Essential Oils for Stress Relief and Relaxation: 
Face it. We are one big herd of stressed out people. With our jobs, our families, and our social life, we never seem to unwind. Add to it the stressors of financial problems, health issues, and world events, our nation is facing a mental health crisis. According to Psychiatry.org, More than 1 in 4 (26%) of people reported that experienced more stress at the start of this year”. In fact, prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications, or anxiolytics, have spiked 34% during the Coronavirus pandemic. We all know that stress can leave a major impact on our physical well being, and treatment is sometimes necessary to evade a health crisis. But, the use of anti-anxiety medications can lead to side effects and other health ailments. Essential Oils can give us the symptom relief we need, and not all the garbage that comes with popping pill after pill to just feel somewhat normal.
Brief History of Essential Oils

Essential Oils in historical pharmacy
The use of Essential Oils for medical remedies goes back way before even Jesus walked this earth. In Ancient Egypt, oils were used for everything from praising their gods to embalming the dead. The Greeks used oils in their bath houses for relaxation, hygiene, health, and perfume. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used Essential Oils for treating ailments and other remedies.
Plants and herbs were what people had prior to the invention on Penicillin. This was the time in history that medicine took the place of Alchemy. However, with the dangers of some medications, the use of Essential oils and Aromatherapy has made a comeback. Plants such as Lavender, Chamomile, Clary Sage and others that have been used for centuries to treat common ailments are now being used at times in place of modern medication.
Use of Essential Oils Today

Essential Oils
If you look on the web, there is countless articles on using essential oils, how to use them, and what to use them for. it can be intimidating when you use Google and ask to find information on a particular oil, or what to use for a specific ailment. The fact is, God created essential oils in plants and herbs to help us heal our bodies naturally. So, most oils have many properties to relieve symptoms for many different problems. In this post, I will review the top oils I use in my Health Restoration practice, and why I chose to use these.
Stress and Relaxation
Lavender-

Lavender Fields for Essential Oils
Pretty much everyone has heard that Lavender is calming. Lavender is actually a “balancer”, to stabilize ones mood. Lavender oil can be added to a diffuser, put in body wash and shampoo, or infused into a tub of hot water (with some Epson Salts) for a soak to release stress and anxiety. For a headache, rub a few drops into the temples and lie in a dark, quiet room. Its key action is anxiety relief, but it is also an antidepressant, an antispasmodic, Neuroprotective (protects the nerves), and an antimicrobial. Having a lavender plant in the home can release its soothing and relaxing aroma, that leads to a calm, relaxing environment.
German Chamomile-

German Chamomile
Such a pretty plant, with daisy-like flowers, this can be grown in your own garden. It is famously used in teas to help people relax and have better sleep. Throughout history, German Chamomile has been used to treat pain, muscle tension, digestive issues, sore skin and even eczema. Chamomile comes in different varieties, and German Chamomile is the best for stress relief and relaxation. It is also an antispasmodic, with reduces tension in the muscles to help one relax. Another use that we don’t readily know about is for treating wounds. It is also an anti-inflammatory (great for arthritis and autoimmune disorders), and anti-allergic, and a Carminative. German Chamomile essential oils are used in everything from bath soaks, perfumes, diffusers, and herbal remedies.

Clary Sage Flowers
Clary Sage-
This is one of my favorite oils (as I am a 53 year old woman!). Clary Sage is one of the most potent essential oils for relaxation. It is known to help with female issues, from monthly cramps to menopause. Its key actions are as an antidepressant, antibacterial, and anti-anxiety herb. The essential oils can be used in a roller bottle to help with hot flashes, made into a salve for cramping and muscle tension, through a diffuser, and in a bath.
Bergamot-

Bergamot Fruit
Another great oil for relaxation. Bergamot essential oil is another “balancer”. The oil gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive aroma. One of the sweetest smelling of the essential oils, it help elevates ones mood. It is used for muscle relaxation, and is used as an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory. There has been recent research with using Bergamot to lower Cholesterol levels. Adding Bergamot to a blend of other relaxation and stress relieving oils and put in a diffuser can help with sleep deprivation, and allow you to rest properly.
Putting It All Together
There are far more oils that can be used for relaxation and stress relief. These are the ones that I use more frequently in my practice. I love the fact that these are easily obtained, and the cost of essential oils is far less than that of prescription medications. You can certainly purchase all of these oils and make your own blends, or you can get my blend for stress and relaxation here. At Yarrow Hills Essentials, we only use Grade A essential oils, that are organic, pure, and therapeutic. In my Health Restoration Practice, I incorporate essential oils, use of plants and herbs, mindfulness meditation, and an individualized nutrition plan to help people who suffer from chronic illness, autoimmune disorders, anxiety and depression, and other ailments. I believe that God gave us everything on this earth we need to heal our own bodies, and that using these, we can heal ourselves naturally. There is always a place for modern medicine. If you have a chronic illness, or take prescription medications, PLEASE TALK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE USING ANY ESSENTIAL OILS, HERBAL/PLANT REMEDIES, OR START ON A DIET. Within my practice, I am able to contact your doctors and inform them of your individualized plan PRIOR TO starting on SHAPE ReClaimed, or any of these remedies.

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