15 Best Essential Oils for Anxiety
Here are some of the best essential oils for anxiety and stress. Anxiety disorders are not fun to live with at all, so try using these essential oils that help with anxiety symptoms to see if they work for you!
Essentials oils are extremely beneficial to your mind, body, and soul. Anxiety is a mental illness that is affecting more and more people.
Many turn to medicine and therapy to help with this illness; however, there are some essential oils to help anxiety symptoms as well.
I’ve struggled with anxiety all my life, but it’s gotten much worse since becoming a mom. I tried prescription medicine, but I felt more like a zombie with it.
So I got off and tried a more holistic approach with essential oils, herbs, eating better, exercising more, sleeping more, etc.
Because I’ve been using essential oils for anxiety for years now, I wanted to share my list of the best essential oils for stress and anxiety that I’ve used to help ease my symptoms and promote relaxation!
I am not a doctor/physician, nurse, or any other medical professional. This is for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.
How to Use Essential Oils
Oils can be used in two main ways:
- Topical: you can put oils on your skin. Your skin will absorb them in as little as three seconds. However, be careful with the citrus oils. Those are sun-sensitive and can harm your skin.
- Diffusing: simply put some into a diffuser with water. You will smell the oils and reap the benefits!
The more I learned, I realized essential oils should NOT be taken internally, unless you are working directly with a certified aromatherapist.
It is best to stick with topical and diffusers to use these calming essential oils!
Learn how to harness the powerful effects of essential oils for your anxiety with my comprehensive ebook, “Calming Anxiety with Essential Oils.”
Where to Apply Essential Oils for Anxiety
There are many places you can apply essential oils to relieve anxiety. Be sure to always dilute your oils with a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, etc. Or you can just get some roll on essential oils for anxiety that many companies sell already diluted.
I’ve found that my favorite places to apply essential oils are on my wrists, along the side of my neck, behind my ears, and as a perfume spray.
Try any of these out and see what works best for you.
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Top Essential Oils for Anxiety
Here are some of the top essential oils good for anxiety. Remember, what works for someone, might not work for you. Take time to figure out what works and helps you best. It is a trial and error method.
Bergamot
Bergamot is one of the top essential oils to help with anxiety. There were many studies that showed it help elevate anxious feelings both in humans and animals.
Rich in mood-enhancing compounds, such as limonene and linalool, bergamot oil helps alleviate feelings of anxiety, depression, and agitation.
Diffusing bergamot oil or diluting it for topical application can foster a sense of tranquility and positivity.
Lavender
Lavender is one of the top essential oils for anxiety and sleep that most people know about.
Renowned for its calming properties, lavender essential oil is a go-to remedy for anxiety relief. Its soothing scent has been shown to reduce nervous tension, promote relaxation, and improve sleep quality.
Incorporating lavender oil into your daily routine through diffusion, massage, or in lavender bath salts can help alleviate anxiety symptoms effectively.
It is one of my favorite essential oils for moms!
Vetiver
Vetiver essential oil, extracted from the roots of the vetiver plant, offers a deep, earthy aroma that promotes relaxation and emotional stability.
Its grounding properties help alleviate anxiety symptoms, such as nervousness and agitation, while fostering a sense of tranquility and balance.
This is an oil that is less known but can have great benefits for those with anxiety.
There was a study done that used this oil on rats and it aided in their relaxation. It also showed that it had similar effects to an anxiety drug, diazepam.
I’ve used vetiver, but I preferred it in a blend and not by itself. It is another one of the top essential oils for anxiety and depression!
Frankincense
Made from a Boswellia tree, this oil is similar to lavender because of all the variety of ways to use this oil. It is also one of the gifts given to Christ in the bible, which makes it extra special.
With another study, this oil, paired with lavender and bergamot helped those suffering from terminal cancer. It eased their anxiety, depression, and pain.
Revered for its grounding and centering effects, frankincense essential oil offers valuable support in alleviating many common anxiety symptoms.
Its woody, earthy scent promotes deep relaxation, balances emotions, and fosters a sense of inner peace. Whether diffused during meditation or applied topically, frankincense oil aids in calming the mind and enhancing overall well-being.
Patchouli
Patchouli essential oil, with its rich, earthy scent, offers grounding and stabilizing effects on the mind and emotions.
Known for its ability to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression, patchouli oil helps foster a sense of inner peace and contentment. It is used in many medicines for anxiety as well!
Diffuse patchouli oil or dilute it for topical application to experience its mood-balancing benefits.
Chamomile
Chamomile essential oil offers gentle yet effective anxiety relief. Its sweet, floral aroma calms the mind, eases tension, and soothes frazzled nerves.
Whether diffused in the air or added to a warm bath with chamomile salts, chamomile oil provides a comforting smell during moments of stress and anxiety.
Clary Sage
For a warm, herbal aroma that helps ease tension and promote relaxation, try clary sage essential oil. Its calming effects on the nervous system make it beneficial for reducing anxiety symptoms, such as nervousness and restlessness.
I also love clary sage for helping with painful periods and balancing my hormones too, so it’s a total win-win situation!
Ylang Ylang
Ylang ylang essential oil is another one of my favorite essential oils for calming scent.
It is derived from the flowers of the ylang ylang tree, and has a floral aroma known for its profound relaxation properties.
This exotic oil helps reduce stress, calm the mind, and uplift the spirit, making it an excellent choice for anxiety management.
Incorporate ylang ylang oil into your self-care routine for a blissful escape from worries. It reminds me of living in Hawaii and being on the beach and it just instantly relaxes me! I use ylang ylang in my daily perfume.
Sandalwood
Sandalwood essential oil, with its warm, woody scent, has long been revered for its ability to induce relaxation and promote mental clarity.
Its grounding and centering effects make it an ideal choice for managing anxiety and stress. Whether diffused in the air or applied topically, sandalwood oil helps create a sense of calmness and inner peace.
Neroli
Derived from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, neroli essential oil emits a sweet, floral fragrance known for its calming and uplifting effects.
Its ability to help you relax makes it a valuable ally in managing stress and emotional turmoil. Diffuse neroli oil or dilute it for topical application to experience its soothing benefits.
Blue Tansy
Blue tansy essential oil is another one of my favorite essential oils to help with mental health.
It possesses natural calming properties that help soothe the nervous system and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Its sweet, herbaceous aroma has a gentle sedative effect, which can induce a sense of relaxation and tranquility.
This blue essential oil contains compounds like chamazulene and sabinene, which have been studied for their stress-reducing effects.
By inhaling the aroma of blue tansy oil, these compounds interact with the brain’s limbic system, helping to regulate emotions and promote a sense of calmness.
It is one of the first ways I used aromatherapy for anxiety was a blend with blue tansy in it!
Stress Away
One of the essential oil blends for anxiety and panic attacks that my husband adores is Stress Away from Young Living.
It instantly lifts our moods and smells like vanilla goodness. It is one of the top oils we use in our diffuser. We stopped using Young Living for most everything else, but we do keep a bottle of this around since I haven’t found a comparable one.
Peace and Calming
Another one of the essential oils for anxiety Young Living offers is Peace and Calming. It is really nice for our kids when we need them to calm down and has really helped my anxiety levels before leaving the house.
But, I stopped using it when I found a much cheaper and organic option that is down below.
Calming Blend
For a much cheaper alternative to Peace and Calming, try this Calming Blend from Mountain Rose Herbs.
I found it to be very comparable with almost all the same essential oils in the blend but so much more affordable!!
For more help with understanding how best to use essential oils for your anxiety, grab my comprehensive ebook, “Calming Anxiety with Essential Oils.”
Essential Oils for Anxiety and Panic Attacks Wrap-Up
Hopefully you found some essential oils for anxiety and stress that will help with your symptoms!
Remember, what works for me may not work for you. These oils are not magic, but they can help you with your anxiety. Mixed with therapy, exercise, and a healthy diet, you can get the best results.
Try out any of these monthly essential oil aromatherapy boxes to get started using oils in your life.