Essential oils made from citrus fruits appear to be able to elevate our mood. Lemon oil is considered one of the best blues-busting remedies.
This oil is cold extracted from the rind of the lemon. It has wide-ranging health benefits. Probably the most obvious is how it can potentially help our emotional well being.
Aromatic mood enhancement is something that’s well known to professional aromatherapists. They often recommend lemon essential oil, and as well as others, for emotional relief.
People who use essential oils frequently also know about their potential mood-lifting powers. They know that diffusing lemon oil is one way to beat a case of the mild blues. It also makes your room smell great.
Please understand that I’m not suggesting that someone who is seriously and chronically depressed forego regular medical care. This is a situation that calls for professional guidance. Nor am I suggesting that anyone abandon prescription antidepressants for lemon oil. (Reducing medication must always be done while working with a doctor, anyway.)
Plus, I can’t make claims that any natural remedy will solve your depression. What I can do is share my own personal experiences with using essential oils.
For the purposes of this article, I’m talking about a mild case of the blues. This can be caused by disappointment, and will likely pass on its own. Meanwhile, lemon essential oil may give you an emotional boost, according to one report.
Essential Oils for Mood Lifting
In my own experience, lemon oil also seems to improve my focus and concentration. When I’m working, I’ll often put a few drops of a blend containing aromatic lemon on a cloth. I leave this close to my computer, so I can inhale the medicinal compounds.
To any naysayers, there’s also some scientific evidence to back the fact that essential oils can influence our perceptions.
One study that ran September 25, 2006 in the Behavioral Brain Research medical journal found that “lemon oil vapor” can, indeed, bring about positive emotional changes. It found that lemon oil has “antidepressant-like effects.”
Lemon Oil and Depression
The University of Maryland Medical Center website has a paper on depression. It included lemon essential oil as one of the aromatics that can help people relax, and feel better.
Used properly, essential oils appear much safer than pharmaceutical antidepressants. Recently, the New York Times reported on a new body of research concerning a popular antidepressant called Paxil. This was a paper that appeared in the British Medical Journal, showing this prescription may not be appropriate for teenagers.
Where to Buy Organic Lemon Oil
Paxil has also flagged as being potentially dangerous for women with breast cancer. This drug may possibly fuel estrogen-dependent cancers, as it mimics this female hormone, according to other published reports.
The organic lemon oil shown below is made by Plant Therapy, a company I frequently order from. Its oils are 100 percent pure and of the highest quality. For me, they’re an excellent alternative to oils sold by MLM distributors.
Plant Therapy Organic Lemon Oil
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Lemon Oil for Depression
I’m always amazed at how quickly my own moods can change when I use essential oils. These oils can be used for massage, as long as they’re mixed with a more neutral carrier, such as olive oil or fractionated coconut oil.
They can also be added to a cold air essential oil diffuser. However, if you don’t own a diffuser, you can also put a couple of drops of lemon oil on a cloth or a tissue, and keep it close to you, so you can inhale the wonderful, invigorating fragrances of lemons.
How to Use Lemon Essential Oil
Or, you can mix your lemon oil with other aromatics, such as lavender (available here) or geranium (available here). These oils also appear to have mood-elevating compounds. Aromatherapists often use recipes containing several oils, as it’s believed multiple oils create a powerful synergy.
In addition to potentially functioning as a natural antidepressant, lemon essential oil is also thought to relieve stress. Some people use it for insomnia, but I feel it’s too invigorating. So I reserve this oil for the daytime.
Other potential benefits of lemon oil include:
- Immune System Support – Aromatherapists believe that this oil can increase your immunity, because it stimulates your white blood cells to fight pathogens. This oil contains a high concentration of natural Vitamin C.
- Digestive Aid – Lemon oil is considered very good for relieving indigestion. You can apply a diluted mix right to your abdomen and rub it in. Because essential oils are so strong, always mix them with a carrier oil, such as grape seed or olive oil, before applying to the body. Do this when you will not be in the sun, as citrus oils can induce photo sensitivity.
- Fever Reducer – Diluted lemon oil can also be applied to the skin as a natural means of reducing fever.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. People with health concerns should discuss them with a doctor. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils, unless under the direction of a healthcare professional.
I’m not a healthcare professional, so all of the above statements are my personal opinion, and are not intended as medical advice. If you are seriously depressed, please seek help.
For Additional Reading
Essential Oils that Help Depression
