The Secret to How Cedarwood Oil Calms Stress
By Karen Williams · September 27, 2021 · 4 min read
How cedarwood oil calms stress
Cedrol does the quiet work. It is a sesquiterpenol found in cedarwood essential oil, and it gives the oil its calming reputation. Animal studies across several species found that cedrol calmed the nerves, soothed anxious feelings, and helped the subjects sleep.
The effect held whether or not the subject could smell the cedrol. That matters if you feel stressed most days and want support that does not depend on a strong aroma. Cedarwood still brings a lovely scent to the blend. It is warm, soft, and woody.
Sacred Cedarwood Anti-Stress Roll-On
The blend is simple enough to make tonight. Jojoba makes a smooth, light base for a roll-on. Cedarwood leads the blend, and palo santo and citronella java round it out. The next section explains why they earn their places.
Ingredients and equipment
- 10 ml Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis)
- 3 drops Cedarwood Oil (Juniperus virginiana)
- 2 drops Palo Santo Oil (Bursera graveolens)
- 1 drop Citronella Java Oil (Cymbopogon winterianus)
- One 10 ml glass bottle with a roller-ball top
Directions
Pour the jojoba into the bottle. Add the drops one at a time. Cap it and roll the bottle between your palms to mix. That's it!
Roll it on your wrists, your neck, or your arms whenever anxious feelings creep in. The blend is safe for ongoing daily use, so keep it with you throughout the day. Better yet, reach for it regularly, before stress has a chance to build. A blend like this works best as a daily habit.
When stress keeps you awake
Cedarwood is a base note. Base notes are warm, woody, and earthy, and they help people get to sleep and stay asleep. When your mind keeps replaying the day at midnight, that grounding quality can ease you toward rest.
Our Less Stress, More Rest bedtime body oil pairs cedarwood with lavender, vetiver, and other base notes in jojoba. You can find it in the Less Stress, More Rest sleep blend. For a fuller answer to bedtime stress, the essential oils for sleep field guide gathers the oils, methods, recipes, and safety notes in one place.
Why palo santo and citronella java
Palo santo comes from Ecuador, and its name means Holy Wood. People have used it in ritual to clear negative energy. The scent is rich, earthy, and smoky, and it gives this blend a deep, settled heart. Chemically, palo santo is high in d-limonene. Research points to d-limonene as a component that calms anxious feelings and lifts mood (Lima 2012).
Citronella java grows from the same plant family as the citronella in bug repellent. The scent could hardly be more different. It is softer and smoother, and natural perfumers love it for that. The oil is rich in geraniol and citronellal. Studies in mice found anxiolytic effects, and Brazilian folk medicine has used the plant for anxiety (Setzer 2009; Medeiros 2018). Together, the two oils round out cedarwood's calm with scent and chemistry of their own.
Common questions
Does cedarwood work if I cannot smell it?
The studies suggest it does. Cedrol's calming effect showed up whether or not the subjects could smell it.
How often can I use the roll-on?
Every day, if that suits you. The blend is safe for ongoing use. Apply it whenever stress starts to build, or before it does. Tuck the bottle into your bag or desk drawer so it is there when you need it. A regular habit works better than waiting for a hard day to arrive.
Which cedarwood species is in the recipe?
Virginian cedarwood, Juniperus virginiana. It is actually a juniper, not a true cedar. If you are holding a different bottle, the cedarwood substitution post walks through your options.
Learn to blend for stress
Recipes like this one are part of the Aromatherapy for Natural Living course, along with the safety knowledge behind them. It is a plain, practical place to start blending for calm.
References & research
Dayawansa, S., Katsumi, U., Takakuro, H., Hori, E., Tabuchi, E., Nagashima, Y., Oosu, H., Yada, Y., Suzuki, T., Ono, T., Nishijo, H. (2003) Autonomic responses during inhalation of natural fragrance of Cedrol in humans. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basal & Clinical Oct 31; 108(1-2):79-86.
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 doi.org/10.1055/s-2003-41114
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
Medeiros, K., Dos Santos, J. R., Melo, T., de Souza, M. F., Santos, L. G., de Gois, A. M., Cintra, R. R., Lins, L., Ribeiro, A. M., & Marchioro, M. (2018). Depressant effect of geraniol on the central nervous system of rats: Behavior and ECoG power spectra. Biomedical journal, 41(5), 298–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2018.08.008
Setzer, W.N. (2009) Essential Oils and Anxiolytic Aromatherapy. Natural Product Communications. 4(9), 1305-1316.
Zhang K, Yao L. (2018) The anxiolytic effect of Juniperus virginiana L. essential oil and determination of its active constituents. Physiology & Behavior. 2018 May 15;189:50-58. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.01.004. Epub 2018 Jan 8. PMID: 29326032.
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