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Best Essential Oils for Stress Relief and Relaxation

Many essential oils have stress-relieving and relaxing properties. The best essential oils for stress relief and relaxation defend on factors such as the underlying cause of your stress, how you want to use the oils, and your personal scent preferences.

Cartoonish face with a look of stress.

The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness has the following suggestions:

  • To relieve burnout: grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, lemon, vetiver
  • To reduce frustration: bergamot, lavender
  • To lessen mental stress: basil, cedarwood, roman chamomile, rosemary, thyme ct. thymol
  • To reduce nervous exhaustion: basil, clary sage, clove bud, eranium, grapefruit, lavender, mandarin, rosemary, tea tree, thyme ct. linalool, ylang ylang
  • To balance moods: clary sage, cypress, geranium, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, niaouli, rose
  • For general calming: bergamot, cedarwood, clary sage, frankincense, jasmine, lavender, mandarin, marjoram, ylang ylang

(The book has many more suggestions on pages 312–313.)

This article offers the following essential oil blends for stress:

Also see these articles for dealing with specific stressful states: anxiety, depression, grief, and panic attacks.

Stress-Relief Massage Oils

Massage Oil #1

  • 3 drops lavender essential oil
  • 3 drops sandalwood essential oil
  • 3 drops rose geranium essential oil
  • 1 drop basil essential oil
  • 3 tablespoons carrier oil

Source: Massage & Aromatherapy: Simple Techniques to Use at Home

Massage Oil #2

  • 9 drops clary sage essential oil
  • 6 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 3 drops lemon essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons jojoba (or other carrier) oil

Source: Aromahead

Stock Relaxation Massage Blend

To a 5-ml glass dropper bottle, add the following essential oils:

  • 20 drops vetiver
  • 20 drops cypress
  • 20 drops lavender
  • 10 drops clary sage
  • 30 drops bergamot

Cap and shake vigorously. Let sit for at least eight hours before using.

To use: Blend 15 to 30 drops into 2 tablespoons carrier oil.

Source: The Best Natural Cures Using Essential Oils

More Essential Oil Blends for Relaxation Massage

To reduce feelings of stress:

  • 1 drop marjoram essential oil
  • 3 drops lavender essential oil
  • 3 drops sandalwood essential oil
  • 3 drops roman chamomile essential oil
  • 3 tablespoons carrier oil

To relieve anxious feelings:

  • 3 drops sandalwood essential oil
  • 4 drops spikenard essential oil
  • 7 drops roman chamomile essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons carrier oil

To calm:

  • 5 drops roman chamomile essential oil
  • 5 drops bergamot essential oil
  • 5 drops lavender essential oil
  • 1 tablespoon carrier oil

To relax:

  • 4 drops lavender essential oil
  • 2 drops roman chamomile essential oil
  • 2 drops orange essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons carrier oil

Best Essential Oils for Stress Relief Baths

You can make a stress essential oil blend to add to your bath.

Calming Bath

  • 5 drops roman chamomile essential oil
  • 5 drops rose essential oil
  • 5 drops clary sage essential oil
  • 3 drops jasmine absolute
  • 1 tablespoon carrier oil

Source: Essential Oils For Healing

Bath Relaxation Blend

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) jojoba oil
  • 20 drops spikenard essential oil
  • 10 drops orange essential oil
  • One 4-ounce PET plastic bottle

Add jojoba to bottle, and then drop in essential oils. Close bottle. Shake gently to mix.

To use: Add a small capful of the blend to running bathwater. Not for use with children under five.

Source: Essential Living

Best Essential Oils for Stress Relief Diffuser Blends

Relaxing Diffuser Blend

This blend relaxes your body and centers your mind.

  • 4 drops cedarwood essential oil
  • 1 drop roman chamomile essential oil
  • 5 drops frankincense essential oil

Source: Aromahead

Calming Diffuser Blend

  • 3 drops ho leaf essential oil
  • 2 drops lavender essential oil
  • 2 drops geranium essential oil
  • 1 drop bergamot essential oil

Adapted from Penny Price Aromatherapy

Inhaler Blends

Drop the essential oils onto a blank wick of an aromatherapy inhaler and smell as needed.

Stress Relief Inhaler

  • 5 drops sweet orange essential oil
  • 3 drops frankincense essential oil
  • 2 drops cedarwood essential oil

Source: Aromahead

Grounding Inhaler

  • 5 drops frankincense
  • 5 drops cedarwood
  • 3 drops lavender
  • 2 drops roman chamomile

Source: AromaSense

Other Blends

Stress Relief Body Spray

  • 6 drops ylang ylang essential oil
  • 4 drops neroli essential oil
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) distilled water
  • One 4-ounce PET plastic or glass spray bottle

Add oils to water in spray bottle, shake gentle to mix.

Shake gently before use. Avoid spraying directly on the face. For a cooling mist, store the spray in the refrigerator. You can also use the spray on your sheets and pillow before going to bed.

Source: Essential Living


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