Top 5 Essential Oils for Stress

Stress plagues us all. From tight work deadlines to busy schedules, stress comes in many forms and relaxing can be difficult, especially since there are several ways for your body to interpret stress:

• Sleeplessness
• Nausea
• Muscle aches/joint pain
• Lowered immune system
• Anxiety and fear
• Apprehension
• Mood swings
• Lack of concentration/listlessness

These five essential oils will help with stress reduction by targeting most of its symptoms.

Lavender

One of the most common essential oils, lavender has a pleasant earthy scent that is lightly sweet and freshly floral. The overall effect of lavender is calming, but it also helps promote concentration, balances your mood and relieves muscle and joint pain.

Learn how to make your own lavender aromatherapy jar. 

[caption id="attachment_24752" align="alignright" width="150"] Lavender Flower/Source: Hindrik Sijens via Flickr[/caption]

Roman Chamomile

Roman chamomile oils have a warm scent lightly accented by apple and sweet straw. The overall effect is relaxing, reducing anxiety and dispelling anger. It calms anxiety and fear, settles nausea, levels out the mood and helps with meditation and sleep.

[caption id="attachment_24754" align="alignright" width="150"] Chamomile Flower/Source: Melanie Shaw via Flickr[/caption]

Frankincense

Comforting, warm and exotic, Frankincense’s use in prayer and meditation dates back to ancient times. Rich in sesquiterpenes, molecules that penetrate the blood-brain barrier, Frankincense promotes the transfer of oxygen to the brain, and contains incensule acetate, which lowers anxiety and depression.

[caption id="attachment_24751" align="alignright" width="150"] Frankincense Tree/Source: Rod Waddington via Flickr[/caption]

Sandalwood

This sweet, warm, rich and woody essential oil is most commonly used in body oils, incense, perfumes, aftershaves and cosmetics. It also has a long history of spiritual use in Eastern religions. The smell hits the limbic system, promoting relaxation, balancing emotions and boosting the immune system.

[caption id="attachment_24755" align="alignright" width="150"] Sandalwood Flower/Source: David Eickhoff via Flickr[/caption]

Marjoram

Known as the “joy of the mountain”, Marjoram’s bright, warm, slightly spicy smell reminiscent of balsamic calms hyperactivity, promotes mental clarity, relaxes muscle tension and relieves pain. These effects combine to make it easy to sleep.

[caption id="attachment_24753" align="alignright" width="150"] Source: Bart Busschots via Flickr[/caption]