Nervous System Support & Essential Oils

By Tracy Griffiths, BCPP and Julie Sinclair, BCPP

In this uncertain time, not knowing when the COVID-19 pandemic will end and seeing positive case numbers go up in hot spots around the world, many people’s nervous systems are highly activated.

Everyone responds differently—fight, flight or freeze—even alternating among all three responses from day to day, moment to moment. How it is expressed, too, varies among individuals: from depression and anxiety to sadness or anger. What’s true across the board, though, is that many of us have been experiencing an ongoing stress response at some level (conscious or unconscious) since the pandemic began.

Dr. Stone, in Polarity Therapy Volume 2, Book 5 (page 61) references the nervous system: “Aim to balance the patient’s mental, emotional and physical energies in their flow and rhythm. The mental energies are usually summed up in voluntary actions and the cerebrospinal system. The emotional fields are usually unconscious patterns and impulses, flowing over the sympathetic system to seek expression and fulfillment, through the sympathetic nervous system and its stored energy in various energy fields. The parasympathetic impulses are the conscious reactions to both nervous systems; it serves as a balancer or a brake upon them in excesses.” (Note that Dr. Stone’s terminology of the nervous system is a bit different than we use today. See John Chitty’s explanation of this.)

Essential oils are a great resource for supporting the nervous system due to their direct link to the limbic lobe of the brain—the emotional control center where anxiety, depression, fear, anger and joy all emanate. In addition, the oils interact quickly with the body: An essential oil applied directly on the skin can pass into the bloodstream and be distributed throughout the body’s tissues in 20 minutes or less.

For parasympathetic nervous system support, single essential oils include Lavender, Valerian, Patchouli, Marjoram, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Vetiver and Idaho Blue Spruce. Blends include Peace & Calming, Harmony, Valor and RutaVaLa.

For sympathetic nervous system support, essential oils include Fennel, Ginger, Eucalyptus Radiata, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Black Pepper, as well as the blends Clarity and Brain Power.

To use:

• Diffuse your choice of oils for 1/2 hour every 4-6 hours.
• Put 2-3 drops of chosen oil in palms and rub them together, cupping hands over the nose and inhaling throughout the day as needed.
• Put 8-10 drops on a cotton ball or tissue and place in an air vent in your house, car, hotel room, etc.

Why Young Living? We recommend using Young Living Essential Oils because we can stand by their quality and integrity. Essential oils sold in most health food stores are aroma-grade or fragrance-grade oils that might have an essential oil base but contain additives, fillers and synthetics to increase volume or fragrance. We use Young Living Essential Oils because we know they are pure and contain the therapeutic-level chemical compounds found in the plants that support health in humans.

In addition, Young Living owns their own farms or partners with farms that share their standards for growing, harvesting and distilling. They distill oils once at low temperatures and pressures, using chemical-free water and medical-grade stainless steel distillers and stand by the quality of each bottle of essential oil they produce with a Seed to Seal guarantee.

For more information or to order a Young Living essential oil or blend, visit our website. You can also learn more about how to use essential oils in your daily life by signing up for our e-newsletter via FlowIntoWellness@marketingscents.com.