top 5 essential oils for depression

with mental health awareness week in the UK, we want to share some of our 5 favourite essential oils for mental health and wellbeing. you can find some of these uplifting aromatic oils in our yogandha products.

bergamot

this beautiful light and fragrant citrus scent is sometimes called the anti-depressant of essential oils. it is a beautiful fragrance but it is also joyful, uplifting and fresh. often used by aromatherapists in blends to combat stress, anxiety and when feeling low and depressed. research shows it reduces the corticosterone response to stress and is effective against anxiety.

grapefruit

this is a sweet citrus scent which invokes feelings of joy and happiness. perhaps due to the association with grapefruits, summer and its zesty aroma it is thought to ease seasonal affective disorder (sad). its sharp sweet fragrance breaks through heavy low moods.

rosemary

our favourite culinary herb is not just excellent in cooking but the essential oil has a super clean, sharp and fresh aroma. any heaviness will start to lift. so if you are feeling heavy in your head due to congestion and tiredness it will clear. mental and emotional heaviness is also lifted by this invigorating essential oil. it is thought to wake up the mind and give focus.

ylang ylang

this heavy floral scent is often associated with sensuality and used as an aphrodisiac. feelings that are usually reduced when feeling low. however, research suggests that the relaxing effect of ylang ylang “provide some evidence for the usage of the ylang ylang oil in aromatherapy such as causing a relief of depression and stress in humans”.

patchouli

this scent might remind us of hippies and incense. but in aromatherapy, “patchouli is used to calm nerves, control appetite and relieve depression and stress. in high dose, it can stimulate and in lower dose, it is a sedative. it is used to sharpen intelligence and improve concentration.” it's a great oil to use on the skin as well. we like to use patchouli in essential oil blends. as a base note, it helps to keep the aroma of some of the lighter high notes such as citrus essential oils like grapefruit and bergamot.

creating a blend for joy

as you can see most of the essential oils used for feeling low or depressed are also suitable for stress or anxiety. sometimes we experience a blend of all these emotions. in a synergetic blend such as yogandha salute roll on, we use grounding essential oils like patchouli and ylang ylang which also calms the mind and used for sleep problems. they are also wonderful to create a balanced blend for the higher aromatic notes such as the sharp clearing rosemary and the light fresh joyful citrus scents. this way you have a complete and balanced blend that will calm yet invigorate and uplift.

yogandha salute roll on is easy to use anywhere and anytime. kept it in your bag or pocket. apply it anytime you feel a little low or need a boost. 

Please note this is not medical advice and purely for education only. Always refer to a medical professional to discuss your mental and emotional health and potential treatment. If you have any medical condition or if you are pregnant please always consult your medical consultant before using essential oils and speak to a qualified aromatherapist.