Two of the most popular reasons people use essential oils are for relaxation and balance.
It seems that every day, researchers discover new reasons that stress can be harmful for your body and well-being. When you’re stressed or upset, your body doesn’t rest, digest, or rejuvenate as easily. Your ability to bounce back can slow down.
Tension can begin in a variety of ways. It can start physically, mentally, or emotionally, and then radiate out to affect the rest of you.
For example, if you have a difficult day at work and have to stay late, you might have a headache that evening. How did the experience of your tough day translate to head pain that night?
Your body took on your mental and emotional stress. In this case, your body might be saying, “We need to have more time off!”
The opposite is true too. Tension that starts in your body can contribute to tension in your heart and mind. If you injure a tendon in your leg, the discomfort can make you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or afraid. On top of the pain, you can’t go about your life with as much ease as you once did, so a difficult day at work will be even more of a challenge. That can add more layers to your stress.
It can become a cycle—a kind of “feedback loop” that sends stress signals from heart, to mind, to body, and back again. The longer this continues, the more out of balance you become, and the more vulnerable you are to disease and distress.
In addition to helping you feel more balanced and heal more quickly, relaxation can support you to:
Sometimes you can make changes in your lifestyle to reduce stress and relax more. However, it’s not always possible to change your conditions. Sometimes work is just busy or you’re in a transition between jobs. Sometimes you get sick or injured, and your body is healing or changing. Sometimes you’re traveling too much, and jet lag gets your sleep schedule off track. These things happen, and it’s not always something you can control.
This is where the essential oils come in! One of the ways the oils can support you is by helping you respond to your conditions in a more harmonious way.
Many essential oils have components that are known to offer a deep sense of relaxation. For example, one of the main components in lavender essential oil is linalool (also spelled “linalol”). A lot of research has been done showing that linalool has profound effects on the nervous system and can help people relax.
But you don’t need any research to know which aromas you love, and sometimes being with an aroma you love is all it takes to help you feel relaxed and centered. After all my years of using oils, it still feels magical when I take the time to simply breathe in one of my favorite scents, and feel myself become more uplifted and calm. The aromas that affect you most deeply can be very personal to you, and it’s exciting to discover your reactions to them and find the ones that give you a sense of home and comfort.
Since the oils work holistically, they can ease stress in your body, mind, and emotions.
If life is constantly go-go-go, essential oils can help you relax and move in harmony with the busy pace. (Go home from work without a headache!)
If people in your home are sick, essential oils can help your immune system stay strong so you can care for them and yourself.
If you can’t sleep, you can use essential oils throughout your day to help your body and mind learn what it means to slow down and relax. When it’s time for bed, they can help you unwind and get to sleep more easily.
It’s easy to lose connection with yourself during stressful times—it’s as though you’re constantly in a state of reaction, instead of having the time to consult with your heart and sense what it wants. Like good friends, the oils help you stay connected to yourself.
Try picking a few oils that you love, and add 10 to 15 drops to an aromatherapy inhaler. An inhaler is a little lip balm–size tube with a cotton insert that absorbs essential oils. You can carry an inhaler with you in a pocket or bag, so it’s very convenient. The aromas accompany you throughout the day, and any time you want to lift your mood, calm your mind, or reconnect with yourself, you can take a few deep breaths from your inhaler. Aromatherapy can be that simple, and that profound.
Different times call for different responses. What you need on a daily basis will probably be different what what you need in urgent situations. Summer and winter can affect you differently, as can morning and evening. The support you need when you’re healthy is not the same as what you’ll need when your body is hurting.
To know what’s right for you, pay attention to how you feel and which oils make you feel your best.