Essential oils can enhance our mental health and emotional wellness. I offer a brief summary of 10 oils that can offer support to the nervous system, while enhancing mood and offering balance. Aromatherapy supports mental health!
What are Essential Oils?
- Natural Benefits: Essential oils give plants their distinctive smells, protect plants, and play a role in plant pollination. Beyond their benefits to plants, these oils have long been used in food preparation, beauty treatments, and health-care practices.
- Aromatic and Therapeutic: Essential oils are ideal for aromatherapy, where these plant compounds help maintain a healthy mind and body. The specific volatile aromatic compounds in each oil determine both its aroma and its benefits.
- Versatile Uses: Essential oils can be used for a wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications.
How to Use Essential Oils
- Aromatic Use:
- Diffusers: Use diffusers to disperse essential oils into the air.
- Other Methods:
- Apply oil to a cotton ball and place it in the air vents of your vehicle.
- Mix oils in a spray bottle with water and mist over furniture, carpet, or linens.
- Add oil to laundry or dryer sheets.
- Use in household surface cleaners.
- Topical Use:
- Direct Application: Apply small amounts to areas such as the neck, forehead, temples, chest, abdomen, arms, legs, and the bottoms of your feet.
- Other Methods:
- Add a few drops of oil to a hot bath.
- Make a compress by soaking a towel in water with essential oils, then applying it to the desired area.
- Add oil to a lotion or moisturizer and apply to skin.
- Internal Use:
- Cooking: Use essential oils to enhance flavors in your cooking. Start with a very small amount as they are potent.
- Other Methods:
- For potent oils, use a toothpick to add the oil to food rather than drops.
- Add essential oils to water, smoothies, milk, tea, or other drinks.
- Take essential oils internally in a veggie capsule or add to a small amount of applesauce or yogurt.
Essential Oils that Promote Emotional Health & Balance
- Bergamot:
- Calming and soothing aroma.
- Used in massage therapy for calming and uplifting benefits.
- Apply to skin while showering to experience its calming aroma and skin-purifying benefits.
- May calm the nervous system and relax muscles.
- Supports healthy nervous system, cardiovascular system, cognitive function, and metabolism.
- Cedarwood:
- Rich, warm, woody scent that is grounding.
- Helps keep skin looking healthy and has surface cleansing properties.
- Soothing and calming, ideal for diffusing at the end of the day.
- Lavender:
- Widely used for its calming and relaxing qualities.
- Eases feelings of tension and reduces anxious feelings when taken internally.
- Promotes peaceful sleep and supports heart, cardiovascular, and immune functions.
- Helps soothe and calm the nervous system and promotes clear breathing and open airways.
- Clary Sage:
- Known for its calming aroma and skin benefits.
- One of the most relaxing, soothing, and balancing essential oils.
- Soothes and calms the nervous system and reduces stress and anxiousness.
- Frankincense:
- Highly prized for its extensive health benefits.
- Supports healthy immune function, cellular health, digestive system, GI tract, liver function, and musculoskeletal system.
Why Bring Essential Oils Into Your Home?
Introducing essential oils into your home not only makes it smell wonderful but also turns it into a sanctuary of comfort and relaxation. They promote healing, happiness, and wellness. Aromatherapy supports mental health! Instead of spending on medications or various gadgets, beautiful scents from essential oils can address many of your needs.
Quality Counts
The quality of the essential oils you choose is crucial. Higher quality oils yield better results. Although lower prices may be tempting, the slightly more expensive, higher-quality oils can make a significant difference. When selecting oils, remember that quality is essential for achieving the best results.
