Anxiety is a normal response to stressful events in our lives and we all feel it to varying degrees on a day to day basis. More people than usual are experiencing anxiety due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Hopefully this will be a short term thing for people but for others it can be long term and debilitating and they will need professional help.
Are you feeling anxiety at the moment and what does it feel like to you? Is it a physical thing? Emotional thing? Psychological?
These are some common signs of anxiety:
- Excessive worrying
- Feeling agitated
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Irritability
- Tense Muscles e.g grind teeth
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Panic Attacks
- Irrational fears
- Loss of appetite and poor digestion
- Loss of libido
- Increased OCD
- Poor Skin/ breakouts
- Tantrums in children
Thankfully essential oils have the incredible potential to soothe and reduce feelings of anxiety.
A qualified aromatherapist will be able to select specific essential oils for a blend that deals with a whole host of issues the client is facing. To get you started here are the best essential oils for anxiety.
The best essential oils to use for stress and anxiety are Roman Chamomile, Lavender, Bergamot, Sweet Orange, Rose Otto, Vetiver, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Frankincense and Neroli. To be honest any essential oil has the potential to relieve anxiety and stress just try them out and see how they make you feel.
In Aromatherapy we talk about top, middle and base notes.
The top notes from these anxiety oils are the citrus ones, these are great for morning time to get going and feel positive and focused. The middle notes are lavender & Geranium and these will help you feel more balanced and help with any mood swings. The base notes are Vetiver, Ylang Ylang, Rose and Frankincense, are heavy grounding oils and are good for evening time to before bed and they will help you let go of any fear or panic or grief.
You can use them via
– Diffusion (use 6-12 drops in a diffuser and diffuse for 30-60 mins)
– Inhalation (put 2-3 drops on a cotton wool pad)
– In the bath (use 4-6 drops in 1 tablespoon of base oil e.g Grapeseed oil, or Neal’s Yard Remedies Create Hair and Body Wash and then disperse into the bath)
Never put essential oils neat on the skin, directly into a bath, or take them internally.
A relaxing diffuser blend: Bergamot (4 drops), Sweet Orange (3 drops) and Lavender (3 drops)
A relaxing bath blend: Clary Sage (1 drop), Geranium (1 drop) and Frankincense (2 drops)
A diffuser blend to help you sleep: Lavender (4 drops), Neroli (2 drops) and Roman Chamomile (2 drops), or put one drop of each on a cotton wool pad and put it in your pillow case. Another suggestion is to use either the Neal’s Yard Remedies Relaxation or Night time remedies to roll. You can put it under your pillow and use it on your temples and wrists when you can’t sleep.
Essential oils can help to alleviate the mild symptoms of COVID-19 but remember aromatherapy is a complementary healthcare and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. To alleviate mild symptoms and/or boost immunity use 6-12 drops of Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic Defence blend in your diffuser, or opt for a blend of Lavender (4 drops), Tea tree (3 drops) and Eucalyptus Globulus (3 drops). If you don’t have a diffuser put one drop of each on a cotton wool pad to inhale.
If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, or are using them on children or elderly, please consult either myself or another IFPA qualified aromatherapist (www.ifparoma.org) before using essential oils. Buy good quality essential oils, preferably organic, from an ethical supplier.
Please do check out my Instagram and Facebook page for tips and advice. I’m offering free telephone consultations at the moment whilst we are unable to offer full treatments (07947 819 492).
I also sell Neal’s Yard Remedies products including diffusers, essential oils, hand wash&lotion and natural defence hand spray. These can be delivered straight to your door via my online shop https://uk.nyrorganic.
