5 relaxing essential oils to soothe headaches
Essential oils are not only calming but also offer a lot of health benefits. They can instantly lift your mood, reduce stress and promote relaxation. These oils improve blood circulation to the brain, treat insomnia and anxiety and reduce pain and inflammation. They are also effective in treating headaches like migraines. Here are five essential oils that can treat headaches.
Peppermint essential oil
One of the most popular essential oils to treat headaches, peppermint essential oil contains menthol which helps your muscles to relax and soothe discomfort. The anti-inflammatory, decongestant, and immunostimulatory properties in this oil treat your headache and head stiffness. You can put a few drops of peppermint oil in your bath to reduce the intensity of a headache and relax.
Lavender oil
Loaded with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, lavender oil reduces stress, anxiety, and depression and helps you sleep better. It has a soothing and gentle fragrance that calms your mind. This aids in reducing headaches caused by stress or lack of sleep. According to a 2022 review, inhaling lavender essential oil helps manage acute migraine. You can use it for baths, or massages.
Chamomile oil
One of the best essential oils to relax and unwind, chamomile oil helps calm down your muscles and soothe headaches. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. You can add a few drops of chamomile oil to a bowl of boiling water and breathe in the aromatic steam to relax after a stressful day and get relief from headaches.
Lemon essential oil
Lemon essential oil helps calm your mind, uplift your spirit, and soothes a tension headache. Extracted from lemon peels, this oil also gives instant energy. You can add a few drops of lemon oil to a cold washcloth and then apply it as a cold compress to your head and as a hot compress to the back of your neck to relax and rejuvenate.
Rosemary essential oil
Loaded with powerful pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, rosemary essential oil has been used for centuries for relieving pain, stress, and headache and improving circulation. It is extremely effective in soothing a sore head by alleviating pain. According to a 2013 study, rosemary oil helped the muscles to relax and reduce insomnia which helped in healing headaches. You can add this oil to your bath.