How Essential Oils Can Help Calm Stress (+ a diffuser blend!)
Essential oils that help calm stress & why they work
Let’s make a diffuser blend with essential oils that help calm stress and worries.
Some oils contain natural components that have proven relaxing effects on the nervous system.
Two of the main components I look for when I want to calm stress are:
Linalool – Mountains of research on linalool show that it can relax the nervous system! It’s a truly powerful component that can soothe a wide variety of issues, from stress to physical inflammation.
d-Limonene – d-Limonene is present in all citrus oils, and it’s been shown to help people who struggle with chronically low energy or moods. That’s why citrus oils are so bright and sunny!
Essential oils rich in these two components can help your body release tension. This affects your muscles, allowing tight and sore areas to relax. As your body becomes more serene, the physical release of tension is like a deep exhale that also soothes your mind.
And the more your mind feels reassured and calm, the more your body can relax.
It’s as though essential oils that help calm stress are soothing every part of your system—body, mind, and heart.
Diffuse this blend any time you feel overwhelmed, or stressed, or if you need ongoing emotional support.
Nine Drops to Calm Diffuser Blend
5 drops Tamala essential oil (Cinnamomum tamala ct. linalool)
3 drops Bergamot essential oil (Citrus bergamia)
1 drop Neroli essential oil (Citrus aurantium var amara)
Learn more aromatherapy stress-calming tips in our blog post:
Which Essential Oils to Use for Stress: 5 Oils I Love!
About these essential oils that help calm stress
Tamala essential oil
Cinnamomum tamala ct. linalool
Tamala is rich in linalool, and has a soft, cinnamon-caramel aroma that’s exotic and sensual, without being overwhelming.
It’s distilled from the broad leaves of evergreen trees in Nepal. It’s popular in natural perfume recipes. You might want to add this one to jojoba in a 10 ml roll-on bottle, too!
Bergamot essential oil
Citrus bergamia
Like the other citrus oils, Bergamot is full of d-limonene! It’s also rich in linalool and another intensely soothing component: linalyl acetate!
When linalyl acetate occurs side-by-side with linalool, the two components work together in synergy to enhance each other’s effects. That makes Bergamot one of my top essential oils that help calm stress!
It has a fresh, bright, warm, fruity aroma, but it’s not as familiar as (for example) Sweet Orange or Lemon. That’s because we don’t typically eat Bergamot fruits; they’re too sour.
Neroli essential oil
Citrus aurantium var amara
Neroli oil is full of both linalool and d-limonene!
Neroli is distilled from the flowers of the bitter orange tree. It has a very rich, heady floral, which is why there’s only one drop in this diffuser blend. Too much more, and the powerful presence of Neroli could overwhelm the other oils in the recipe (or even cause a slight headache).
While these three oils are profoundly relaxing, they’re far from the only ones you can use. If you have your own favorite essential oils that help calm stress, please share in the comments. Your insights could help others!
Support yourself and others with natural anxiety relief. In our spotlight course, Natural Anxiety Relief with Essential Oils, you’ll gain familiarity with three chemical components found in essential oils that help calm the nervous system, ease anxiety, and even relieve pain! You’ll also learn how to make safe and effective natural remedies to address anxiety symptoms.
REFERENCES
Linck, V.M., da Silva, A.L., Figueiró, M., Caramão, E.B., Moreno, P.R.H. and Elisabetsky, E. (2010) Effects of inhaled linalool in anxiety, social interaction and aggressive behaviour in mice. Phytomedicine 17, 679-683.
Lima, N.G., de Souza, D.P., Pimenta, F.C., Alves, M.F., de Souza, F.S., (2012a) Anxiolytic-like activity and GC-MS analysis of (R)-(+)-limonene fragrance, a natural compound found in foods and plants. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 103, 450-454.
Woelk, H. and Schläfke, S. (2010) A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder. Phytomedicine 17, 2, 94-99.
