Catherine Doyle explains which essential oils to use for stress relief, anxiety, depression, or to give yourself a mental boost!
Essential oils can have a potent effect on the mind as well as the body. In this article we explore how we can use aromatherapy to bring about desirable mental states - we look at essential oils that we can use to relieve stress, depression, anxiety, and lethary.
It's important to be aware of safety issues when using essential oils. If you are new to aromatherapy, we suggest you read our article on Essential Oil Safety. As you read this article, each essential oil mentioned will be linked to safety notes for that particular oil.
Relaxation and Stress Relief
It's fairly common these days to have trouble winding down and relaxing. Essential oils can help to counteract the effects of a stressful job and a busy life. A small amount of lavender oil or clary sage can help you to wind down at the end of a hectic day. Lavender is soporific and is especially good for insomniacs. Clary sage has a wonderful warm encompassing aroma, and is especially good if you are feeling emotionally wrung out or anxious.
Lifting Depression
If you're prone to depression, aromatherapy can help to make you feel more positive and more able to cope. Geranium and ylang ylang are good oils to try. Geranium has a powerful effect on depressive moods - negative feelings diminish and are replaced with feelings of wellbeing. Ylang ylang helps to balance and calm emotional trauma. Geranium is quite subtle, while ylang ylang can be more euphoric in its effect.
Calming Anxiety
The anxious mind is often fraught with worries and feelings of not being able to cope. Clary sage and ylang ylang will help to restore balance and soothe your mind. Clary sage has a powerful relaxing effect which banishes anxious thoughts, while ylang ylang is more gentle. Lavender and geranium can also be helpful.
Mental Boosts
Sometimes you don't need calming down, you need a mental boost instead! Aromatherapy can help with this too. Stimulating oils include eucalyptus, rosemary, and peppermint. These oils may be used to good effect to counter fatigue, lethargy, hangovers, and late nights. Peppermint and eucalyptus are invigorating and uplifting if their effect. Rosemary helps to clear the mind, so is especially useful if you are feeling tired but still have work to do.
In this article we've described how you can use aromatherapy to improve your mental wellbeing. When experimenting follow your instincts. If you don't like the smell of a particular oil, or it doesn't have the desired effect, try another one. (The references listed below can offer guidance in choosing oils.) Happy experimenting!
Further Reading
Price, S. 2000. Aromatherapy and Your Emotions, Thorsons.
Worwood, V.A. 1996. The Fragrant Mind, New World Library.
©2002 Catherine Doyle. All rights reserved. Published with permission on .
Top of Page Back to Articles