Why Do We Need Essential Oils To Reduce Cortisol?

Cortisol is the stress hormone that orchestrates the “fight or flight” response in our body. Many of us are currently stuck in this stressed out state, which causes a downward spiral, both physically and emotionally.

We need essential oils to reduce cortisol because chronic stress profoundly disrupts several systemic functions within our body. Essential oils are affordable and effective. They address all of the issues created by cortisol, helping us to regulate ourselves physically and emotionally.

Essential oils interact directly with the limbic system, in our brain, to naturally signal relaxation and gently lower stress hormones.

Elevated cortisol forces our body into an overactive “fight-or-flight” state. Prolonged high cortisol levels are linked to an increasing depreciation of our health through the following effects:

• Sleep disruption – we heal when we are asleep, so sleep loss negatively impacts every aspect of our body.
• Compromised immunity – a compromised immune system is an immune system that has to work harder, staying ‘on’ more of the time. This can lead to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, which is very problematic in relation to our systemic health.
• Weight gain – see below
• Systemic inflammation – this is an immune response and can lead to autoimmune conditions. Please read Mast Cell Activation Syndrome to understand the relationship between inflammation and immune function.

Cortisol Weight Gain

Chronic stress elevates cortisol, the primary stress hormone. This elevation drives appetite, slows metabolism, and triggers fat storage, specifically in the abdominal area. Managing this involves sustainable lifestyle changes rather than focusing on quick fixes. The most importamt changes are:

• Stress reduction: emotional, physical and energetic. Wireless tech is a stressor. Challenging relationships are a stressor. Overworking our body is a stressor. The toxic load in our environment (everything from scented candles to conventional cleaning products) is a stressor. We need to understand the sources of stress before we can fix them.
• Regular exercise
• Consistent sleep

Understanding the link between cortisol and weight gain, often referred to as a “cortisol belly”, involves looking closely at a few key physiological and behavioral factors:

How Cortisol Drives Weight Gain

• Appetite Stimulation: Cortisol increases your appetite, specifically causing cravings for high-calorie, sugary, & fatty “comfort foods” as the body tries to replenish the energy it thinks it used during a stress response.
• Fat Redistribution: Elevated cortisol mobilizes fats from other parts of the body and relocates them to visceral fat stores deep within the abdomen. This type of fat surrounds vital organs and is heavily linked to metabolic issues.
• Blood Sugar Spikes: Cortisol raises blood sugar levels. Over time, persistently high blood sugar leads to increased insulin production, which promotes further fat storage.

UK Emotional Health Crisis

This section of the article seems to focus on a dark subject – but, have faith! Hope truly is at hand!

The UK is experiencing a severe emotional and mental health crisis, with over 1.8 million people awaiting NHS psychological treatment and nearly 1 in 4 young adults, (ages 17–19), experiencing probable mental disorders.

“Sometimes systems need to fail so that better, more elegant solutions can emerge.“

Young people are the most severely affected cohort, but parents of teenagers, and concerned adults, are also suffering.

Parents of teenagers face an overlapping crisis, bearing intense emotional strain, guilt, and isolation while acting as frontline, untrained carers for their struggling children. Research from organisations like YoungMinds reveals that navigating a broken mental health system often severely impairs the mental health of parents, and adversely affects careers, and relationships.

Driven by the lingering impacts of the pandemic and cost-of-living pressures, alongside the advent and implementation of AI, making for a profoundly uncertain future, demand for emotional and mental health support has vastly outpaced NHS service capacity. (Please go to the end of this article to find other resources and support from specialist groups and charitable organisations.)

Essential Oils That Reduce Cortisol

Whilst the UK is facing an emotional health crisis, of some magnitude, with conventional support services unable to cope, this is not necessarily the disaster it seems to be on the surface.

Aside from accessing outside help, there are many things we can do to improve mental health. Essential oils can play an important role in this.

Essential Oils For Cortisol Reduction

Clinical studies indicate that inhaling certain essential oils can stimulate the olfactory system, signalling the brain to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels.

The Olfactory Pathway: Inhaling a single cortisol reducing essential oil or a blend of cortisol reducing essential oils directly impacts stress levels. Inhalation of these oils sends a signal to the amygdala, (the primary emotional processing centre of the brain), and hypothalamus, (the control centre of the body), helping to downregulate the “fight or flight” response.

Stress Reduction: Studies indicate that inhaling calming essential oils can start lowering cortisol levels within minutes.

Sleep Support: By reducing stress, cortisol reducing essential oils can enhance melatonin production and improve deep, restorative sleep.

The most well-researched oils for reducing cortisol are some of the most antioxidant and anti-inflammatory aromatherapy oils available. They include:

• Lavender Essential Oil: Clinically shown to significantly decrease blood cortisol and ease anxiety.
• Clary Sage Essential Oil: Known to impact neurotransmitters and significantly reduce cortisol while boosting mood.
• Bergamot FCF Essential Oil: An uplifting citrus oil that provides profound neurological support and naturally lowers cortisol levels.
• Rosemary Essential Oil: This is a profoundly supportive aromatherapy oil from a fundamental systemic perspective. It is, therefore, unsurprising that Rosemary Essential Oil has been shown to lower cortisol.
• Geranium Rose Essential Oil: is prized in aromatherapy for its ability to lower cortisol levels and balance the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis—the body’s primary stress-response system.
• Ylang Ylang Essential Oil: Often blended with Neroli Essential Oil and Lavender Essential Oil to significantly lower cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure. Clinical research indicates that inhaling Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) essential oil can trigger cortisol reduction and decrease autonomic nervous system arousal. It achieves this by interacting with the olfactory system, positively affecting the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis to help lower stress biomarkers.
• Frankincense Essential Oil: regulates stress by lowering cortisol and corticosterone levels. When inhaled, its grounding aroma calms the central nervous system, helping to ease anxiety and promote relaxation.
• Marjoram Essential Oil: reduces stress and decreases cortisol levels by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. Research indicates that the inhalation of active constituents like terpinen-4-ol and linalool can directly modulate neurotransmitters, lower heart rate, and decrease concentrations of salivary cortisol
• Cedarwood Essential Oil: helps reduce cortisol through cedrol, a naturally occurring compound that activates the body’s relaxation response. Inhalation and topical application have been shown in studies to significantly lower stress levels, heart rate, and plasma cortisol.

A Note On Essential Oil Lists

Many of the essential oils listed in this article are avaialble from Wild As The Wind in the following form:

• Ethically Sourced Essential Oils
• Organic Essential Oils
• WIld Crafted Essential Oils

However, it is only possible to link to a single essential oil at a time. To view the mutiple options available for each aromatherapy oil, simply put the name of an essential oil in the search box, at the top of this page, and click return / go. The results page will list all of the options.

E.g. “Lavender” will reveal these options:

• Lavender Mailette Essential Oil
• Lavender High Altitude Essential Oil
• Lavender Fine AOP Essential Oil
• Lavender True Essential Oil
• Lavender Spike Essential Oil
• Organic Lavender Essential Oil

Active Constituents In Essential Oils That Reduce Cortisol

There are many essential oils that contain constituents that are known to reduce cortisol levels.

The key active chemical constituents primarily responsible for these cortisol-lowering effects include:

• Linalool: Abundant in Lavender and Clary Sage, linalool interacts directly with the nervous system to soothe tension and reduce anxiety.
• Linalyl Acetate: Found alongside linalool in Lavender, it promotes deep relaxation and has been clinically shown to decrease blood cortisol levels.
• b-Caryophyllene: A prominent sesquiterpene in Ylang Ylang, Lavender and Rosemary, it supports HPA axis regulation and significantly lowers plasma cortisol.
• d-Limonene: A major constituent in Bergamot and Orange essential oils, it acts upon mood-regulating pathways to slow anxiety-induced heart rate and lower salivary cortisol.
• Geraniol: Found in Geranium, Palmarosa, Citronella and Lemongrass, it assists in modulating neurotransmitters to restore hormonal balance.
• Cedrol: Found in wood-based oils like Cedarwood, helps quiet the central nervous system to ease feelings of stress.

Linalool is a naturally occurring, sweet-smelling terpene alcohol found in over 200 plant species. The highest concentrations are typically found in the following essential oils:

• Ho Wood Essential Oil: Often contains nearly 90–99% linalool.
• Sweet Basil Essential Oil: Typically ranges from 53–58%.
• Lavender Spike Essential Oil & Lavender True Essential Oil: Generally contains between 25–45%.
• Bergamot FCF Essential Oil: Contains high to moderate levels, known for its citrus-floral aroma.
• Neroli Essential Oil & Petitgrain Essential Oil: Usually contains between 30–54%.
• Coriander Seed Essential Oil: Known for moderate to high concentrations.
• Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
• Clary Sage Essential Oil
• Thyme Red Essential Oil

Essential oils that contain terpinen-4-ol include:

• Tea Tree Essential Oil: The richest natural source, containing c. 30% to 48%.
• Marjoram Essential Oil: Naturally contains a moderate amount of terpinen-4-ol.
• Nutmeg Essential Oil
• Juniper Berry Essential Oil: Often used for its woody aroma, it contains trace to moderate amounts of terpinen-4-ol.
• Lavender Essential Oil: Can contain varying concentrations (sometimes up to 20%+) of terpinen-4-ol alongside linalool and linalyl acetate.
• Cypress Essential Oil: Contains the compound, adding to its fresh, herbaceous profile.

How To Use Essential Oils For Stress Relief

• Inhalation: Add 3–4 drops to a Diffuser for daily ambient relaxation.
• Broad Topical Application: Dilute in a suitable carrier oil for application on chest, neck & abdomen. Add 6-7 drops of essential oil to every 10ml of carrier oil.
• Local Topical Application: Add 12 -14 drops of essential oil to every 10ml of carrier oil before applying to your pulse points (wrists & temples) & Vagal points on the side of your neck, directly behind your earlobes.
• Bath Soak: Add 5 – 6 drops to every 10ml of carrier oil, before adding a cap full, (Dessert spoon), to your bath.

UK Support Services For Emotional Health

There are a good number of emergency services, charities and provisions for emotional and mental health in the UK. The following services were available at the time of publication.

Free Listening & Text Services

Samaritans: Available 24 hours a day. Call 116 123 for a confidential, safe space to talk about anything troubling you.

Shout Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258 for 24/7 text-based support if you are struggling to cope.

Charities and Advisory Services

Mind: Provides expert advice on navigating mental health services and localized support. Call their support line at 0300 102 1234 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–6 PM).

Hub of Hope: Use the Hub of Hope directory to find specific mental health support services, charities, and safe spaces operating directly in your local area.

NHS Services: Consult your local GP for non-urgent referrals to specialised therapies, or use the NHS Mental Health Services guide for information on referring yourself to local psychological therapies.

Specialized Support for Parents

YoungMinds Parents Helpline: Offers free, confidential advice and support for parents worried about a child up to 25. Call 0808 802 5544 (Monday–Friday, 9:30 AM–4:00 PM) or use their webchat.

Charity Web Guides: Access the YoungMinds Parents Support Guide for actionable toolkits on responding to self-harm, school anxiety, and behavioral changes.

Family Lives: A dedicated family charity providing a free helpline at 0808 800 2222 and online forums where you can connect with other parents facing similar pressures.

Qwell: A free, anonymous digital mental health service offering online peer support and professional counselling specifically for adults in various NHS regions. Check availability on the Qwell Platform.

Support for Teenagers and Young Adults

Childline: For young people under 19. They can call 0800 1111 for free, confidential comfort and advice that will not show up on a phone bill.

The Mix: A comprehensive support service for under-25s. Young people can text THEMIX to 85258 for crisis care or call 0808 808 4994 (every day, 4:00 PM–11:00 PM).

Kooth: An anonymous digital mental well-being platform tailored for children and young adults, providing peer support and online advice forums. Check local access on the Kooth Website.

Localized Help and Self-Referrals

Local CAMHS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) handle severe vulnerabilities. While most require a GP referral, some areas allow parental self-referral. Check your local NHS trust guidelines.

Local Support Groups: Use the Hub of Hope Directory to search specifically for “Parent/Carer Support” networks near you to break the sense of isolation.

Scientific Sources

1. Essential Oil Aroma, Subjective Stress and Diurnal Cortisol Secretion in Healthy Adults – A single blind, placebo controlled, cross over study: https://ifaroma.org/en_GB/home/news-events/research
2. Essential oil inhalation on blood pressure and salivary cortisol levels in prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23259002/
3. Effect of lavender essence inhalation on the level of anxiety and blood cortisol in candidates for open-heart surgery: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4979264/
4. Lavender and the nervous system: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/
5. Smelling lavender and rosemary increases free radical scavenging activity and decreases cortisol level in saliva: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17291597/
6. Changes in 5-hydroxytryptamine and cortisol plasma levels in menopausal women after inhalation of clary sage oil: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24802524/
7. The effect of bergamot orange essence on anxiety, salivary cortisol, and alpha amylase in patients prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A controlled trial study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32379683/