How to Reduce Stress Naturally with Cedarwood Lotion
When life gets stressful, it's important to protect your emotions.
There are a lot of ways to reduce stress naturally. Some sound simple, like getting enough sleep and taking a little time for yourself. But let's say you're super-stressed—like you're not even really sure what you're anxious about anymore, but you just can't calm your overwhelmed feelings. In that case, even these so-called "little steps" toward calm can feel out of reach.
Essential oils can absolutely help reduce stress naturally, but not every oil is equally calming.
Choose essential oils with components that are proven to relax the nervous system—components like cedrol.
Cedarwood oil helps reduce stress naturally!
Cedrol occurs naturally in Cedarwood oil.
One study showed that cedrol could deeply relax the nervous system even without being inhaled. Topical application was enough to achieve the soothing effects!
But that doesn't mean Cedarwood oil will immediately put you to sleep. You can still use this oil during the day. Depending on what you blend Cedarwood with, it can either help you rest or ease anxiety as you're going about your day.
This recipe is a calming, reassuring Cedarwood lotion you can use day or night.
It also includes three other oils that can reduce stress naturally and prevent overwhelm. I'll tell you more about them after the recipe!
Cedarwood Stress Prevention Lotion
1 oz (28 g) Unscented lotion
5 drops Cedarwood essential oil (Juniperus virginiana)
3 drops Cardamom essential oil (Elettaria cardamomum)
3 drops Catnip essential oil (Nepeta cataria)
1 drop Rose absolute oil (Rosa × damascena)
Make this blend in a 1 oz (30 ml) glass jar.
Put the lotion into the jar, and then add the essential oils. Stir with a glass stirring rod. (It may take a few minutes to fully disperse the essential oils into the lotion base.)
How the other oils in this lotion reduce stress naturally
Cardamom essential oil (Elettaria cardamomum)
Cardamom adds a touch of bold, warm, spicy energy to this lotion.
It's rich in 1,8-cineole, a component known to bring fresh energy to the head. Cardamom prevents this lotion from making you too sleepy in the daytime, and offers courage and self-assurance. It gives you backbone!
Catnip essential oil (Nepeta cataria)
Catnip contains nepetalactones.
Nepetalactones are what makes Catnip so irresistible to some of our feline friends.
For us humans, they have a profound soothing effect on the nervous system. And Catnip's floral, sweet, herbal scent adds a beautiful aroma to our lotion!
Rose absolute oil (Rosa × damascene)
Rose Absolute oil's cocktail of natural monoterpenols has been shown to calm the mind and body.
Rose is a classic oil for love and self-love, thanks to its ability to open the heart. Much like Cedarwood, Rose inspires a sense of comfort and security. It also supports you to overcome anxious emotions and easily express your emotions to others.
You deserve peace of mind!
Reducing stress naturally isn't an overnight fix. It's more often a series of little lifestyle shifts that, over time, add up to big change. Be patient with yourself and don't give up! You deserve to have peace of mind.
It also helps to work different stress-soothing essential oils into your regular routines, so your body is constantly benefitting from a wider variety of components that can calm nerves. Try a few oils from our YouTube Video: Which Essential Oils to Use for Stress.
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
Haze, S., Sakai, K. and Gozu, Y. (2002) Effects of fragrance inhalation on sympathetic activity in normal adults. Japanese Journal of Pharmacology 90, 247-253.
Kagawa D, Jokura H, Ochiai R, Tokimitsu I, Tsubone H (2003) The sedative effects and mechanism of action of cedrol inhalation with behavioural pharmacological evaluation. Planta Medica 69: 637-641
Moss M, Oliver L (2012) Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology 2 (3): 103-113
Rabbani, M., Sajjadi, S.E., Mohammadi, A., Evaluation of the anxiolytic effect of Nepeta persica Boiss in mice. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2008 Jun; 5(2): 181–186
