Essential oils with relaxing properties
Essential oils have a profound effect not only on the physical but also on the mental and emotional aspects and play an important role in stress management and relaxation.
There are numerous Relaxing Essential Oils which have calming and rebalancing properties of the nervous system and which are able to instill a sensation of deep relaxation and recovery of the harmonious state.
In general, the best methods to achieve a relaxing effect are olfaction, environmental diffusion and topical application:
- THE'smell It is done by placing one or two drops of the chosen essential oil in the palm of your hands, then rubbing your hands together and inhaling into a cup. You can also place a drop of essential oil on a tissue and then inhale.
- For the environmental diffusion, with ultrasonic diffusers, 6 or 7 drops of essential oil in the diffuser are enough to obtain an effect. After about half an hour, if there is a need to continue, it is better to add a few more drops.
- THE'topical application It can consist of a real massage or simple, short frictions on pulse points such as the wrists, nape of the neck, behind the ear and solar plexus.
Among the essential oils with relaxing effects we find the lavender officinalis, marjoram, sweet orange and bitter orange, bergamot, neroli and vetiver.
Let's see what the characteristics and differences are so that we can be sure to always use the best remedy.
The Lavender
It is perhaps one of the most well-known and most used relaxing essential oils. It is very flexible and extremely easy to handle and can be used from the first months of life. We can imagine it as an outstretched hand ready to come to our aid. It brings with it peace, calm, harmony, tranquility and serenity. It is an aid in dealing with states of anxiety, agitation, but also fear and sadness. It is not a sedative oil and this makes it useful in all circumstances in which we need to calm the mind and increase alertness. It is very good for promoting relaxation in even very young children, just add a drop of essential oil to the bath water or a drop in a spoonful of vegetable oil and massage their feet. Very useful when agitation and anxiety cause an increase in blood pressure thanks to its hypotensive properties. With lavender we can harmonize our three levels, physical-mental-emotional when one of the three takes over the others.
Discover all the properties of lavender essential oils
The Marjoram
It is very good when we want to get rid of anger, fear, worry and it is perfect for insomnia due to mental wear and tear. It is used for all problems of the digestive system caused by stress, such as gastritis, colitis, intestinal fermentation, swelling. It is effective in cases of contractures due to nervous tension and in cases of muscle-tension headaches thanks to its ability to bring relaxation to both the contracted area and the nervous system. To perform an anti-stress massage, you can add 3 or 4 drops of essential oil to a spoonful of vegetable oil and rub it on the contracted area. For digestive problems, it can be massaged at the height of the stomach or on the abdomen conveyed in carrier oil, a few drops are enough because it is very active. It is very good in environmental diffusion in association with lavender officinalis, a good mix can be 2 drops of marjoram and 3 drops of lavender. In case of arrhythmia and palpitations, you can put a drop of lavender and one of marjoram on your hands, rub and inhale with a cup
The Bitter Orange And the Sweet Orange
have very similar effects and can be used alternatively. Orange is mainly an antidepressant and anxiolytic. It brings joy and optimism, opens to smiles and the joy of living. It speaks of awakening and regeneration. We can therefore think of orange every time anxiety and stress are accompanied by a state of melancholy and sadness or apathy and tiredness. A good way to use it is to put a few drops on the morning shower sponge during the rinsing phase. It goes well with fir and cinnamon to obtain a more energizing effect and with bergamot, neroli and vanilla for a more relaxing effect
The BErgamot
It is a citrus fruit that is much more varied in its composition and properties than the others. It is a real antidote for stress and anxiety. It acts directly on the hypothalamus and can regulate hunger, thirst, anger, sex. It is therefore very good both for nervous hunger and for cases in which agitation and anxiety contract the stomach. It promotes the release of repressed feelings and emotions that are often the origin of our states of anxiety and stress. It brings a message of hope and is a relief in cases of crying, melancholy and black mood. It can be used in synergy with lavender and benzoin to promote sleep.
Neroli (Orange Blossom)
It is obtained by steam distillation of the flowers of the bitter orange tree and is a very precious essence. It is considered the rescue remedy of essential oils thanks to its ability to act quickly on shock and panic attacks. In case of anxiety attack or strong agitation you can put a couple of drops of neroli on your hands, rub and inhale cupped and a drop behind the neck or on the earlobe. It is also used to prevent nightmares in small children by diffusing it in the room where they sleep, even together with mandarin. It is excellent in case of palpitations and arrhythmias especially if due to anxiety, in this case in association with lavender.
The Vetiver
It is an essential oil of great grounding and centering. When we feel at the mercy of events and we cannot find our center, just put a drop of vetiver under the soles of our feet to immediately find a feeling of stability. It is suitable for all people who tend to have their head in the clouds
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