Essential Oils for Stress and Anxiety

A bottle of lavender essential oil alongside a bunch of lavender flowers, offering soothing benefits for stress and anxiety.
Picture of Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge

Diffusing essential oils is an easy way to reduce stress levels, as they can affect both the brain and body. When you inhale essential oils, it stimulates the olfactory system, which is the part of the brain connected to smell. Essential oil molecules that enter the nose or mouth pass to the lungs and eventually the brain and other parts of the body. As the molecules reach the brain, they affect several regions, including the limbic system, which is linked to emotions, our memory, and attentional systems, as well as our hormone and immune systems. They can lower cortisol and stress levels. Kids really enjoy essential oils and it can help us not just lower stress levels but they can boost our immune system too. Research with essential oils demonstrates that they can be effective in improving mood and sleep, as well as can be uplifting and calming. Some oils can improve multiple issues. For example, eucalyptus can decrease stress and pain, as well as promote relaxation, which has a direct impact on mental health.  

Essential Oils For Relaxation:

  • Lavender
  • Bergamot
  • Sweet orange
  • Peppermint
  • Frankincense
  • Myrrh
  • Rose
  • Eucalyptus 

Essential Oils for Sleep:

 
  • Chamomile
  • Lavender
  • Sandalwood
  • Bergamot

Essential Oils for Anxiety:

 
  • Lavender
  • Chamomile
  • Basil
  • Lemon
  • Sandalwood
  • Jasmine
  • Vetiver
  • Rose
  • Patchouli

There are many kinds of essential oils and ways to use them, please read my blog, The Best Essential Oils for Mental Health for essential oil basics.

What essential oils work best for OCD, attention and improving brain functioning? 

Check out my blogs: 

Always remember… “Calm Brain, Happy Family™”

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results.

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If you are a business or organization that needs proactive guidance to support employee mental health or an organization looking for a brand representative, check out Dr. Roseann’s professional speaking page to see how we can work together. 

Dr. Roseann is a Children’s Mental Health Expert and Therapist who has been featured in/on hundreds of  media outlets including, CBS, NBC, FOX News, PIX11 NYC, The New York Times, The Washington Post,, Business Insider, USA Today, CNET, Marth Stewart, and PARENTS. FORBES called her, “A thought leader in children’s mental health.” 

She is the founder and director of The Global Institute of Children’s Mental Health and Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge. Dr. Roseann is a Board Certified Neurofeedback (BCN) Practitioner, a Board Member of the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society (NRBS), Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP) and an Amen Clinic Certified Brain Health Coach.  She is also a member of The International Lyme Disease and Associated Disease Society (ILADS), The American Psychological Association (APA), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) and The Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).

© Roseann-Capanna-Hodge, LLC 2023

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