Natural Remedies for Mental Health: How Essential Oils Can Help You Feel Better
Mental health is just as important as physical health. When people talk about mental health, they mean how we feel inside—our thoughts, emotions, and moods. Sometimes, we feel anxious, stressed, or even a little sad, and that's totally normal. But did you know that there are natural remedies for mental health that can help you feel calmer and happier?
One popular natural remedy is essential oils. These are special oils made from plants like lavender, chamomile, and orange. People use them in a practice called aromatherapy. You either breathe them in or rub them on your skin (with help from a grown-up or doctor). Scientists have been studying essential oils to see if they can help people with things like anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep.
Let’s explore what essential oils are, how they work, and what real research says about their effects on mental health. Don’t worry—everything will be explained in a way that’s super easy to understand!
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are strong-smelling liquids made from flowers, herbs, fruits, or trees. These oils are called “essential” because they carry the “essence” or scent of the plant they come from.
Some popular essential oils used for mental health include:
Lavender – calming and helps you relax
Chamomile – good for sleep and reducing stress
Bergamot – a citrus oil that can boost your mood
Sweet Orange – bright and cheerful scent
Rose – comforting and may help with sadness
These oils are often used in natural remedies for mental health, especially in a type of therapy called aromatherapy.
How Do Essential Oils Help Mental Health?
There are a few ways essential oils might help you feel better:
1. Reducing Anxiety
Anxiety is when you feel nervous or scared even if there’s no real danger. Some essential oils, like lavender, can help calm your brain and reduce those feelings.
2. Lowering Stress
Stress happens when you feel overwhelmed or under pressure. Oils like chamomile and bergamot are great for stress because their scents can help you feel peaceful.
3. Improving Mood
If you’re feeling sad or down, citrus oils like sweet orange or bergamot might cheer you up. Breathing in these scents can help release feel-good chemicals in your brain.
4. Helping You Sleep
Getting enough sleep is important for mental health. Lavender and chamomile can help your body relax so you fall asleep faster and sleep better.
Real-Life Studies on Essential Oils and Mental Health
Scientists around the world have been testing how essential oils affect people’s feelings and behaviors. Here are ten cool studies that show how these oils work as natural remedies for mental health:
1. Lavender Oil for Anxiety (2014)
What happened: Scientists gave a special type of lavender oil called Silexan to people with generalized anxiety disorder (a condition where you feel worried a lot).
What they found: The people who took Silexan felt less anxious than those who got a fake treatment (called a placebo). So, lavender oil may help calm big worries.
2. Aromatherapy for Postpartum Depression (2018)
What happened: New moms often feel sad or overwhelmed after having a baby. In this study, some moms used aromatherapy with oils like lavender and rose.
What they found: The moms who used the essential oils felt less depressed. These natural scents helped them feel more balanced and calm.
3. Marjoram Oil for ICU Nurses (2019)
What happened: Nurses working with very sick COVID-19 patients felt lots of anxiety. They tried inhaling marjoram essential oil during their shifts.
What they found: The nurses felt less stressed and anxious after using the oil. Aromatherapy helped them stay calmer during hard workdays.
4. Bergamot Oil for Teachers (2017)
What happened: A group of teachers who felt stressed out at work tried using bergamot essential oil.
What they found: Just smelling bergamot helped lower their stress levels. This citrus oil worked as a natural mood booster!
5. Chamomile Oil for Better Sleep (2022)
What happened: Some older people had trouble sleeping and felt sad. They tried chamomile oil aromatherapy at bedtime.
What they found: They slept better and felt happier! Getting good sleep helped improve their mood and reduce depression.
6. Lavender Oil for Dialysis Patients (2022)
What happened: People getting dialysis (a medical treatment for kidney problems) often feel anxious. Doctors gave them lavender aromatherapy.
What they found: The lavender helped lower their anxiety and depression levels. It was a safe, gentle way to feel better.
7. Essential Oils for Burn Patients (2018)
What happened: A person who was badly burned felt very anxious. The doctors gave them a blend of lavender and bergamot oils.
What they found: The person felt calmer after the aromatherapy sessions. Essential oils helped ease emotional pain, too.
8. Lavender Oil for Stressful Moments (2011)
What happened: A woman in an office got stressed easily. She started using a lavender oil spray whenever she felt overwhelmed.
What they found: The spray helped her calm down quickly. It was a simple and natural way to manage daily stress.
9. Essential Oils for Healthcare Workers (2023)
What happened: Teachers and nurses who were feeling burnt out tried using different essential oils.
What they found: Using these natural remedies helped them feel better and supported their mental health.
10. Aromatherapy for Older Adults (2020)
What happened: Sixty elderly people used aromatherapy to improve their mental and physical health.
What they found: They felt happier, slept better, and had lower stress. Some even felt more satisfied with life overall.
How to Use Essential Oils at Home
If you want to try natural remedies for mental health at home, essential oils are a great place to start. Just be sure to follow some simple safety rules.
Ways to Use Essential Oils:
Inhalation
Use a diffuser to spread the scent in your room.
Put a few drops on a tissue and breathe it in gently.
Make a lavender pillow spray to help you sleep better.
Topical Use
Mix a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil (like coconut or olive oil).
Rub it on your wrists, neck, or chest (ask an adult to help).
Don’t put essential oils directly on your skin—they’re too strong!
Safety Tips for Using Essential Oils
Essential oils are natural, but they are powerful and should be used with care:
Always dilute them with a carrier oil before putting them on your skin.
Never eat them unless a doctor says it’s okay.
Do a patch test to make sure you’re not allergic. Put a tiny bit on your arm and wait 24 hours.
Ask an adult or doctor before trying new oils, especially if you have health conditions or take medicine.
Natural Remedies for Mental Health - Do They Really Work?
Do natural remedies for mental health work? The answer is: sometimes, yes!
While essential oils don’t cure mental health problems, they can help with symptoms like stress, anxiety, and trouble sleeping. Many people find them comforting, relaxing, and a great part of their self-care routine.
Best of all, these natural remedies for mental health are easy to use, safe (when used correctly), and smell amazing!
Closing Thoughts
Taking care of your mental health doesn’t always mean taking medicine or going to therapy—though those things can be super helpful too. Sometimes, simple natural remedies for mental health, like essential oils, can make a big difference.
If you're feeling stressed, tired, or just a little off, ask a parent, teacher, or counselor if you can try aromatherapy. Breathing in the scent of lavender, chamomile, or bergamot might help you feel better, more relaxed, and ready to face the day.
So go ahead—give essential oils a try. They might be the natural boost your mind and mood need!
References:
Pub Med - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6007527
Pub Med - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6111664/
Pub Med - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10180368
Avicenna Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Care - https://nmj.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-1911-en.html
Pub Med - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24456909/
MDPI - https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/22/2978
Pub Med - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3818840
JMIR Publications - https://www.jmir.org/2020/7/e17096/
Aromaticstudies.com - https://aromaticstudies.com/lavender-memory-based-response-a-case-study