We all experience anxiety at one time or another. Anxiety is the body’s way of preparing itself to deal with a perceived threat or a way to deal with stressful events. Anxiety can be the body’s natural response to stress. This stress may be due to lifestyle, illness, pain, work, family, or of unknown cause. However, when anxiety occurs at inappropriate times or happens on a regular basis, that is not normal and may be a more serious anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder must be diagnosed by an appropriate licensed professional.
Symptoms of Anxiety
What are some of the symptoms that may indicate anxiety? The symptoms experienced with anxiety can be both physical and mental. Symptoms may include fear, nausea, nervousness, sweating, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, feeling apprehensive or dread, difficulty concentrating, and many others. You may experience only one or two symptoms or many symptoms. The symptoms may not be the same every time.
Naturally Decrease Your Anxiety
There are a multitude of natural ways and practices to reduce anxiety. One of these natural methods involves the use of two essential oils.
In a study published in Brain Research (2004 March 19), Ceccarelli et al., studied the effects of long-term exposure of lemon essential oil on behavioral, neuronal, and hormonal parameters in male and female rats. They found that the rats that were exposed to long-term exposure of lemon essential oil demonstrated different anxiety and pain threshold levels than untreated rats. It was also found that lemon essential oil induced chemical changes in the neuronal circuits involved in anxiety and pain.
What does this mean? Essentially it means that lemon essential oil when added to a warm bath or diffused into the air with a diffuser may have an anti-anxiety result. Lemon essential oil has been proven to provide antidepressant, anticancer, antioxidant, and invigorating properties when diffused into the air. Lemon essential oil has also been used to lower blood pressure, and to help with muscular aches and pains, which may be the causes of your stress causing anxiety. It promotes health, healing, physical energy, and purification when diffused aromatically.
In another study, published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing (1995 Jan) by Dunn et al., an experimental study was performed to study the effects of aromatherapy in intensive care units. The study found that in patients admitted to an intensive care unit, those receiving lavender essential oil aromatherapy, reported a greater improvement in mood and perceived levels of anxiety to those just receiving massage or rest.
Lavender essential oil has many uses that do not pertain to this topic, however, lavender has been shown to have antidepressant, sedative, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, and antianxiety properties. It has been used topically in the management of healing from abuse, agitation, anxiety, depression, calming, grief/sorrow, insomnia, mental stress, mood swings, pain, postpartum depression, stress, tension, and hyperactivity, just to name a few of its primary uses. And the list goes on. Lavender essential oil also provides benefits for these uses aromatically into the air utilizing a diffuser. Lavender essential oil is a universal oil meaning that wherever there is a need, it delivers a natural balance to the body. It promotes well-being, peace, and health overall.
There are several other oils that are beneficial for anxiety including orange, roman chamomile, sandalwood, tangerine, ylang ylang, marjoram, and grapefruit essential oils.
Anxiety may be a serious condition and if you are experiencing anxiety regularly or at inappropriate times, than it is important that you get properly diagnosed. If you have occasional anxiety, or have already been diagnosed, than this article offers a natural alternative in two essential oils that may be of a benefit to you.
Some of our patients anxiety is caused by the pain they are experiencing in their back, neck, or head, and the anxiety caused by this pain often can exacerbate their pain level as well as lessen their bodies ability to heal naturally. We encourage you to explore natural alternatives as a way to lessen your anxiety and pain in order to promote healing within your body.
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