6 essential oils to promote mental wellbeing

From improved sleep to stress relief.

By The House Beautiful teamPublished: 10 October 2019

Sprigs of lavender and a little bottle of oil, aromatherapy

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Help to revive, restore and protect your mental wellbeing using essential oils. Distilled from plants, essential oils have been used for thousands of years as natural health remedies – yet their healing powers are unknown to many. As well as smelling aromatic, costing very little, and having antibacterial properties, essential oils are a must for anyone who wants to look after their mental wellbeing.

Here, Lifestyle Packaging shares some top recommendations on the best essential oils to promote mental wellbeing.

Lavender

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Lavender is one of the most popular and well-known essential oils. With a fresh, sweet and floral aroma, this wonder scent has been known to have anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and sedative effects.

'There’s a large body of evidence to show how inhaling lavender oil can calm the mind and body and improve the sleep cycle, helping to lower stress, improve memory and boost the immune system.

Want a quality night's sleep? All you need to do is add a few drops of lavender oil to your bath at the end of the day to help you relax and unwind, giving you a better chance of a quality night’s sleep.

Bergamot

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Extracted from the peel of the bergamot orange, bergamot oil has a light citrus scent with floral notes and is said to have therapeutic benefits.

Using bergamot oil can help to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and respiration and increase levels of the ‘feel-good’ hormone serotonin. It's also used in aromatherapy to elevate mood and alleviate stress.

A recent study showed women receiving mental health support achieved 17 per cent higher positivity scores when using bergamot oil over eight weeks compared to women exposed to a placebo.

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Rose Otto

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Rose Otto is an extravagant essential oil, sourced from the Rosa Damascena plant. It requires approximately 4,000kg of flowers to produce just 1kg of oil.

The fragrant oil promotes relaxation, slows the heart rate and reduces anxiety. A recent study saw an improvement in patients’ emotional state and levels of anxiety after inhaling Rose Otto oil for four weeks.

Geranium

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A gardener’s favourite and a popular summer plant, the geranium is famous for its long-lasting, brightly coloured flowers, but who knew its floral oil was so beneficial to the mind and body?

In aromatherapy, geranium is used to promote emotional balance, treat insomnia and alleviate pain. You can enjoy high-concentrate pure geranium oil via a diffuser or vaporiser.

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Sage

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Earning the nickname 'Sage the Saviour' in the Middle Ages for its therapeutic powers, sage is a natural mind stimulant – with a strong earthy aroma – which has a strengthening effect on the senses to help ease negative moods.

It's packed with composites that act as antioxidants, which have been shown to buffer the brain’s defence system and promote long-term emotional wellbeing.

Yuzu

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The oil from yuzu is famed for having a refreshing and uplifting effect on the body, while calming the mind.

With a scent which resembles a combination of mandarin and grapefruit, yuzu calms the nervous system, helping to relax the body and stop the fight or flight response.

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