Essential oils are my first go to when it comes to emotional stress in pregnancy. There’s not much you can take when pregnant but essential oils have been used for thousands of years to help balance your emotional self both while pregnant and not. They can bring a sense of calmness when all else fails. They are part of my everyday routine to help support a healthy emotional pregnancy and postpartum.

The limbic system also know as our “emotional brain” is well known for its roll in controlling blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, memory and even stress and hormone levels. As we breathe in essential oils our olfactory organ gets the message and sends it to the limbic system. Just breathing in specific essential oils can be therapeutic and relaxing.

Each essential oil has a different effect on us and supports a different system of the body. Below you will see 8 great oils that are specifically effective at relieving feelings of stress, moods, self doubt, occassional sleeplessness, tension, and anxiousness. EveryBODY is different so you will want to experiment with different oils and combos until you find one that works best for you.

There are a few ways to enjoy the stress-relieving benefits of essential oils:

1. When applying essential oils directly to your skin, it’s important to dilute them with a carrier oil to help them absorb and last longer as well as prevent irritation. My favorite is fractionated coconut oil. It is virgins coconut oil with the fats removed so it stays in a liquid form and won’t go rancid. When I make a blend for topical use, I like to combine 20-30 drops of essential oils in a 10 ml roller bottle and fill the rest with FCO. Then apply the blend to the areas you hold tension, like the back of your neck, shoulders or temples. You can also apply them to the bottoms of your feet.

2. When creating a relaxing space in the bath you will want to put a few drops of your essential oils in a cup of Epsom salt or even sea salt. This acts as an emulsifier so the oils can mix with the water an not just rise to the top.

3. Uplift your mood with a diffuser. Using essential oils in a diffuser is a great way to fill your entire home with the relaxing scents of your choice.

4. Supporting a restful nights sleep is one of the most important aspects of creating a healthy emotional well being. Lack of sleep has many negative consequences and stress is one of them so you want to make sure you’re using your oils at night on your feet. You can also apply essential oils to dryer balls for your bedding and towels.

 

 

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