Essential Oils for Anxiety — 6 Affordable (and 100% Pure) Options
Sick of stress and cravin’ a little Zen?
Browse these science-backed oils for calm and relaxation.
Key takeaway: On the lookout for relaxing oils to try? Bergamot, peppermint, and rose are all supported by research. Or feel free to take a look at this specially-made Anxiety Essential Oil blend.
Let’s be real, 2020-21 hasn’t been the easiest ride (thanks, Coronavirus...)
So if your nerves feel a little frayed — or stress seems to be gaining the upper hand — this guide on the best essential oils for anxiety may be just the thing for you.
You’re welcome to scroll to the section that you want to learn about first. Here’s what we’ll cover:
Benefits of Essential Oils for Anxiety
So, What Are the Best Essential Oils for Anxiety?
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Stress
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Focus
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Headaches
How to Use Essential Oils for Anxiety
Can I Make Roll-On Essential Oils for Anxiety?
Where to Apply Essential Oils for Anxiety
Benefits of Essential Oils for Anxiety
Research on the health-promoting benefits of essential oils seems to be increasing by the year. Encouraging results have identified that certain oils can help with:
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Reducing anxiety and stress
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Promoting sleep
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Easing headaches and migraines
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Decreasing inflammation
Generally, essential oils are viewed as an alternative, natural remedy. They’re intended to be used alongside traditional therapies, rather than replacing them.
The oils’ ease of application — and relatively low price, compared with other anxiety-relief therapies — make them a tempting option to enjoy at home.
Yet, we’ve got to feel confident that they can actually… y’know… work!
Show’s always better than tell, in this regard. So, let’s see what a few customers of Amazon’s Choice for anxiety essential oil are saying! (Last updated - February 2021)
Lisa W. — 7 January 2020:
“Great blend which believe does help me. I use it in an oil diffuser and on a diffuser bracelet made of lava stone. Great price and only a few drops needed at a time.
Recently bought some for my niece too and she is feeling more ‘chilled’ (her words) than she has in a good while! It also calms down her hyper 2 year old. It’s a winner!”
Source: Amazon
Curious to check it out?
Here’s the anxiety essential oil that the reviews above and below are raving about:
Source: Aroma Energy Website
Abby, 13 July 2020:
“Smells like heaven on a fluffy, relaxing, relieving, cloud! I can't get enough of this fragrance, I've had it in my diffuser since it arrived (it came a lot earlier than stated btw). It's a generic sized essential oil, glass bottle. The oil is as thick as any other oil out there. It's perfect to me.
I've also found I'm suddenly sleeping much sounder and getting off to sleep relatively early for me after months and months of not sleeping well at all. It's genuinely making me feel more relaxed when I have it on.
Can't rate it enough. I'm ordering another now just incase it ever disappears.”
Source: Amazon
As you’ll have read, some of the key benefits of essential oil for anxiety that customers are pleased with include:
- Feeling more “chilled” and relaxed
- Sleeping more soundly
- Aiding tension headaches
So, What Are the Best Essential Oils for Anxiety?
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Stress
Choosing our top two essential oils for anxiety and stress is sort of impossible, to be honest. There are several extremely strong contenders!
Still, for the sake of simplicity, here’s what we’d go for…
If we had to only choose two (meanie!):
Bergamot Essential Oil
Pharmacological studies have found bergamot essential oil is useful for decreasing feelings of stress and anxiety.
Seen as an exotic hybrid of orange and lemon, bergamot is also known for its mood-improving and anti-inflammatory effects — such as inhibiting neuroblastoma (cancer) cell activity.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang Ylang (pronounced “lang-lang” — the silent Y’s throw everyone off) is a true gem of an oil...
As Verywell Health explains, Ylang Ylang oil is thought to calm the limbic system — a central part of your brain for managing emotions.
The fruity, floral fragrance is unmistakable, and its wellness properties have been widely reported.
An example, you ask?
Ylang Ylang was one of the key essential oils investigated in this rather insightful piece of research. The team discovered that the oils successfully lowered blood pressure, as well as certain stress hormones.
Neat, huh?
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Focus
Anxious thoughts are the ultimate distraction, so it’s no wonder if you’ve experienced brain fog in times when you’ve been under chronic stress.
To promote a renewed sense of mental clarity, check out our favourite essential oils for anxiety and focus:
Rosemary Essential Oil
So, what do the experts have to say about rosemary essential oil?
Amy Galper — a board-certified aromatherapist and founder of the New York Institute of Aromatic Studies — explains how the earthy scent of rosemary can boost mental focus:
“This oil is rich in molecules that are shown to be very protective and supportive to our overall wellbeing.
The aroma offers an experience of profound clarity and purification, and can energize our thoughts and exercise our memory.”
Basil Essential Oil
Basil’s only good for salads and pizza toppings. Right?
Wrong!
Turns out that, in essential oil form, basil can also serve up a healthy, welcome dose of concentration.
Health scientist Dr. Damian Rodriguez tells us why:
“Basil oil provides great benefits to both the mind and body due to its high linalool content, making it an ideal application to help reduce feelings of tension when applied to the temples and back of the neck.
You can also use it in a diffuser to promote a sense of focus while studying or reading.”
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Headaches
When the Association of Migraine Disorders talks glowingly about the use of essential oils, you know you’re probably onto a winner...
But with so many aromas out there, which essential oils for anxiety and headaches should you opt for?
Again, here are our top two if we had to narrow it down:
Lavender Essential Oil
Researchers looking into how effective lavender essential oil could be for migraine headaches yielded a set of encouraging results.
Participants who were diagnosed with such headaches were asked to inhale lavender essential oil for 15 minutes.
Symptoms and headache severity were then measured in 30-minute intervals, over the course of a couple of hours.
A significant reduction in severity was seen. 92 of the 129 migraine-sufferers said they responded well to the lavender intervention.
The researchers’ closing summary, in lieu of this?
“Inhalation of lavender essential oil may be an effective and safe treatment modality in acute management of migraine headaches.”
Peppermint Essential Oil
It turns out quite a lot of people search “is peppermint essential oil good for anxiety?” into Google.
Hmm. What’s the answer, then?
Yes, it is! Peppermint essential oil is high in menthol content, which is known to give relief from emotional and physical discomfort — including tension headaches.
One study looked at how well peppermint oil could lower pain intensity from episodic tension type headaches.
In their write-up, the scientists found that a 10% oil solution was an “effective and safe treatment option for patients suffering from episodic tension type headache.”
Want to find out how the “hot-selling” essential oils rank in 2021?
Take a quick glance through this article:
RELATED - Best Essential Oils for 2021
How to Use Essential Oils for Anxiety
As Holland & Barrett say, essential oils such as chamomile and lavender are celebrated for their calming effects.
But if you’re wondering where the best place to start is, here are a few ideas on how to use essential oils for anxiety:
- Inhale
Breeeeathe it in!
Yes, inhalation is one of the most popular methods to enjoy essential oils.
You can place a few drops of oil on a cotton ball or muslin cloth for a daily breathing practice.
Deep breathing is one of the most well-known techniques to relieve tension and is supported by the NHS. Coupling it with an essential oil for anxiety can be an ideal way to reset.
Plus, it’s easy to take a cloth or cotton ball out and about with you if you tend to experience more anxiety away from home.
Busy days, loud social events, and even driving can be less stressful with an oil-dabbed cloth by your side.
Alternatively, you can apply some oil to your jewellery (such as bracelets or pendants). Just make sure to mix with a carrier oil if it’s going to touch your skin.
- Bath Time!
Like with inhalation, there are many wellbeing benefits of using essential oils in the bath...
So, is it time to fetch your rubber duck?
Perhaps!
We all know there’s nothing like a soothing bath to ease a stressed mind and achy muscles...
Make your next bath even more of a treat by adding a few drops of essential oil (such as Tea Tree or Frankincense) to a warm tub of bubbles!
- Diffuse
Want to give both you and your room a refresh?
Diffusing could be the perfect option to cleanse the air.
Grab an essential oil like peppermint or patchouli and add 2-3 drops to a diffuser or oil burner. Aromatherapy at its finest!
- Massage
Massage has got to be one of the best words in the dictionary, hasn’t it? Just saying it sounds nice:
Mass-age. Oh yeah!
We’d all like more massages — in a matter of minutes, your muscles can go from super-tense to relaxed and almost jelly-like.
So, let your essential oil for anxiety and carrier oil join hands for a wholesome self-care practice.
You can experiment with the amount of carrier oil you may need. But remember, it’s always best to apply it fairly liberally to prevent skin irritation from the stronger essential oils.
Once you’ve got the mix sorted, rub it gently onto your skin for a soft (and kinda sensual) effect.
DIY — Create Your Own Worry-Bustin’ Blends!
Intrigued by the idea of making your own oil mixes?
Mindbodygreen have a couple of suggested diffuser blends that you can try experiment with:
- Rosemary essential oil (x3 drops)
- Lavender essential oil (x2 drops)
- Orange essential oil (x2 drops)
- Peppermint essential oil (x1 drop)
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Geranium essential oil (x2 drops)
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Clary Sage essential oil (x2 drops)
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Patchouli essential oil (x1 drop)
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Ylang Ylang essential oil (x1 drop)
Fancy giving one of the recipes a go?
Browse our full range of pure essential oils, where you’ll find all of the oils above.
Or, if you’d prefer a ready-made essential oil for anxiety, you can purchase the Anxiety Life Essential Oil.
A 100% natural, therapeutic blend, it’s also vegan and cruelty-free.
Anxiety Life Essential Oil — All of the Aroma Energy oils come in safe glass bottles with a tamper-evident cap and dropper insert.
Can I Make Roll-On Essential Oils for Anxiety?
Absolutely.
It’s pretty simple to put together your own roll-on for the purpose of applying essential oil.
You can buy empty rollerball bottles from our eBay shop, we sell these amber glass bottles that are refillable and leak-proof.
Simply add however many drops you wish to the rollerball. Around five or six drops of essential oil should be enough for a 10ml roller bottle.
Word of caution. Don’t forget to fill the rest of the bottle with a carrier oil — otherwise it’ll be way too strong!
Coconut, jojoba, and hempseed oil are all smooth, safe carriers.
You can pick your favourites from these £1.95 carrrier oils.
Where to Apply Essential Oils for Anxiety
Once you’ve mixed your carrier oil with one of the essential oils for anxiety, roll the blend across nicely tender areas, like:
- Behind your neck
- The soles of your feet
- Your inner wrists
Use Roller Bottles to Apply Oils to the Soles of Your Feet, Neck, or Wrists
Many thanks for reading!
Got a question about the essential oils for anxiety listed in this article?
Or maybe you’d prefer to combine several oils in a blissfully calm blend?
Just say hi — we’re here to help! You can reach the team at:
Happy oilin’
P.S. Know what would be lovely?
If you could share this page with any friends or family who may also benefit from learning about essential oils for anxiety. Cheers!
Written by Declan Davey (Health & Wellness Copywriter)
RELATED - 5 Essential Oil Sleep Recipes & Blends to Relax After a Stressful Day
**Disclaimer: The content on the Aroma Energy blog is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please do not ignore professional medical advice because of any information on https://aromaenergy.co.uk/. If you have any concerns about your health, consult a healthcare professional or GP.
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