If you are suffering from stress and anxiety there are essential oil blends that you can create for yourself at home to help with this. 

A word of caution before we start

If you have any medical conditions, are pregnant, are taking any medications, (including chemotherapy)using any homeopathic remedies are under 18 or elderly please seek advice from a qualified Aromatherapist before use. Essential oils should not be used internally (do NOT eat or drink them) and should not be used neat on skin as a general rule.

For more essential oil safety tips please click here

Introduction to stress and anxiety-busting essential oils

There are several great essential oils that will help with stress and anxiety, so first I’d like to introduce some of them. 

Bergamot Essential Oil. 

Bergamot essential oil comes from the peel of bergamot fruit. Bergamot is a similar shape to a pear, but with skin that has the texture of oranges. If you’re familiar with Earl Grey tea, that is what it smells like (because Earl Grey is flavoured with Bergamot!) 

It has a fresh, citrusy, uplifting fragrance and is perfect when you need to feel calm, without being sleepy. It works well in a diffuser or oil burner and is also good in baths and massage oils. It blends well with other citrus fruits as well as eucalyptus, geranium and lavender.

Geranium Essential Oil

Geranium has a floral smell, and is great for helping to balance the hormones, especially in women. It is thought to help regulate and normalise periods and lift menopause symptoms such as low mood. As it has an effect on the hormones, care should be taken if using HRT.

Lavender Essential Oil 

Lavender is a very popular essential oil, great for relaxing and calming frayed nerves. Useful in small doses, especially at night time to help you get restful sleep.

Orange Essential oil

Orange essential oil is a wonderfully uplifting oil. It is like a ray of sunshine in a bottle. It’s great when you need a boost during the day. Diffuse in your diffuser or add to a blend and use for massage or in the bath

Vetiver Essential Oil

On its own vetiver can be quite woody and dark but when it’s added to blends it can  help aid restful sleep and is often used in bedtime blends or for relaxing baths.

Neroli Essential Oil 

Neroli is made using the delicate blossom of the orange tree. It is calming and relaxing and great for relieving stress and tension. 

Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense has a spiritual feel to it and is often used in churches. Great for mature skin, the respiratory system, for calming anxiety and reducing stress. It smells like the sort of incense you find burned in churches. For more information about Frankincense Essential oil please read my blog post on the subject

Patchouli Essential Oil

A deep, heady fragrance, often associated with new age shops and hippies! It is great for helping to soothe stress and anxiety as well as being good for detoxification and for the skin. It is thought to help tighten loose skin.

Blends to help with stress and anxiety

Blend 1: Rebalancing Massage Blend

Take 15 mls (3 teaspoonsful) of base oil, I use sweet almond but if you’re allergic to nuts grapeseed or sunflower are good alternatives.

Add 2 drops of bergamot essential oil, 2 drops of geranium essential oil and 3 drops of lavender essential oil. Stir gently. Use for massage. 

Blend 2: Calm down handbag blend

This is a really lovely blend to keep in a rollerball bottle in your handbag so you can use it when you’re out and about and need a little moment of calm.

Use a 10 ml glass roller bottle (blue or amber are best)

Add 2 drops of neroli essential oil, 2  drops of sweet orange essential oil and 1 drop of patchouli.

Top up with massage oil of your choice, I use sweet almond, but if you’re allergic to nuts use grapeseed or sunflower instead.

Replace the roller mechanism and the cap and gently roll the roller bottle between your hands to disperse the essential oil. The roller is then ready for use.

Apply to the pulse points on your wrists.

Blend 3: Stress Relief Diffuser Blend

Add 2 drops of Neroli, 1 drop of Frankincense and 1 drop of Bergamot to the water in your diffuser and diffuse.

For best results diffuse intermittently throughout the day.

As the effects of diffusers on pets is still up in debate, it would be sensible not to diffuse any essential oils in the presence of pets.