In our fast-paced and hectic world, finding moments of tranquility amidst the chaos can feel elusive. If you are among those who find it difficult to take the time to relax and de-stress we have a surefire way to bring stillness and composure to any hectic day. With the help of stress-relieving techniques and the natural remedy of essential oils, you can create pockets of peace and restore balance to your life. 

To understand how stress affects us, we have to understand how our body responds to stress. When we experience a stressful situation, adrenaline and stress hormones such as cortisol are released and course through the body. In life-threatening circumstances, such as being chased by an animal, the fight or flight response is triggered which activates the release of these necessary hormones. They help us to mobilize energy, sharpen focus, and heighten alertness. Once clear of the threat, our body normalizes and balances its hormone levels. 

Yet, when stress becomes chronic we experience a prolonged elevation of adrenaline and stress hormones. This can occur when one experiences ongoing stressors such as work pressure, relationship difficulties, financial strain and health concerns. Without an adequate opportunity for relaxation and recovery, our body can suffer from sleep issues, headaches, muscle tension, anxiety disorder, depression, digestive problems and potentially even weight gain.[1,2,3] 

Thankfully, we can do a number of things to help deal with these stressors such as exercise, getting adequate sleep, engaging in hobbies, practicing mindfulness and exploring natural remedies such as essential oils. One mindfulness activity that many find helpful is “retraining” our brain to understand what is truly a threat to our existence. 

As Dr. Brian King explains in his book “The Art of Taking it Easy,” many of us find traffic stressful because the car you are behind is not moving and you are going to be late for an event or just want to get home. You recognize that the cars ahead are also caught in traffic and that being stuck in traffic, although an inconvenience, is not a threat to your life. He suggests when you start feeling upset and stressed about anything that isn't going to harm your life, say out loud to yourself “This is not a threat.”[4] Changing your perspective can be the difference between being angry and inconvenienced to realizing you need to just be patient. 

Practicing mindfulness and deep breathing techniques with the assistance of relaxing essential oils can help you reduce your stress. Essential oil research has shown time and again that certain essential oils which work on and through the limbic system of the brain, have a calming and uplifting effect on mood. It's incredibly important to reduce stress in your life as long-term stress can have a deleterious effect on many of our body’s systems including weakening immunity, cardiovascular issues, digestive problems and mental health.[1,5,6]

Do Essential Oils Actually Relieve Stress?

Scientific research on a number of essential oils holds a positive view of essential oils as intervention methods for stress levels and a dramatic decline in hormone markers such as cortisol. 

Inhalation of essential oils has proven to have an effective result via the limbic system of the brain which is the hormone center directly reached through the nasal pathways. In a study of Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Bergamot, results positively demonstrated that essential oils facilitate a reduction in blood pressure and improve conditions of hypertension.[7]

Which Essential Oil Is Best For Stress And Focus?

If you were to make a list of essential oils that have stress and anxiety-reducing abilities, we might be here for a while. This list will no doubt contain any number of oils from different plant origins such as resins, woods, florals and citrus. When combined, these oils work to bring you their grounding, mood-enhancing and stress-relieving properties. 

Edens Garden’s Stress Less essential oil blend has been formulated with the most-researched grounding and stress-reducing essential oils such as Cedarwood, Bergamot, Osmanthus, Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang oil. On top of this, mood-enhancing and anxiety-relieving essential oils such as Lime, Angelica Root and Jasmine fill out the blend to help bring peace and shake off feelings of unease and apprehension. 

When it comes to being able to focus, certain essential oils give off their energetics to improve concentration when confronting the hardship of anxiety and stress. Being centered and focused on any tasks at hand can be difficult when sleep quality is not optimal. Certain essential oils can be inspirational and include citrus oils such as Bergamot, Lime and Osmanthus. Oils in this blend can augment those effects such as Juniper Berry which has lasting stamina and Galbanum with its emotional staying power.

What Essential Oils Help With Anxiety And Fatigue?

Grounding oils cultivated from wood and resin combined with uplifting citrus and heart-mending florals are absolutely go-to oils that can diminish uneasiness. Looking at the skillfully formulated ingredients in Stress Less essential oil blend, citrus oils of Bergamot and Lime in particular are coupled with Juniper Berry to improve moments of fatigue and mental clarity. 

Bergamot, Lime, Cedarwood and Sandalwood oils are widely used for centering, grounding and balancing the body and mind. Angelica Root is topped with Galbanum and Tuberose Absolute which work to fortify the spirit and bolster reassurance. 

By addressing chronic stress with natural methods and mindfulness, we can strive to restore balance in our lives and mitigate any long-term effects of sustained cortisol and stress hormones to foster overall well-being.

SOURCES:

1. Chronic Stress Puts Your Life at Risk https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
2. Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2474765/?source=post_page
3. Chronic Stress, Cortisol Dysfunction, and Pain: A Psychoneuroendocrine Rationale for Stress Management in Pain Rehabilitation https://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?url=https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-pdf/94/12/1816/31636182/ptj1816.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2ft1ZIapF7iBy9YP0MKi-AY&scisig=AGlGAw8lXVTSf5mWqDUOrzJgFfXw&oi=scholarr
4. King, Dr. Brian. The Art of Taking It Easy https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-art-of-taking-it-easy
5. Stressed Out? Aromatherapy Can Help you Feel Calmer https://health.clevelandclinic.org/stressed-out-aromatherapy-can-help-you-to-feel-calmer/#:~:text=A%20scent%20can%20be%20more,feel%20calmer%20and%20more%20energized
6. The Effects of Aromatherapy on Stress and Stress Responses in Adolescents https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19571632/
7. The Effect of Inhalation Method Using Essential Oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17211115/