Head and neck tensions are one of the most common ailments that people get on a regular basis. Read here to find the best essential oils for head tension that can help you find relief!

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My family decided to start using natural remedies for healing in the beginning of 2017. Since that decision, the four of us have had really great success staying healthy thankfully. The reason we made this decision was that the more I explored traditional methods and what it can do to your organs, the more I was convinced it wasn’t right for us.

Our decision to stop being “traditional” has led me to find natural ways to treat head tension since we still get them on occasion. There are many natural solutions for discomfort, some of which are listed in my article My Top 5 Helps for Natural Pain Relief. But this article will focus specifically on the best essential oils for head and neck tension. So here’s a bit of what I have learned. (If you are new to essential oils, you may find it helpful to read my article Essential Oils for Beginners first.)

Reasons for Head Tension

There are a few reasons people get head and neck tension, and if you are able to narrow down the cause, it can make the solution easier to find. Targeting the root cause of why it hurts helps your overall health, whereas just popping a pill to mask the symptom does not address the root cause. If you pay attention to your body, you can possibly prevent this in the future.

We have personally tried each of these solutions, and can attest that they have worked for us. Of course everyone is different, so you may have different results or a different tolerance for smells. But here are my suggestions.

Best Essential Oils for Neck and Head Tension

Ginger Essential Oil (general aching or nausea with discomfort)

I first learned about ginger being one of the best essential oils for head tension when we lived in China. I bought some “ginger balm” in Thailand. I was doubtful that this would actually do anything, but I was wrong.

Ginger or ginger essential oil has been my go to at the first sign of a head tension. I put a drop of ginger essential oil with 3-4 drops of a carrier oil (like olive oil, coconut oil, etc). After I mix this together, I place the mixture on my forehead, temples, back of my neck, and even under my nose so I can smell it. Ginger tea works for some people as well.

Ginger can help head tension, but it can also help stomach upset or nausea that often accompanies head tension. So ginger can be a great help!

Peppermint Essential Oil (tension related)

Peppermint essential oil is a great option for tension related issues. It has a natural minty tingle, refreshing feeling and smell. Like ginger, this can also help with nausea associated with this. Peppermint promotes relaxation and stimulates blood flow to the area where you place it.

Peppermint EO can really burn your eyes, so take extra precaution not to get this in your eyes, and wash your hands well with soap and water after use. But I mix 1 drop of this oil with 3-4 drops of a carrier oil and place this on my forehead, temples, behind the ears, and back of the neck.

There are other ways you can use peppermint to help head tension. This may include drinking peppermint tea. This is nice and can rehydrate you if you are feeling dehydrated. Inhale the steam of your hot cup of tea to get inhalation benefits.

Also a hot bath with 5 or so drops of peppermint oil is wonderful for head tension. It will help relieve tension and promote overall wellness. I often use 1/2 cup of Epsom salt in my bath as well to draw out toxins, promote a healthy inflammatory response, and reduce stress.

Helichrysum Essential Oil (tension related)

If ginger and peppermint are not producing the results I want, I move on to helichrysum essential oil. This one is the most expensive, so I use it as more of a last resort. But it is really effective! So if you are prone to really bad head tension, you may want to start with helichrysum.

As mentioned above, I will mix 1 drop of this oil with a carrier and place it on my forehead, temples, behind the ears, and back of the neck. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) Helichrysum isn’t the most popular oil in America, but it has been used for thousands of years to treat discomfort in Mediterranean countries. It supports a healthy immune response, so it can be good for use for head tension.

Frankincense Essential Oil (general/unknown)

Frankincense is the “King of Oils” and used for so many different reasons. One reason it’s amazing is to help general head tension or if you aren’t sure of the reason you are uncomfortable. The key to this oil is having a good therapeutic grade frankincense on hand because it goes in your mouth.

You can put one drop of frankincense on your thumb and press it onto the roof of your mouth. Hold it there for about 30 seconds while you help it sink in. If peppermint is not too strong for you, follow up with one drop of peppermint as well.

Eucalyptus essential oil (sinus related)

I rarely get sick anymore, but if I do get head tension due to congestion, eucalyptus essential oil is my go-to. It is an supports a healthy respiratory system and helps cleanse the body of harmful microorganisms and toxins. And it can also act like a decongestant and relieve sinus pressure. Eucalyptus is purifying which can help you feel better more quickly.

You can get more ideas about how to make your own healthy natural remedies here.

Clary Sage (hormone related)

Finally a newer oil to me is clary sage. My daughters are now in the teen years so we have a lot of hormones flying around the house. I looked into what oil is best for female hormones, and over and over I read about clary sage. So I bought some to mostly use on my daughters.

But I also have started using it for hormone related head or neck tension. It is also working out to be one of the best essential oils for this. You can diffuse this to inhale, take a bath with it, or rub it on your temples, forehead, and back of the neck with a carrier oil. Clary sage essential oil is also great to rub on your abdomen if you are having period related cramps.

I love roller bottles to carry my oils in. I have a blend called “Comfort” that has Deep Blue, Helichrysum, and fractionated coconut oil. I carry it with me in case my head hurts or other aches occur while I am not at home.

Are You Ready to Order?

I hope one or more of these listed above items will help you find your personal best essential oils for head tension. I am happy to help you get started on your wellness journey with essential oils. You can email me at allison@healthylivingincolorado.com with questions.

Please comment below if you try them and they work for you, or please post other essential oils you have found to work on head and neck tension. And don’t forget to share on Pinterest!

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. *

Many people struggle with stress and anxious feelings. Here are some of the best essential oils for calming anxious feelings and helping to relieve stress. This also looks at CBD oil!

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Mood challenges and disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent in recent years. There are many reasons for this ranging from medication that people are taking to processed foods that most people eat.

When I was living through and researching healthy ways to deal with sadness and anxious feelings, I wanted to take a holistic approach.

As for diet, my family and I went on the Mediterranean Diet because we were in a rough season with moving a lot, the loss of my mom, and other difficult life events. I learned through research that the Mediterranean Diet can help to elevate mood, which it did for all four of us, along with essential oils.

Here is a great plan that I recommend to help you get started on the Mediterranean Diet.

There are several other natural ways to treat stress and anxious feelings like exercise for example, but this article will focus on the best essential oils for calming anxious feelings, as well as CBD oil.

How Essential Oils Can Calm Anxious Feelings

The brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier. This barrier protects our brains from things like viruses, toxins, and other harmful substances. There are few things that are able to penetrate this protective barrier, but natural fat-soluble substances can. And this substance, sesquiterpenes, is found in many essential oils.

Because of this, one of the best natural remedies to overcome anxious feelings and stress is essential oils.

When you inhale essential oils, the compounds go through the olfactory system and to the limbic center of the brain. And the limbic system has glands that respond to emotions. This is obviously tied to stress, anxiousness and other mood challenges.

How to Use Essential Oils for Calming Anxious Feelings

Now that we’ve had a brief anatomy lesson, let’s look at how to use essential oils for calming anxious feelings and stress.

First of all, oils work differently for each person, so a little trial and error can let you know which ones work best for you. The truth is that there are many essential oils that can help anxious feelings.

Secondly, essential oils for mood challenges can have a cumulative effect. So just because you try using oils once or twice and it doesn’t work well does not mean that it will not work. Use each oil at least a week (2 weeks is even better) to see the results. A longer duration should lead to better results.

Lastly, you want to use the highest quality essential oils. Ones from the store are loaded with toxins and fillers that make them harmful at the worst, and ineffective at the least. If essential oils are newer to you, for your safety please read this article on Essential Oils for Beginners before moving on.

Inhalation

Inhaling essential oils is a great way to feel better. You can put a drop in your hands and breathe it in. Or you can also use a diffuser filled with water and 4-6 drops of essential oil of your choice listed below. You can breathe it straight from the bottle. Breathing oils in is the fastest way to get results.

Another way to inhale oils is by using essential oil jewelry. There are necklaces that you can add oil onto and smell them throughout the day. And there are bracelets which work nicely to keep adding oils onto your wrists as the day goes on. And you can put the bracelet up to your nose for inhalation as well. We sell some on our shop if you are interested.

Topical

You can also apply essential oils to the skin. In the case of mood, you want to apply it as close to the limbic system as possible, which is on the back of your neck. On the sides of your neck/base of your skull, you can feel 2 indentations. Place 1-2 drops there with a carrier oil.

You can also put it on your ears, behind your ears, on your forehead or under you nose.

Often with stress and anxious feelings, being out of the house can trigger us. For that reason having a rollerball applicator is really helpful. They are small, convenient to carry, and can already be blended with a carrier oil so they are ready to use.

You may also enjoy learning about essential oil DIY Detox Your Body products you can make at home!

Internal

Again, with a good quality essential oil (not one from the store), you can also take them internally. Be sure to read the bottle and it will tell you if it’s ingestible or not. doTERRA’s oils say, “For internal use dilute 1 drop in 4 fl. oz. of liquid.” If the bottle does not say something like this, DO NOT INGEST.

But if your oil is safe, there are many ways you can take essential oils internally.

Ones like frankincense work great when pressed on the roof of your mouth. Put one drop on the pad of your thumb and press on the roof of your mouth for 30 seconds.

You can also put a drop in water and drink it. Just don’t use plastic cups because the oils can eat through plastic. But a glass or water bottle is a good option.

Or you can put a drop under your tongue.

Finally, you could put a couple drops of oil in an empty Veggie Capsule and swallow it like a pill. Start with 2 drops and slowly add to it with time as needed.

Best Essential Oils for Calming Anxious Feelings

So now hopefully you understand more about how essential oils can help with anxious feelings and the different methods of use.

Also beneficial could be understanding the cause of your anxiousness. If you know your triggers or how exactly you’re feeling, it could help in knowing which oils to start with below.

With that in mind, let’s look at a few oils that I recommend for social challenges:

• Lavender: It’s calming and generally lowers anxious feelings.
• Bergamot: It reduces cortisol response and helps mood.
• Copaiba: It uplifts mood, can ease a troubled mind, and help calm stress and anxiety.
• Citrus oils like lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, and green mandarin: These promote a cheerful and positive attitude.
• Frankincense: It is calming, tranquil, grounding, and helps you connect in meditation and prayer.

Are you ready to give essential oils for anxiety a try? Please feel free to email me questions at allison@healthylivingincolorado.com.

Copaiba vs CBD Oil

Recently doTERRA came out with Copaiba essential oil (mentioned above). Many people have seen that using copaiba oil benefits anxious feelings. It truly works, and I advocate for copaiba helping your mood.

But what has also helped many people, including my husband and I, is using CBD oil in conjunction with copaiba essential oil. doTERRA copaiba reduces anxious feelings. And so does CBD oil.

So in the Copaiba vs CBD oil debate, I would say – why choose? Why not use CBD and copaiba together?

CBD oil combined with essential oils draws out the best of both products! So why not try both? You can combine some CBD oil and lavender or copaiba together in an empty veggie capsule and swallow. Or you can diffuse an essential oil and take some CBD internally just for a couple of suggestions.

If you would like to try CBD oil for anxious feelings, please click the link. Cannabidiol Life uses third-party testing, so the products are not watered down and are quite effective.

There are also gummies, lotions, vapes and many other items you may benefit from. This is also a good way to calm down and feel less stress. There is <0.3 percent THC in CBD oil (under the federal limit), and it’s organic. So it’s healthy and there’s no buzz!

If you want other ideas about how to handle anxious feelings while traveling, here is a helpful article.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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