Feeling Low? These Essential Oils Can Boost Your Mood

Are you struggling with the winter blues?

Do you feel anxious about the festive season and all that it involves?

The end of the year is here, temperatures are dropping, and preparations for the holiday season are beginning. It's exciting! But it can also trigger stress, anxiety, and sadness for many people.

If you're struggling to shrug off a bad mood, essential oils are your secret weapon. In this article, we'll explore some of the best essential oils for boosting your mood and staying calm.

Do Essential Oils Support a Good Mood?

Yes, absolutely! Aromatherapy has a long history of use for supporting positive emotional states and shifting negative ones. Emotions originate in your brain, so going directly to the source can help to flip your mood. Essential oils have a profound effect on your mood and mental state when inhaled or applied topically1.

When you inhale essential oils, aroma molecules send messages along your olfactory nerve to parts of your brain linked to your emotions, memories, and behaviors – known as the limbic system. This explains why pleasant scents can change your emotions in a second!

We've outlined 5 of the best mood-boosting oils below and how they can help you.

1. Woolzies Rose Essential Oil

Rose is a soothing and heart-opening essential oil with one of the most gentle, delicate scents. Plus, it has impressive health properties to match!

According to research, rose essential oil can improve your mental health by lowering your stress hormones and helping you stay calm2.

At Woolzies, we've made sure rose essential oil is available as a convenient roll-on. You can keep this in your pocket, in your bag, or on your bedside table.

2. Woolzies Lavender Oil

Chronic stress and lack of sleep can have a devastating effect on your mood and overall mental health.

For this reason, lavender is an essential oil that everyone should have in their natural first aid kit – especially if you struggle with depression and anxiety. This floral, woody essential oil may even reduce the stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by many women after they give birth3.

How to Use: Make a "sleepy time" linen spray using lavender oil. Combine 10 drops of lavender oil, 5 drops of clary sage oil, 1 cup of pure water, and 2 tablespoons of pure vodka in a spray bottle. Shake well and spritz over your pillow and blankets before you climb into bed.

3. Neroli 

Do hormonal mood swings impact your quality of life?

Neroli essential oil is fantastic for people who struggle with low mood due to menopause4 or premenstrual syndrome5 (PMS). It’s steam distilled from the white blossoms of the bitter orange tree. Plus, this sweet, spicy oil is also great for glowing skin.

How to use: Reap the mood-boosting and skin-healing benefits of neroli with massage oil. Add 4 drops of neroli oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil and gently massage this into the back of your neck, upper arms, and chest.

4. Lemon Oil

Energizing lemon essential oil is often known as liquid sunshine due to its yellow color and ability to encourage a sunny disposition6. If you need a pick-me-up, a sniff of fruity, crisp lemon oil can turn your day around.

How to use: Lemon oil works well with other citrus oils. Try adding 2 drops of lemon oil, 2 drops of sweet orange oil, and 1 drop of neroli oil along with 100ml of water to your ultrasonic diffuser.

5. Woolzies Good Mood Blend

At Woolzies, we know how effective essential oils are for boosting your mood. We've made a specific oil blend packed with the beautiful oils of lavender, clary sage, cypress, geranium, and lemongrass. Our Good Mood Blend is recommended for promoting happiness and regulating mood swings.

How to use: Our Good Mood blend can be inhaled, diffused, and applied topically. We love indulging in this uplifting blend by making bath salts. Add 1 cup of Epsom salts, 10 drops of Good Mood Blend, 2 tablespoons of carrier oil of your choice to a jar. Mix this well and add a few tablespoons to a warm bath to change your mood.

Final Thoughts

Essential oils may help to lift your spirits and calm your mind. They're not a replacement for conventional depression treatment, but they are an excellent addition to your happiness "toolkit."

Do you have a favorite essential oil to use when you're feeling down? Let us know in the comments!

Resources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241490/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19370942/

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4815377/

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4082953/

5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174438811730484X?via%3Dihub

6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18178322/