Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Essential Oils

Contributing writer for Wake Up World

Natural essential oils ease anxiety, depression, insomnia and more!

I know first-hand the devastating effects anxiety (as well as depression and insomnia) can have on your health and to your overall sense of well-being! And in our fast-paced society is it any wonder that these particular health conditions are on the rise and growing exponentially each year?

Furthermore, for most people, the idea of self-care ranks low on their priority list which is very sad. After all, you can trade in your car for a newer model, but you only have one you!

So, allowing yourself time to rest and rejuvenate is vital not only for your physical body but also for your psyche as well. That’s where essential oils can help. But before we dive into the amazing healing properties of essential oils, let’s talk a bit about essential oils and a good place to start is with a brief history:

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”110028″]

Essential oils have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptian Ebers Papyrus (medical papyrus of herbal knowledge dating back to around 1500 BC) included over 800 herbal mixers for many different health conditions and many of the remedies contained essential oils. For example, myrrh was prescribed as a wound salve.

In 1922, King Tut’s tomb was discovered and interestingly, there were vats of essential oils that were still viable!

In China, essential oils were first recorded during the reign of Huang Ti, also known as the Yellow Emperor. His famous book “The Yellow Emperor’s Book of Internal Medicine” contains uses for several essential oils which are still in use today by many eastern medicine practitioners.

Ancient Ayurvedic medicine has used essential oils for more than 3000 years!

Essential oils are liquid concentrations of nature

Essential oils are organic substances derived from the volatile liquid of plants. These natural plant oils are extracted from leaves, flowers, grasses, roots, fruits, and trees, and each oil has a variety of properties and can be used for many diverse purposes. For example, the oils are directly or indirectly applied to the skin or can simply be inhaled.

When the scent of the oil is inhaled, the odor molecule travels through the nose and stimulates the olfactory nerves which in turn stimulate the emotional center of the brain where all of our emotions are stored. So it’s no wonder that they can relax you when you are feeling stressed, invigorate you when you are fatigued, or calm you into a peaceful night’s sleep.

Here are some highly recommended essential oils to help you reduce and manage stress:

Chamomile – promotes relaxation and decreases feelings of anxiety and depression
Lavender – reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation and sleep
Bergamot – reduces anxiety and depression, and helps reduces scars from acne
Sandalwood – helps to improve memory and has anti-inflammatory properties
Mandarin – calms nerves, improves mood and promote relaxation
Frankincense – reduce inflammation, wrinkles and age spots, and helps improve the immune system
Clary Sage – reduces anxiety and depression and reduce skin inflammation
Jasmine – reduces depression and promotes healthy skin tone
Cedarwood – helps reduce inflammation and relieves chronic pain
Patchouli – reduces depression, enhances mood, and helps to relieve pain
Rose – reduces skin inflammation and promotes
Ylang Ylang – induces relaxation and reduces depression

And here is the best part – Essential oils are very convenient and super easy to use! Not to mention that they can be used as a natural perfume or as a healthy holistic alternative to commercial lotions (which I highly recommend!).

If you’d like to make your own essential concoction, then you should know a bit about oil carriers.

Essential oils and carrier oils work in synergy with each other. Carrier oils “carry” the essential oil into the skin, while essential oils provide a pleasing scent to the base oils which themselves possess therapeutic benefits. Basically, carrier oils “carry” the essential oil into the skin, while essential oils provide a pleasing scent to the base oils which themselves possess therapeutic benefits. This is definitely a win-win relationship!

Carrier oils (or base oils) should always be used to dilute essential oils before applying them to the skin.

Two popular carrier oils are Sweet Almond Oil and Jojoba Oil.

Sweet Almond Oil contains Vitamin E, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D and it is known for its ability to strengthen and moisturize the skin. It has a warm scent and can elicit a sense of grounding.

Jojoba Oil is not really an oil but a liquid wax that possesses moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is known to bring life to the skin and is one of the most popular carrier oils because of its luxurious feel when applied to the skin.

Essential oils can also be added to a warm Epsom salt bath to relax muscles, soften skin and promote an overall sense of relaxation.

Alternatively, place a few drops at the base of the shower for a spa-like steam bath experience. Now, who wouldn’t enjoy that?

Another wonderful way to enjoy the benefits of essential oils is to put a few drops into a diffuser. Aromatherapy diffusers are small devices that send the essential oil elements into the air to both purify the air and create a relaxing and healing living environment. Inhaling the vapors of the essential oils is one of the best ways to reap their therapeutic benefits.

I’d like to point out that I always prefer organic essential oils over non-organic for one simple reason – they’re pesticide free! They are a bit more expensive, but when talking about achieving optimal health… you are worth it!

Here are some wonderful organic essential oil companies that I love, and I know that you will too.

So how about it? Are you ready to relax with the soothing aromas of essential oils?

About the author:

Dr. Michelle Kmiec is a board-certified chiropractic physician who also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology, and a minor in Medical Research. She is a life-long athlete who after curing herself 100% naturally from MS and chronic anxiety, became an avid nutrition health researcher/promoter.

She has been featured in many Health magazines and has been a guest on radio talk shows in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. She is the author of the book “Healthcare Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession”, Founder of Online Holistic Health, and a contributing writer for other popular informative health website/blogs. She is also co-founder of Crazy Meets Common Sense! – the Podcast that makes sense out of the crazy, to help you live a more healthy, fulfilling and empowering life!

For more, visit OnlineHolisticHealth.com or connect with Dr. Michelle Kmiec on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Recommended articles by Dr. Michelle Kmiec: