Anxiety can cause a lot of physical and emotional discomfort. A lot of people are in a situation where they are constantly triggered with stressful situations. Moms are really prone to this since they deal so much with a hectic lifestyle. Essential oils can help with stress and anxiety relief, but which ones?
There are different types of anxiety and for the sake of simplicity, we are going to focus on general anxiety disorder. Some other anxiety disorders include:
- social anxiety
- panic disorder
- post traumatic stress
- phobias
Everyone experiences anxiety and fear on some level on a regular basis. However, when a persons ability to experience life is interfered by that anxiety, that is then considered a disease. (1)
Physical Anxiety Issues
There are many different physical ways anxiety can effect one person. The mind-body connection is very clear when anxiety is present. Our minds effect the way that our bodies react. When feeding the thoughts that cause anxiety, many times our bodies follow as well. Some cases of anxiety can cause stomach issues which can result in pain, or IBS flare ups. Sometimes migranes get triggered or skin issues such as eczema or psoriasis. Other physical symptoms from anxiety in other people include a stabbing in the chest pains or rapid heart beat.
A lot of symptoms are not so dramatic though and between sibling fights and meal plans, moms may find their symptoms on a lesser scale. It might be that you find yourself going to the toilet a lot more often because of frazzled nerves or even not being able to discern properly when you need to let things go on your to-go list and reorganize priorities (2).
Anxiety can make one feel so unwell that they may wonder if there is anything wrong with them, which causes more anxiety. Some other physical symptoms may include:
- headaches
- sleep issues
- digestion issues
Lifestyle Changes
Many lifestyle changes can be looked at when it comes to managing anxiety. I work with a lot of clients where this is their starting point. Their lifestyles needing a balance is where a lot of people can find peace. Working with someone in this case would be very beneficial since you can be accountable for your lifestyle.
Physical activities can help with reducing stress levels and as the body keeps moving, so does the feelings of anxiety. Getting adequate sleep is also important, as well as learning to prioritize your prayer life. When we start to make time for Christ first and foremost, we have a shift in perspective causing our minds to settle down from swirling thoughts. Those thoughts are hard to let go sometimes that is where you might want to speak to your spiritual father about a prayer rule so that management of thoughts and prayer life can be made priority.
When you notice anxiety rise there are very easy things to practice which can automatically get you out of the stress cycle. The most simplest recommendation from a spiritual father might be to say the Jesus Prayer or read a Psalter.
Some other relaxation techniques when you first notice your anxiety rise are:
- Counting Jesus Prayer on your prayer rope
- Inhale essential oils
- Journaling
- Listen to music
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Avoiding stimulants like caffeine and nicotine is an option to consider since both can stimulate the body instead of relaxing it. There are anti inflammatory foods to consider incorporating into your diet as inflammation can bring on more cortisol and keep your body in fight or flight.
Proper eating habits are important to have in place, looking at organic foods to get nutrients. Cut out or severely decrease all the processed foods such as sugar, chips and cookies. Adding more of good items your body will benefit from such as healthy fats, proteins and organic veggies.
Finally, looking around your home and doing a home detox, which I work through with my clients, eliminating all harmful chemicals. Toxins in our environment play a huge role in our mental health. Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) can wreak havoc on our hormones. Start looking at your household cleaning products, skin care and plastic just to name a few.
Essential Oils for Anxiety
Many essential oils can be used in order to help keep anxiety at bay. Essential oils have by now been studies in clinical setting where people have responded to certain oils in decreasing stress levels. Since there are so many symptoms of anxiety and how they effect the body, many blends can be made to support well being.
Blends specific to muscle tension and body aches may include sandalwood, lavender, patchouli or clary sage. When dealing with restlessness and heart palpitations more grounding and earthy oils such as vetiver, frankincense, cedarwood can be looked at. Mothers a lot of the time may feel like they are on edge, in which case bergamot, neroli and ho wood would be good options.
Since so many oils have a lot of the same properties looking at what you are drawn to is important. Many popular oils that help with anxiety include:
- Bergamot
- Lavender
- Roman and German Chamomile
- Vetiver
- Frankincense
- Geranium
- Melissa
- Rose Otto
- Sweet Orange
- Patchouli
Herbs
Changes in diet and lifestyle can be combined with herbs or oils which may take some trial and error on your part. Do not hestitate to reach out if you need suport in finding the right one for your life. Below are some herbs which are my own favorite for anxiety:
- Passionflower
- Kava Kava
- Skullcap
- Wood Betony
- Valerian
- Lemon Balm
Some of these herbs are stronger than others. Some of the herbs are safe for children and others are not. Please make sure you look closely at them and use them safely.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a very gentle natural medicine but only work if you choose the right remedy. This means matching your own symptoms (or your childs) as closely to the symptoms as possinle for results. With homeopathy being so safe you can always start with one remedy and if it does not work then move on to the next remedy.
Here are my top 4:
- Arsenicum – for when anxiety rises during routine changes. When you do not do well with messes around or find yourself putting things away in a frantic sort of way which stems from anxiety. If you are sick then the worry is about health.
- Phosphorus – Remedy for lost of fears. Fear of dark, fear of going to be or being alone. If this is your child you will see that they always want you neadby, there to rub their backs. If this is for yourself then you will not want to be alone and be better around company. Prefer colder drinks.
- Aconite – Great remedy for panick attacks. If you had a circumstance which was tramatic this can be a great remedy to start with.
- Pulsatilla – Very weepy and clingy. Tendency to cry when anxious. Enjoy being outside as it alleviates stress or anxiety. No thirst.
For homeopathic remedies, you want to start with 30c potency.
- Turn bottle upside down and twist the cap 3 times getting 3 pellets.
- Place pellets in mouth and let dissolve. If needed you can mix pellets in water.
- Give 3 pellets each day for 3 days and observe if there are any changes.
- If no changes then look for another remedy that best matches the symptoms.
If you need help with this do not hestitate to reach out!
Final thoughts
Anxiety can be more and more prevalent in our lives nowadays as well as in the lives of our children. First and foremost, the lifestyle piece is the one that can be looked at and tweaked for lasting results. Things such as prioritizing prayer, quiet time, less screen time and proper sleep can be looked at. This may mean you need to speak with your spiritual father to make sure that your internal life is aligned and you have a prayer rule you can do in this point of your life.
There are also relaxation techniques that you can practice in the moment to lower your anxiety such as taking a walk or journaling.
Many natural remedies are here to help such as herbs, essential oils and homeopathic remedies.
Choose one of these and give it a good try for a month to see if it makes a difference along with the lifestyle changes.
I hope this helps you on your journey.
God bless you and yours.
