Six essential oils that help calm emotions

Essential oils of lavender, sweet orange, rose or patchouli... have the effect of balancing emotions and reducing stress.

Tinh dầu hoa hồng có thể thúc đẩy thư giãn, giảm căng thẳng và nâng cao tâm trạng. (Nguồn: Pinterest)

Rose essential oil can promote relaxation, reduce stress, and uplift mood. (Source: Pinterest)

Health coach and mindfulness expert Heidi Horne says that using essential oils along with meditation or other forms of practice helps disconnect from work, allowing you to unwind before bed, thereby reducing stress levels.

Below are six essential oils commonly used as emotional calming aids.

Bergamot

“There have been numerous studies showing that bergamot can help reduce anxiety and stress while also providing a mood-enhancing effect,” says aromatherapist Natalie Miller.

A study conducted in Taiwan (China) during the Covid-19 period showed that bergamot essential oil reduced work-related stress in nurses, while a US study showed that smelling the oil can promote positive emotions and mental health.

Lavender

Research shows that this popular essential oil reduces stress levels in humans and dogs. Melbourne holistic veterinarian Dr. Nicole Rous says this may be due to the chemical components found in lavender, including linalool and linalyl acetate.

"Essential oils are smelled and go straight to the brain in pets just like they do in humans. Cats have a slightly different liver metabolism...

So we are a little more careful when using essential oils, especially with the dilution ratio and frequency,” says Rous, adding that horses also respond wonderfully, being happier when exposed to lavender essential oil.

Patchouli

Woody, sweet, and slightly spicy, patchouli is known to promote relaxation by calming the sympathetic nervous system.

A study published in 2020 found that emergency nurses who smelled patchouli essential oil had significantly lower stress levels than nurses in a control group.

Rose

Rose essential oil is prized for its therapeutic properties, says Heidi. “It is used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation, reduce stress and uplift mood,” she says.

A recent Iranian study also found that nurses exposed to the scent of rose essential oil for two hours a day for four weeks experienced less work-related stress. They also reported a reduced reliance on anti-anxiety medication.

Sweet orange

With its fresh, fruity scent, sweet orange essential oil helps relieve stress and anxiety. “Sweet orange oil is a ‘happy oil.’ You can’t help but smile when you smell it,” says Natalie.

Magnolia

With its aromatic, floral, and fresh properties, ylang ylang essential oil promotes a feeling of grounding, according to Heidi. It is known to improve mood, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and reduce anxiety.

How to use essential oils to reduce stress

"The simplest and easiest way is to put a drop or two on a tissue and smell the aroma when you start to feel your stress levels rising," says Natalie.

Alternatively, you can make your own essential oil rollerball by using a small roller bottle, filling it with a carrier oil such as diluted coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or avocado oil, with a few drops of your chosen essential oil.

Heidi recommends rubbing the diluted oil onto pulse points such as your wrists, temples, or the back of your neck.

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