6 Essential Oils for Anxiety (& How to Use)

Manuel Reis
Clinical review: Manuel Reis Registered Nurse OE #79026
Created by: Tua Saude editing team

Some essential oils that may help reduce anxiety and stress include lavender, bergamot, spikenard, ylang ylang, rose, and patchouli.

These essential oils can be used as a complement to medical treatment for anxiety and stress, as they contain organic compounds like linalool, geraniol, and linalyl acetate, which have calming, relaxing, and sedative effects.

Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy that uses the aroma of different essential oils to stimulate specific areas of the brain, making it an effective way to help relieve stress and anxiety.

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Top 6 essential oils for anxiety

The best essential oils for anxiety are:

1. Lavender

Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular and widely used oils for anxiety.

Also recommended: Lavender: Natural Health Benefits & How to Use It tuasaude.com/en/lavender

It contains high amounts of linalool and linalyl acetate, two monoterpenes that have calming, relaxing, and sedative effects, which can help reduce anxiety symptoms.

2. Bergamot

Bergamot essential oil has a refreshing aroma that can help lower blood pressure and heart rate, promoting a sense of balance in the nervous system and helping relieve anxiety and nervousness.

Some studies suggest that bergamot may also help reduce levels of glucocorticoids, a type of hormone that increases during stress and anxiety.

3. Ylang ylang

Ylang ylang essential oil contains linalool and geraniol, as well as sesquiterpenes, aliphatic compounds, and phenylpropanoids, which are monoterpenes that can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels.

4. Patchouli

Patchouli essential oil is ideal for people dealing with chronic anxiety or high levels of work-related stress. It has calming, anxiolytic, and antidepressant properties.

5. Rose

Rose essential oil, especially from the Rosa damascena species, has mild sedative, anxiolytic, and relaxing properties, making it a good option to help ease anxiety and stress.

6. Spikenard

Spikenard essential oil, from the Nardostachys jatamansi plant, offers strong relaxing, anxiolytic, and antidepressant properties that can help with persistent anxiety and emotional fluctuations.

How to use essential oils

Essential oils for anxiety can be used in the following ways:

  • Inhalation: deeply inhale the essential oil directly from the bottle, holding the breath for 2 to 3 seconds before exhaling. Repeat 3 to 7 times, several times a day

  • Baths: mix 21 drops of essential oil with 5 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil, then add the mixture to bathwater and soak for 20 minutes

  • Massages: dilute 2 to 3 drops of essential oil in 1 tablespoon of a carrier oil. Apply to the skin and gently massage for about 10 minutes

Essential oils can also be used in an aromatherapy necklace or diffuser, which are other forms of inhalation. Simply apply 2 to 3 drops to an aromatherapy necklace or around 10 drops in a diffuser.

Some essential oils can also be taken orally. However, this should only be done under the guidance of a licensed naturopath, as improper use can lead to esophageal burns or toxicity.

Where to buy essential oils

Essential oils are commonly available at health food stores and some pharmacies. When possible, it's best to choose organic oils, which may be more expensive but generally contain fewer toxins and pose fewer risks to health.

Prices can vary depending on the plant used and the brand.

Update History
We regularly update our content with the latest scientific information to maintain an exceptional level of quality.
  • 16 July, 2025 (Current version)
    Updated by Daisy Oliveira - Registered Nurse
  • 15 July, 2025
    Clinical review by Manuel Reis - Registered Nurse
  • Created on July, 2025

References
  • MOKHTARI, Razieh et al. The effects of Rosa damascene aromatherapy on anxiety and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized clinical trial. Burns. 2023;Vol.49(4.ed):973-979.
  • KIM, M.; et al. Effects of Lavender on Anxiety, Depression, and Physiological Parameters: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Asian Nursing Research. 2021;Vol.15(5.ed):279-290.
  • TOPRAK, ÇAGLA et al. The effect of lavender and bergamot oil applied via inhalation on the anxiety level and sleep quality of surgical intensive care unit patients. Explore. 2024;Vol.20(5.ed):.
  • SILVA, R, Lais Mirele et al. Análise da eficácia da aromaterapia com óleo essencial de Ylang ylang em distúrbios de ansiedade:uma revisão de literatura. Research, Society and Development. 2021;Vol.10(15.ed):1-9.
  • Aromatherapy and Essential Oils: A Map of the Evidence. Health Services Research & Development Service. 2019. Accessed 29 Jun 2020 https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/aromatherapy.pdf
  • BAE, Iklyul et al. Effects of aromatherapy essential oil inhalation on the stress response after exposure to noise and arithmetic subtraction stressor: randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. 2018;Vol.11, n.1():275-284.
  • ROMBOLÀ, Laura et al. Bergamot Essential Oil Attenuates Anxiety-Like Behaviour in Rats. Molecules. 2017;Vol.22, n.614():.
  • EREN, Nadiye B. et al. The Effects of Aromatherapy on the Stress and Anxiety Levels of Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units. International Journal of Caring Sciences. 2017;Vol.10, n.3():1615-1623.