Living with anxiety is not easy. Generally, when anxiety appears in your life, it does so to stay for a long time. Only based on effort, work and finding the right treatment will you be able to manage that anxiety. To help in the medical and psychological treatment of anxiety, you can resort to numerous alternative therapies and one of the most effective is aromatherapy. We tell you what exactly it consists of and what are those aromas that can help you relax.
What is aromatherapy and what are its benefits?
According to the work aromatherapy is the “use of therapeutic grade essential oils: volatile oils extracted from aromatic herbs, flowers and trees”.
The benefits of aromatherapy have been observed since ancient times. The use of scents to achieve emotional balance is not exactly new, but more and more people are convinced of the effects of aromatherapy on many remedies. In addition, the aromas that surround us can influence our state of mind, making us feel more vital, more energetic, happier, more relaxed, more focused or happier.
In the same way that with chromotherapy you can use colors to surround yourself with an environment that gives you peace of mind, with aromatherapy you can fill your home with the most delicious smells to feel relaxed, calm and at peace. It will help you build a much more pleasant environment around you, so you will have less anxiety.
Aromatherapy has a wide variety of benefits that will help you have more physical and mental well-being. If you know what type of fragrances is best for each problem, you will be able to take advantage of all its properties to a great extent.
The 10 Best Anti-Anxiety Scents
These are the best scents to combat anxiety. Take note of them and take advantage of them through aromatherapy, either through inhalation or using them in the bath, in a massage or poultice. Get these essential oils!
1 Lavender as a relaxant
It is one of the star aromas, which is also used for the treatment of insomnia, depression and any emotional disorder. Without a doubt, lavender has sedative, calming and relaxing properties that help prevent anxiety attacks . In addition, its aroma provides the balance and well-being that any person needs. In addition, lavender helps to relax the body and to sleep better.
2 Orange blossom essential oil
The aroma of orange blossom, as well as that of the orange tree, has very effective sedative properties for all those cases of insomnia due to anxiety. It also reduces anxiety and is a great cell regenerator. Orange blossom can help you calm your nerves in the moments of greatest stress in your life.
3 Geranium aromatherapy
Geranium essential oil is perfect for those moments of intense stress, for people who don’t know how to disconnect from their work and for those who need to free their minds and slow down. If day-to-day worries prevent you from disconnecting, this is your essential oil.
4 The good scent of jasmine
The scent of jasmine is one of the most interesting in aromatherapy. If, in principle, its properties are stimulating and even aphrodisiac, it is also excellent for balancing the mood. In treatment, its use stands out to reduce fears and, therefore, reduce the frequency of panic attacks.
5 Use bergamot as therapy
Bergamot essential oil is used to combat caused by anxiety. In addition, its benefits are also aimed at increasing confidence, security and self-esteem. For this reason, bergamot is your essential oil if you tend to have a low mood and need a good shot of energy in your life.
6 Smell of lemon balm against anxiety
The benefits of the aroma of lemon balm work especially on tachycardia or palpitations, so frequent when suffering from an anxiety disorder. For this reason, lemon balm helps to calm all patients who suffer from nerves.
7 Ylang Yang, an aroma against the nerves
Although the aroma of yang is more popular for its properties to enhance sensuality, in aromatherapy it is also used to reduce frustration and nervousness caused by anxiety. Use it in a diffuser and, in addition, you will make your house smell very delicious.
8 Rose essential oil for well-being
The rose has been used since ancient times to soothe, relax and calm down, but also to achieve that well-being that comes from peace of mind. If what you need is to give your mind a break from all those thoughts, rose is your essential oil.
9 Sage to improve mood
An anxiety disorder is a long and complex process and often leaves your mood quite low. The continuous crises, the, thinking that you are better and suddenly facing a new crisis, makes the mood suffer. Sage does not act directly against anxiety but it does in favor of confidence, hope, joy and good humor.
10 Chamomile scent to rest
If you thought that chamomile is only for infusion, here is another alternative in its aromatherapy version. Chamomile is calming, for example, for. And that effect also has on the mood, calm your interior, when you use its aroma. In addition, the aroma of chamomile helps you rest and get rid of that extreme exhaustion that causes anxiety.
How to use aromatherapy for anxiety?
Many times it is not very clear how to use essential oils and this is because there are several possible ways of using them. It is true that they can be added to bath water or you can even put a few drops on your pillow before going to sleep. And you can also fill your house with the chosen aroma with a diffuser.
But actually, when it comes to anxiety, the most effective way to use essential oils is to inhale them. As soon as you notice a little nervousness, certain restlessness or a start of tiredness, you open the bottle of the chosen essential oil and inhale. This is how all the benefits of aromatherapy are achieved more quickly.
They can also be applied to certain areas of the body with the same objective and massage that area for a moment. But, in this case, it is advisable to dilute the essential oil with oil such as coconut oil so that it does not irritate the skin. And where can we apply this remedy? Well, on the neck, behind the ears, on the wrists, on the ankles or on the belly.
Essential oils are NOT a substitute for anxiety medication.
The proposal to use aromatherapy against anxiety is valid and, furthermore, it is effective, but we must remember that, at no time, can it replace the pharmacological that a specialist has prescribed for you. Nor is it a substitute for psychological therapy, it is simply one more resource that you can rely on your way to defeat anxiety.
Aromatherapy works because smell is closely connected to the hypothalamus, that part of the brain that becomes blocked when anxiety inflames the amygdala. Aromas can make the hypothalamus react and even modify those negative thoughts that anxiety causes us. So how can we not try?
It is clear that an essential oil is not going to stop an anxiety attack if it has already started, but it is also true that for specific situations of certain stress, fear, anguish or nervousness, inhaling the correct essential oil can prevent the feeling from going away. More. You should always carry them with you, but do not leave or antidepressants without first consulting your doctor.
