that it really is the super oil of all oils, often referred to as a first aid kit in a bottle. Combine that with the fact that the fragrance is just as beautiful you're onto a winner!Lavender oil can help with -
- depression
- headaches
- high blood pressure
- migrane
- insomnia
- nervous tension
Geranium Oil
Geranium oil is one of the few that can be blended with nearly any other oil. It goes extremely well with rose, however and all of the citrus oils.Geranium oil can help with -
- depression
- nervous tension
- nervous pain
- anxiety
Chamomile Oil
Chamomile oil has a very low toxicity which is why it is often used with children.Chamomile oil can help with -
- depression
- headache
- insomnia
- irritability
- migrane
- hysteria
Essential oils really are a fantastic way to keep stress levels down. I managed a shop for a number of years and we had an aromatherapy burner going all day. My stress levels (especially considering how busy we were) were always kept under control. My first experience of work stress didn't happen until after leaving this environment.
Common Stress Problems
Common stress problems include headaches, low libido insomnia, high blood pressure, depression, irritability, anxiety and exhaustion.Headaches - the classic essential oil for stress headaches and migraines is lavender. Simply put a drop on each middle finger and massage into your temples (lavender is one of the few essential oils you can use neat, usually you should dilute pure essential oils before putting onto the skin)
Insomnia - chamomile is a fantastic essential oil for helping with insomnia, especially when combined with lavender oil. Leave a diffuser going in the bedroom or have a chamomile and lavender bath before going to bed. When my daughter was teething she had problems sleeping so (as I didn't have a diffuser at that time) I put a couple of drops of chamomile on a hankerchief and placed this under the mattress in her cot. It really seemed to help settle her.
Low Libido - when stress starts to affect your sex life then you want to grab some Jasmine oil (this oils has athrodisiac properties) as this works really well in combination with lavender, chamomile, bergamot or geranium. Add a couple of drops of jasmine along with a couple of drops of one of your stress oils into a carrier oil and try a massage.
High Blood Pressure - this needs to be approached in a holistic manner, but both lavender and lemon oils are fantastic in helping to support other methods of reducing blood pressure.
How Do I Use Essential Oils?
Now that you've worked out what oils you need - what do you do with them? Essential oils can be used in diffusers, burners, baths, massages, lotions and creams.
Diffusers
Diffusers are wonderful, if you're able to have them going at work it is fantastic. When you're trying to convince your employer to let you have a diffuser at work point them in the direction of Takasago. Takasago is a Japanese company who released essential oils into the office air of computer and word processing operators to see if it affected productivity.
The results showed an increase in productivity, reduction in error rates and a reduction in stress levels. The productivity rates were all increased by between 21% and 54% depending on the oils used. Take this to your boss and he won't just let you use a diffuser in the office he may even buy one for you!
De-Stress On Your Drive Home
Car Diffusers
Driving home you can use aromatherapy as well and reduce the chance of road rage! Simply get a car diffuser, they usually plug into the cigarette lighter. If you If you don't want to use one of these you can put a couple of drops of essential oil on a tissue and leave it over the airvent so that it can diffuse throughout the car. This is also a great tip for long car trips to stay alert when driving - we used a combination of lemon and rosemary on a road trip a few years ago - I'm digressing now. Back to stress!
Massages
Regular Aromatherapy massages are fantastic, if you're under a lot of stress then booking in to have a weekly massage is a great idea. A friend of mine finds that once a month is enough for her as her work stress levels aren't really high, but are fairly consistent.
Massage by itself is great for stress, but seeing an Aromatherapist means that you'll have the added benefits of the power of essential oils as well.
Baths
Baths are a fantastic way of 'washing away' the stresses of the day. The Romans and Egyptians have long known the benefits of bathing. In our quest for speed and efficiency we have switched to quick showers and have lost the relaxation of a bath along the way. Combine the relaxing properties of a bath with the power of aromatherapy and you will be much happier.
Other ways to incorporate aromatherapy are using burners, candles, body lotions and creams.
Some Helpful Aromatherapy Blends
General Formula for the Workplace
This formula will enable everyone to cope before they get stressed out and it also has the added benefit of keeping their immune systems healthy (always good in an office environment).
Bergamot 7 drops
Lavender 3 drops
Lemon 2 drops
Mix these ratios of oils together and put in a diffuser to keep your workplace happy and healthy.
Anxiety Formula
Lavender 10 drops
Geranium 10 drops
Bergamot 10 drops
This same combination works really well for Depression although in different ratios
Depression Formula (from Valerie Ann Worwood's The Fragrant Pharmacy)
Geranium 15 drops
Lavender 5 drops
Bergamot 10 drops
Geranium is a really good oil to use as an uplifting influence on your emotions and although I have already talked about using chamomile and lavender together for headaches, Geranium can also be used.
Headache Formula
Equal parts lavender , chamomile and geranium
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Have You Used Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress?
I'd love to know which oils you used and what the results were ...
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I learned a great deal from this article. I've never really tried essential oils, but now I feel a sense of curiosity about giving them a try. It's especially interesting to learn that lavender is the super oil. Thanks for leading us in a direction toward greater well-being.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried essential oils, but am aware how popular they are and how beneficial the results can be. My daughter swears by them and uses several ~ at different times for different reasons. Nice to have a list like this one you've compiled to go by. Thanks, Lou.
ReplyDeleteHelpful article. I'm using essential oils more and more over time. I've not tried chamomile oil or bergamot. Adding those to my list to try.
ReplyDeleteI have actually never tried any aromatherapy. I have always been afraid they would bring on a migraine headache like the potpourri in a lot of department stores and shops does. I get severe migraines when I am around intense smells. I noted that you said the lavender and the camomile oils would actually help with migraines. I am quite tempted for sure. Of course, I would like to be more productive too. Definitely a great temptation.
ReplyDeleteCynthia, my dad used to get badly affected in some stores, but I think it was because a lot of the pot pourris and similar products used synthetic oils. Make sure you get 100% pure essential oils and they should be fine, although I'd avoid patchouli as I do know that's adversely affected some people. I would recommend starting with just lavender oil for your migraines, it works wonderfully.
DeleteWow! I haven't tried this therapy either. Although I have been known to burn candles with these scents. I just like the smell that they offer. I will have to look harder at these other benefits. Thanks Lou!
ReplyDeleteWow, so many different oils with different purposes. I know I'd like the scent of lemon. I wouldn't mind trying this.
ReplyDeleteSo far I haven't tried essential oils. I grow a lot of the herbs used to make them, but don't think I'm ready to attempt making them myself. I would like to try to lavender at night to see if I'd fall asleep faster. I'm bookmarking this for future reference.
ReplyDelete