How To Use Essential Oils For Depression Relief

Depressed Woman | How To Use Essential Oils for Depression Relief

If you want to include essential oils for depression relief in your holistic healing plan, select oils that can stimulate and strengthen your nervous system. The effectiveness of aromatherapy for depression will depend on your individual mental and physical condition.

If you are seriously depressed, please get professional help.

Skip to information about postpartum depression.

Aromatherapy Recipes for Depression

Here are a few suggestions:

  • Diffuse a depression-relieving essential oil for 20 minutes three times a day. Oils to try include lemon, cedarwood, basil, frankincense, and peppermint.
  • Make a massage oil with 7 drops rosemary and 2 tablespoons carrier oil, and massage along your spine.
  • Take a depression-relieving aromatherapy bath with 2 drops jasmine, 2 drops rose, and 1 drop melissa.

Foot Massage Blend

Massage your feet with the following blend:

  • 5 drops angelica
  • 6 drops cardamom
  • 2 drops basil
  • 2 tablespoons carrier oil

Body Massage Blend

Get a massage with the following blend:

  • 3 drops clary sage
  • 2 drops lemon
  • 2 drops frankincense
  • 2 tablespoons carrier oil

Source: Essential Oils For Healing

Smelling Salts Using Essential Oils For Depression

Blend the following ingredients in a small container that has a cap. Keep the container with you and smell as needed.

  • 3 drops bergamot 
  • 2 drops geranium
  • 1 drop neroli or 3 drops petitgrain
  • 1 tablespoon rock or other coarse salt

Source: Aromatherapy for Dummies

Bath or Massage Oil For Depression

Use for the following blend for massage or add the blend to bath water and soak 15 to 20 minutes.

  • 2 drops lavender
  • 2 drops neroli
  • 2 drops marjoram
  • 2 drops ylang ylang
  • 2 drops Roman or German chamomile
  • 3 drops clary sage
  • 2 tablespoons carrier oil

Source: Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art

Aromatherapy For Postpartum Depression

For feelings of postpartum depression, try any of the following essential oils: 

  • Rose
  • Neroli
  • Melissa
  • Bergamot
  • Roman chamomile

Massage: Add up to 8 drops essential oil to one tablespoon of carrier oil. Get a  gentle, full-body massage, with a focus on your back. 

Bath: Take a bath with an added 4 to 5 drops essential oil.

Diffusion: Use an aromatherapy diffuser to diffuse the essential oil.

Air freshener: Add 5 drops essential oil to one cup distilled water in a spray bottle. Spray around the room.

Baby Blues Bath Blend
  • 3 drops jasmine
  • 3 drops clary sage
  • 3 drops ylang ylang
  • 1 drop mandarin

Combine the oils and add to a warm bath.

Source: Massage & Aromatherapy: Simple Techniques

Click here for recommended essential oils.

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Photo Credit: Dennis Lapets/Flickr/CC

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