Are essential oil good for anxiety and better sleep?

[Hereware]

Chronic pain and illnesses make us more anxious about everything that it affects how we sleep. That, in the long run, will affect our health even more. I've heard about essential oils being used for anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Has anyone of you tried this yet?

[frugallyzing]

Essential oils are good for destressing. They make the room smell nice, thus the better mood. It helps with anxiety because most of the oils have a calming effect like spearmint and lavender.

[kristina]

Of course, nice-smelling oils etc. might have a calming effect and the same goes for Perfumes etc.

... But we must not ignore the fact that these days so many people suffer from asthma-attacks and if you ever have witnessed an asthma-sufferer reacting to a Perfume-scent, it is a very shocking experience and certainly makes you think again about essential oils, Perfumes etc.

Just imagine : a little faint Perfume-smell in a train, tube etc. can trigger a major  asthma-attack in a sufferer and that just would not be fair...
Just my 
 

[Alexysis]

My take is that "essential oils" are just the latest pseudo-scientific snake oil cures, nothing more than mumbo-jumbo for the gullible.

[Simon Dog]

So the real question becomes "Are essential oils essential?".

There is a reason all the snake oil cures have the FDA required disclaimer that the product they claim will cure your problem is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition.

[Alexysis]

So the real question becomes "Are essential oils essential?".

There is a reason all the snake oil cures have the FDA required disclaimer that the product they claim will cure your problem is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition.

Of course, none of these companies are allowed to claim that their elixir can "cure" anything, so they resort to creating online sockpuppets and gullible dupes to come to places like this do that.

[UkrainianTracksuit]

I don't follow the essential oils train and my eyes roll back into my head when someone starts jammering on about all these supposed solutions. That said, I made a "Chernobyl mix" of peppermint, cloves and lemongrass that got rid of my ant problem (without affecting the sensitive lungs of pets). My only experience.

[Hereware]

It has something to do with our sense of smell, hence the aromatherapy. It may affects the mood and maybe that of the sleep. It can help our perception of pain. However, it can do a little to none for chronic illnesses.

[Simon Dog]

Ranks right up there with laetrile and crystal therapy.

[MooseMom]

"Essential" oils are named thusly not because they are "necessary", rather, they are labelled as such because they are unadulterated by additives.  They are made to be used in conjunction with creams or lotions because they are very strong and don't always smell nice.

I do believe that "essential" oils can play a large role in de-stressing.  We all have a gut response to aromas, whether it comes in the form of a lavender field or of your favorite food.  Without the sense of smell, we cannot taste much.  There is a reason that, say, laundry detergent manufacturers put fragrance in their products.  Not everyone appreciates that, but most shoppers do.

My husband and I visit a lavender farm in Michigan each year on our summer hols.  As soon as I get out of the car, I can feel my shoulders relax and a big silly grin form on my face.  There is a reason many people enjoy a walk in the woods; the smell of foliage is a mood-lifter. 

That said, I'm dubious about crystal therapy.  I don't understand what that's all about.

[Alexysis]

I guess "Chinese herbs" are out of fashion now? That was the big thing in snake-oil 'cures' about 2 years ago. Maybe COVID showed the idiots that medicine in China ain't all that....

[cassandra]

Hi, I don’t know about sleep etc, but I make my own cremes and salves with them. I made an anti itch creme with Eucerin deep moisture lotion, and added teatree oil, hazel with, baobab; peppermint as my phosphate and calcium are way high, and it works a treat.