14 Essential Oils for Stress Relief

Keeping up with the fast pace of life can be a challenge in even the best of times. When you add a chronic disease to the mix, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed by stress and worry.

Fortunately, there are many steps we can take to cope with stress and uncertainly. One of the strongest tools in our anti-anxiety tool belt is self-care. The importance of self-care to our physical and emotional health cannot be overstated. Similar to using soothing bubble baths, some people use essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, and rose as part of their daily or weekly wellness practices—but, do they really help us relax?

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the fragrant essence of plants reduced to a highly concentrated form. These oils vary widely in their makeup, aroma, and benefits. For example, the chemical compounds found in essential oils can be derived from different parts of different plants, such as the leaves, bark, flowers, or fruit peels. The oils can be made by crushing the plant or using a special steam extraction process.