REDUCE STRESS
For occasional or mild stress, some essential oils may be an option to manage or reduce stress symptoms.
It seems like these days we have lost the ability to slow down and relax. We all seem to find ourselves constantly stressed out. While some people seem to love stress, most of us do not. Did you know that stress is a primary cause of inflammatory disease? The most important way to reduce stress is to identify your triggers to stress and structure your life to reduce those triggers as much as possible.
Just remember, using essential oils to reduce stress or anxiety is not a cure for the underlying problem. But, if you are looking for a natural way of reducing your stress, there are many essential oils that can be used in a diffuser that may help you. The five best essential oils to reduce stress are:
- Lavender
- Chamomile Roman
- Frankinscense
- Rose
- Ylang Ylang
What is Lavender essential oil?
Lavender is one of the most popular of essential oils.
Believe it or not, lavender is part of the mint family of plants.
Besides having a pleasant fresh flowery type of smell, lavender is a gentle oil.
Lavender oil is extracted through steam distillation. If you like the smell of fresh flowers in your home, then this is the oil for you.
Many clinical trials have been conducted on the positive effects of lavender essential oil.
It has been shown that when lavender essential oil aromatherapy is used in Intensive Care Units, patients who were exposed to lavender aromatherapy reported less anxiety and improved moods.
For many people, lavender is great for stress relief, anxiety reduction, mood improvements, and depression.
It has great balancing effects on both the physical and emotional bodies.
Most essential oil blends made for stress relief include lavender as one of their main ingredients because it works so well.
Be aware though, because lavender is so popular, there are cheap lavender oils out there that smell like lavender, but use synthetic lavender made in a laboratory. They may smell like lavender, but do not have the same properties of lavender.
Some people just love the smell of lavender while others do not like the smell of lavender. For some, at first they do not like the small but it eventually grows on them.
What is Chamomile Roman essential oil?
Chamomile smells sweet, kind of like apples of all things. The essential oil is extracted from the flowers, usually through steam distillation.
Would you believe chamomile roman is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to man?
This essential oil has been used to promote relaxation and to help calm the nerves.
It can also help with sleep issues.
Chamomile is used in many health products and there have been numerous studies conducted on its health effects.
There are some hospitals currently using chamomile roman in diffusers to help reduce the stress levels of their patients.
One of the most documented uses is for relaxation. Since it has a great calming effect, chamomile helps to reduce stress.
Studies have shown that chamomile can reduce anxiety and help improve sleep patterns.
There is also research that indicates the chamomile has been used for relief of depressive symptoms.
What is Frankincense essential oil?
Frankincense has been used since ancient times. It was found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb, and was still aromatic after 3000 years!
Sometimes frankincense oil is referred to as the King of Oils.
The resin is extracted from a small African tree known as Boswellia. Small incisions are made in the bark, which allows a white sap to ooze out. When this resin hardens, it turns to a brownish gum. It is then steam distilled to produce frankincense essential oil.
Frankincense has an earthly, uplifting aroma. Some say its aroma smells like a mix between pine and lemon with a slight woody smell.
The aroma of frankincense has the wonderful ability to relax and revitalize, making it an excellent means of relieving nervous tension and stress.
In Oriental medicine, it smooths the flow of Qi-energy and calms the nerves.
Frankincense can be a little expensive but a little goes a long way.
If you see frankincense essential oil being sold at an inexpensive price, it has probably been mixed with an inexpensive carrier oil.
What is Rose essential oil?
Nearly everyone has experienced walking into a flower shop and being hit by that wonderful soothing smell.
More than likely, that aroma was coming from roses.
It takes about 60,000 roses to make a 1 ounce bottle of rose essential oil. For these reasons, pure rose essential oil can be very expensive.
Rose essential oil is one of the most used essential oils in the world.
There are over 200 species of roses, but rose oil usually comes from three species with Rose damascena being the most commonly used.
Less expenses sources may have a slight artificial solvent aroma.
Rose essential oil is usually extracted using a solvent method or steam distillation.
The reason solvents are used is because if steam distillation is used, what you get is a distilled water with a rose smell.
The chemicals that make up the aroma of roses have the ability to produce desire, vitality, and increased self-esteem.
The aroma can also be used to help control anger, jealousy, resentment, and depression in some people.
For these reasons, rose essential oil is a favorite among aromatherapists.
Be aware that synthetics can be created artificially in a laboratory very inexpensively that smell like roses, but lack the chemical make-up of roses.
For this reason, they do not have the benefits of pure rose essential oil.
Some people claim that switching to the much less expensive geranium essential oil can provide similar results.
What is Ylang Ylang essential oil?
Ylang Ylang is one of the newer essential oils to hit the market.
The oil comes from the fresh flowers of the tropical Ylang Ylang tree usually found in Asia and some South Pacific islands. People from these regions have used ylang ylang for centuries to decorate the beds of newlyweds.
It has a heavy, sweet, floral smell that is slightly fruity.
Ylang ylang is used in many perfume type products.
Ylang ylang is one of the few essential oils in which there are different grades available. Distillation is stopped at several stages and the essential oil produced at each stage is removed. This produces the various grades of Ylang Ylang: Extra, 1, 2, 3 and Complete.
Extra and Complete are considered good choices for aromatherapy. Other grades are more suitable for potpourri, candles, and other crafting applications.
The smell is considered to be romantic and uplifting.
It can improve the perception of mood and can promote a feeling of calmness when inhaled.
Using ylang ylang will help create a calming and relaxing feeling around your home.
This essential oil has the ability to act like a mild natural depression remedy.
DISCLAIMER:
Information provided in this description is for educational purposes only. For possible treatments of physical or mental diseases, please seek a trained and licensed health professional. Enchanted Aromatics is not responsible for any adverse affects resulting from the use of any suggestions, products, preparations, or procedures mentioned or from following historical uses of essential oils.
