Essential oils extracted from plants are used for massage, bathing, vaporisation and inhalation. Each essential oil has its own unique fragrance and healing properties and can be blended with other oils. Essential oils may help enhance psychological wellbeing by relieving depression, stress, sadness and anxiety and helping you feel more cheerful, revived, refreshed and happy. Bergamot, geranium, rose and grapefruit are particularly good essential oils for happiness.
Bergamot Essential Oil
The bergamot tree, Citrus bergamia, produces small, sour-tasting, inedible, yellow citrus fruits. Bergamot essential oil is expressed from the peel of these fruits and has a lemony, fresh, warm fragrance. It blends well with other citrus oils. Bergamot oil is reviving, refreshing and soothing and helps relieve sadness, grief and anxiety. Its sunny, anti-depressant qualities treat seasonal affective disorder, helping you feel cheerful on dull, grey, wintry days.
Bergamot essential oil can irritate the skin, therefore people with sensitive skin should avoid this oil. A maximum of three drops should be added to bath water. Bergamot oil is phototoxic and must not be used before sun exposure.
Geranium Essential Oil
Geranium essential oil is steam-distilled from the leaves, stalks and flowers of the geranium plant, Pelargonium gravolens. Geraniums are hairy, perennial plants with pink or red flowers. Geranium oil has a light, lemony, rosy, fresh smell and blends well with bergamot and rose essential oils. It is uplifting, refreshing and comforting and is used for treating anxiety and depression. Geranium essential oil generally does not cause skin irritation but may cause dermatitis in people with sensitive skin.
Rose Essential Oil
Rose essential oil, also known as rose otto or rose attar, is steam or water-distilled from petals of the rose bushes, Rosa centifolia, Rosa damascena and Rosa gallica, which produce pink or red flowers. Also known as the "queen of flowers," rose is considered one of the finest essential oils and is one of the most expensive. Rose essential oil has a light, sweet, sensual, rosy fragrance and blends well with bergamot. It is soothing, comforting and uplifting and is used to treat grief, bereavement, sadness, sorrow, anxiety, stress and depression, including postnatal depression. Rose oil should be avoided in early pregnancy.
Grapefruit Essential Oil
Last but not least, grapefruit essential oil is another uplifting essential oil, expressed from the peel of the large citrus fruits of the grapefruit tree, Citrus x paradisi. Grapefruit oil has a clean, fresh citrus fragrance and blends well with other citrus oils. It is refreshing and reviving, especially in winter, and helps relieve stress, depression and tension. Grapefruit essential oil may also help increase self-esteem.
Essential oils from plants have many uses and are used to treat a wide range of physical and psychological ailments. You may find them useful for enhancing your sense of general wellbeing and happiness. As with all types of complementary and alternative medicines, essential oils should be used with caution. Take special care when using essential oils to treat children, pregnant women and people with sensitive skin. Essential oils should never be used neat on the skin (with the exception of lavender essential oil), or taken internally.
For more information about essential oils and aromatherapy, readers may be interested in Aromatherapy Essential Oils for Healing and Health.
Sources:
Farrer-Halls, Gill. The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils. Great Britain: Godsfield Press, 2005.
Geddes & Grosset. "Aromatherapy." Alternative Therapies. Scotland: Geddes & Grosset, 2005.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Sharon Kirby - Sharon is a freelance health writer and contributes to various print and online publications. Writing credits include Nursing Times, Good ...
