One of the amazing properties of essential oils is their ability to balance emotions. The same oil can be either stimulating or calming. For example, if you are stressed, nervous or tense, diffusing lavender essential oil in the room or applying some on your neck or the bottoms of your feet will help you relax and feel calm and at peace. However, if you are tired, sore and foggy headed, essential oils can help relieve tension and uplift you.
While aromatic essential oils will not "cure" depression, they are known to stimulate both the endocrine system and limbic area of the brain, which are both key in the mechanisms of emotion. Essential oils can be relaxing and sleep provoking and be helpful to someone who may be prone to irritability, anger, restlessness and sleeping difficulties.
Many natural healers believe depression is a result of being out of balance (like many other ills) and essential oils are said to balance emotions.
Our emotions and our sense of smell have very strong ties – probably more than with any other of the other four senses. A Korean study on the effect of aromatherapy on pain in patients with arthritis found that receiving a massage with lavender, marjoram, eucalyptus, rosemary, and peppermint oils significantly decreased both the pain AND depression levels.
When I was researching in my books on essential oils and online to see which oils had anti-depressant properties, I was surprised to see how each site or book listed different oils. I made a list and started ticking off which oils were mentioned most. I have 44 different essential oils listed in my recipe book that have anti-depressant properties. Often, the single essential oil or blend you find you enjoy the most will be the one that serves you best. You can experiment with different oils and explore this amazing gift from the Creator Himself.
A few of the oils I found listed the most with anti-depressant and sedative properties include: sandalwood, ylang-ylang, bergamot, chamomile, geranium, jasmine, lavender, neroli, clary sage, rose and all the citrus oils. (Rose is the most expensive essential oil as it takes so many petals to makes just one drop of oil.)
In sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe, the herbs clary sage and lemon balm were used to counter depression and to help with paranoia, mental fatigue and nervous disorders associated with depression (though, of course, these disorders were not known by these names at that time). John Gerard in the sixteenth century said that sniffing lemon balm (also called melissa), would "gladden the heart" and that basil "taketh away sorrowfullness... and maketh a man merry and glad." East Indians traditionally use basil in a similar fashion to prevent agitation and nightmares.
Fragrances are generally effective for people who have mild forms of depression that do not require drugs. They can be especially helpful when the doctor is trying to wean patients off drugs. Essential oils can be used safely in conjunction with anti-depressant medications because they will not interfere with the dosage or effect. If you are currently taking prescription drugs to deal with depression or anxiety, you shouldn’t abruptly stop taking them or replace them with essential oils without your doctor’s okay.
