How to Use Essential Oils
Internally
There are mixed opinions as to the safety of ingesting essential oils. The majority of experts suggest that you do not ingest essential oils, but others state they have safely done so — often through cooking. Some essential oils have been infused in toothpaste and I have read recommendations regarding gargling. However, in both of these instances, the essential oils are not actually swallowed.
You can even find essential oil suppositories for sale (or instructions to make your own). At any rate, any internal application of essential oils should only be done under the recommendation and supervision of a licensed health care professional.
How Do Essential Oils Work?
- Skin absorption: Our skin is permeable. When essential oils are applied to the skin, the active chemicals are absorbed into the body much like pharmaceutical creams.
- Aromatherapy: the smell receptors in your nose communicate with the part of your brain that controls emotions. When you breathe in essential oil molecules, this part of your brain is stimulated, which influences your emotional health.
Specific Essential Oils for Anxiety
So now that you understand what essential oils are and how they work, it’s important to know which oils work best for controlling anxiety. Keep in mind that there are a number of essential oil companies to choose from, and most of them have created specialized blends for a multitude of ailments, including anxiety. However, there are plenty of single oils that work well and are readily available! The top five are explained below.
- Lavender: This is probably one of the most versatile essential oils you can find. It works great in the diffuser or the bath and is one of the only essential oils that can be applied directly to the skin without a carrier oil. The scent is calming, resulting in a relaxed mood and state of mind.
- Wild orange: This essential oil is a mood booster! The citrus scent will enhance your overall well-being and promote feelings of happiness.
- Bergamot: This oil is said to be a stress reducer. It can ease tension, elevate your mood, and promote relaxation.
- Ylang ylang: This oil is said to balance emotions. It accomplishes this by releasing negative emotions and nurturing positive emotions. The calming effect relaxes the mind and has been shown to reduce stress, tension and elevated blood pressure.
- Clary sage: This oil has a calming and sedating influence on nerves and emotions. It can help relieve nervousness, tension, stress and depression, and helps create a more positive outlook.
Additional “mood-boosting” oils include basil, lime, grapefruit, rose, orange, geranium, and sandalwood. Like the ones listed above, these can be used topically or aromatically to create the desired effect. Some of the blends that have been created to relieve anxiety from the top essential oil companies include:
- doTERRA: Balance, Serenity, and Elevation
- Young Living: Valor, Peace and Calming, Joy, Harmony, Stress Away
- Native American Nutritionals/Rocky Mountain Oils: Aligning, Calming, Balance
- Eden’s Garden: Align, Relaxation, Stress Relief
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that everyone experiences feelings of anxiety from time to time. However, for those who suffer with an anxiety disorder, the condition can be debilitating. In addition to traditional treatments that include medication and counseling, essential oil therapy can bring about some much needed, fast-acting relief.
So, whenever you feel the next bout coming on, try a few drops of some of the suggested essential oils in a diffuser or apply them to your wrists and experience the calming effects for yourself! It may not completely alleviate the problem, but any improvement is well worth the effort!
