5 Essential Oils to Help You Through the Holidays

Touted as “the most wonderful time of the year,” the holidays can also add pressure and stress to our already busy lives. They can also be reminders of the loss of love and loved ones, leaving us with heavy feelings about the past. The rising demand of expectations from our workplace, home and family can take its toll on health, vitality and experiencing the simple pleasures that this season of life has to offer.  

Luckily, the use of essential oils is one of the most effective ways to adapt to stress. It provides a gentle, natural treatment and a feeling of control over one’s well-being, offering a sense of self-empowerment and a deeper connection to one’s true nature. 

These essential oils will encourage that zen vibe, so that when you share the sentiment “Happy Holidays,” it really comes from the heart! Enjoy!

5 Essential Oils to Help You Through the Holidays

1. Peppermint: Peppermint is invigorating and refreshing, and it’s perfect for a foot soak after a long day of shopping or socializing. It’s an oil of strength and fortitude for the body, mind and emotions. It’s also a wonderful digestive aid, especially during this time of the year when our typical diet is stretched to the limits of what is agreeable to our bodies. Dilute one drop in a tablespoon of carrier oil and massage the stomach in circular motions after eating, or simply add a peppermint tea to your evening relaxation time. 
2. Carrot Seed: Carrot seed is nourishing and revitalizing. This nutrient-rich aromatic including vitamins C, A and B deeply nourishes the adrenal system and increases our resilience to stress. The warm, deep aroma is grounding, balancing and supportive to the liver, which can be important during this time of year with overconsumption of fats and alcohol.
3. Lemon: Lemon is clarifying and uplifting. Its crisp citrus aroma clears the mind, enhances benevolent feelings and supports focus. Where our attention goes, our energy flows; this makes lemon a number one aromatic feeling of overwhelm and encourages a positive outlook. When used in massage, it’s wonderful for circulation and lymphatic drainage.
4. Lavender: Lavender is calming and soothing, and it generates a sense of peace. It’s an excellent aromatic for tension headaches, muscular discomfort, and soothing those emotional peaks and valleys all too common during this time of year. You can make a spray with 15 drops of lavender in a 1-ounce bottle of distilled water to mist your sheets and pillowcases before bed to drift off to a restful and restorative night’s sleep. 
5. Frankincense: Frankincense allays anxieties and deepens spiritual reflection. This is an exceptional oil of tranquility, inviting that quietude for pause and reflection that is such a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle. Add this oil to your meditation or sacred intentional practice to stay centered and connected. 

There are many other ways to use essential oils that can help you achieve well-being during this holiday season. Two helpful practices are included below:

Peppermint Foot Soak

Add five drops of peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita) and one cup of Epsom salts to a foot soak in warm water, and luxuriate for 20 minutes and invigorate your feet, body, mind and spirit with this popular aromatic. 

Zen Hydrotherapy

This hydrotherapy includes:

• 4 drops of lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
• 3 drops of frankincense essential oil (Boswellia carteri)
• 3 drops carrot seed essential oil (Daucus carota)

This rejuvenating bath is sure to soothe your spirit and renew your body and mind during the holidays, and all seasons. Blend the essential oils above into one tablespoon of jojoba or olive oil, and add them to a warm bath. Increase the benefits of your hydrotherapy with 1 to 2 cups of Epsom salts. 

About the Author

Adora Winquist is the author of “Detox – Nourish – Activate: Plant and Vibrational Medicine for Energy, Mood & Love,” a modern alchemist and an essential oil expert.