Top 5 Essential Oils & advice to help combat stress and anxiety at this difficult time #inittogether

Most of us like to be in control, have structure and routine and know where we stand. With today’s fast paced and changing environment and the lockdown status, our anxiety levels are at an all time high and this is understandable so please be kind to yourself.

Your outside distractions and freedom are limited now so we must really work hard to keep this anxiety at bay. Easier said than done when there is so much uncertainty and sadness and we’ve now entered into the unknown. There is fear.

This is not good for your mental or physical health, so try these five oils and practices to see if you can find even a tiny bit of inner calm right now. Now, more than ever, is a time to keep your sanity and mental health in check. We will get through it and better times are coming.

YLANG YLANG

With its beautiful sweet floral scent, made from the flowers of the herb ‘Cananga odorata genuina’ in the Tropics, Ylang Ylang is the perfect mood enhancer. It is beneficial to the endocrine, immune and cardiovascular system. The aroma will relax the body and relieve negative emotions and will lift your mood.

Ylang Ylang works as a great anti-inflammatory, at a time when stress can flare up certain conditions you may have, and also works as a sedative and anti-depressant for when anxiety can effect your sleep patterns. Least forgetting, this powerful herb can also work as an aphrodisiac.

GERANIUM

This colourful and beautiful flower, mostly found in the Mediterranean regions and mountainous tropics, can help reduce the feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness. It enhances your general well-being and promotes the stabilisation of your emotional state.

It can relieve fatigue and assist with insomnia and with its relaxing qualities, it should send you off on a sound journey of sleep. Sleep is the best medicine in order for the body to repair itself and when you are feeling overwhelmed and fearful, now is the time to help your mind and body.

CHAMOMILE

Known as the ‘Earth Apple’, this traditional medicinal herb, native to Western Europe, India and Western Asia, is a must have for your life right now. It’s soothing and calming properties will calm your nerves, and it’s sweet aromas certainly lift your mood.

With its sedative and tranquilizing effects, this will relieve anxiety and promote healthy sleep, whilst lowering your blood pressure in the process. This is a great anti-inflammatory for when stress takes it toll on some existing conditions, so can help reduce flare up’s. This can also prevent various infections and inhaling this oil via steam inhalation, helps to decongest the chest and nose.

ROSE

Sourced from the Rosa Damascena plant, this powerful aroma is reported to stimulate the brain into releasing endorphins. This in turn helps you feel good and can also alleviate your pain levels. More importantly it is reported that Rose Oil can stimulate the production of the chemical Dopamine, which relieves the symptoms of depression.

This oil can also reduce your breathing rate and heart rate, which will always increase with anxiety and stress so this is a great thing to have. As well as decreasing your blood pressure, these powerful aromatic compounds can increase your sexual desire.

LAVENDER

The most popular and trusted oils, Lavandular, is one of the flowering plants from the ‘mint’ family, Lamiaceae, and is native to the Old World. With its powerful anxiety reducing abilities, this therapeutic remedy is a firm favourite in the combat of depression and insomnia, amongst other qualities.

This powerful aroma can relieve anxiety, depression, nausea and also restlessness. There is a lot of this being felt right now so grab one for the cupboard. By having the wonderful aroma of lavender, this helps promote not only a restful sleep but will also improve the quality and duration. With these stressful times right now, you may find your sleep pattern interrupted so it is time to assist your brain when you can.

What’s more interesting with these oils, is that not only are they great for your mental health, you should research the effects that they can have if applied as part of your skincare routine. For more information and products, take a look at www.tigerlilliesskinfood.com and you’ll be amazed.

Oils can be applied directly to certain points of the body, but please read the instructions carefully as you may need to mix the oils rather than using them directly on to the skin. You can drop the oils on to a cloth to inhale in times of stress or to just calm your nerves.

You can add a few drops to a diffuser so the aroma lingers more steadily in each room, or you can even add drops to your bath. You are also able to sprinkle a few droplets on to your pillow and bed sheets.

Aromas send messages to a particular part of the brain, the Limbic System, and this helps to regulate your emotions and influences the nervous system. Assist your body and mind as much as you can in such stressful times right now.

Also remember that breathing exercises can be practiced anywhere. So, if you feel an anxiety attack coming on, keep a paper bag close to hand and breathe with deep breaths in, hold for 5 seconds and then a big breathe out for as long as you can. You must regulate your breathing as soon as possible before your oxygen levels decrease and dizzy spells come in to play.

*You need air in those lungs. If you have a balloon close to hand, breathe in the balloon to inflate it, than keeping the balloon in your mouth, let the balloon air deflate back in to fill your lungs.

Then you must try and distract yourself so try one of these:

*Start singing as this can regulate breathing

*Start talking to someone or get them to tell you a funny joke

*Focus on a colour, a smell, an object and then count to ten

*Keep an essential oil or a rescue remedy in your pocket and inhale the aroma

*Go for a walk in the countryside or forest and fill those lungs with fresh air and be in a wide space

*Keep your feet up in you feel faint and dizzy due to lack of regular oxygen where you go into ‘panic’ mode

If your attacks are coming more regularly, pick up the phone and face time a friend or family member, or please speak to your local GP. Do not suffer alone or in silence during this difficult phase.

*These are personal opinions and tips, not medical opinions or advice.

**It is very IMPORTANT that you speak with your GP before using alternative or complimentary therapies due to any side effects or effect this may have on any current medication you are taking so please be mindful of this.

(Image rights to Kelly Sikkerman via Unsplash).