Easing Anxiety with Essential Oils

Anxiety is one of the many areas where essential oils can have a profound effect on one’s wellbeing. It is very well (scientifically) documented that certain aromas can induce a state of calm, and this is in no small part due to the chemical components within those aromas.

A quick look at how we smell things may be in order here.

An aroma is basically minuscule droplets in the air that we breathe in intentionally or get wafted up your nostrils just on general air currents. These droplets or molecules pass over a special patch in your nose called the olfactory epithelium, made up of very specialized nerve cells that can interpret what that “smell” molecule is. The message goes straight up the olfactory nerve to the brain which then disseminates the information to whatever part of the body it sees fit. This is all done in a fraction of a second. The olfactory nerve is indeed the fastest route to the brain that we have.

So now you know WHY aromas work so well, let’s see which ones work best at inducing calm and reversing anxiety levels.

First of all, we are looking for oils that have a significant linalool content. This is because linalool has had a whole host of scientific research done on it and it has proven time and time again to be very effective at calming the nervous system and making people feel relaxed.

Linalool also supports the immune system, relieves pain, and reduces swelling.

Linalyl acetate is the second chemical component we will be looking for in significant quantities. This has exactly the same line up as linalool in terms of support for the immune system, pain relief, reduces swelling, calming, antianxiety.

We can find plenty of oils that contain these two components, but to give you an example that is easily accessible (i.e. easy to purchase) LAVENDER has significant quantities of both and can be purchased at NYR Organic US (us.nyrorganic.com/ shop/tracybhalla). 27% linalool and 47% linalyl acetate! That is a no brainer, and I am sure you have heard of lavender’s excellent calming properties.

Another to be aware of is Bergamot Mint. Especially if you’re not a fan of the aroma of lavender, and some people are not. Bergamot Mint is a slightly citrusy mint aroma and again has high linalool (35%) and linalyl acetate (43%) values.

You can stick to just these two in various formats to help with anxiety. You can use them in a diffuser to make the atmosphere in your home or office more relaxed and calmer, or you can use them for a personal application in a lotion or a bath salt for example.

Recipes: Diffuser – add 5 drops of Bergamot Mint and 5 drops of lavender to the water in your diffuser (not in a humidifier!) OR 10 drops of either one on its own. email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I web: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracybhalla I www. LogHouseAromatics.com

Roll-on – if you have a roll-on applicator that you can refill, use a carrier oil and add 3 drops of lavender and 3 of Bergamot mint, or again 6 drops of a single oil.

Lotion – add up to 10 drops per ounce of lotion. Again your call as to whether you use two oils or stick to one. 5 drops each for two, 10 drops of a single oil.

Bath salts – add a tablespoon of either castile soap or a carrier oil (jojoba, avocado, etc.) to 1oz of salts – you can use Epsom salts or sea salt or a combination. Mix well, then add your essential oils and mix well before adding to your bath. Again, your discretion as to whether you mix one or two oils in; use the same dilution as the lotion – 10 drops total.

Any questions on these, please ask!

Of course, there are many other oils which can be added to your mix. Just look out for the linalool, linalyl acetate and d-limonene content. D-limonene has similar therapeutic properties to linalool and linalyl acetate and you may find it in place of one or the other in certain oil profiles. It is most prevalent in citrus oils, which themselves tend to have very pleasant aromas. You could look out for Neroli, Sweet Orange, Bergamot, for example and add them to your recipes. Play about with the fragrance profile. As long as you’re using oils with these chemical components, they will have the therapeutic properties you need to reduce anxiety, so now it’s up to you to find a recipe that has an aroma that you love.