Agitation is the act of “stirring things up” in order to cause a specific reaction and refers to an abnormal state in the brain where it becomes highly aroused for action – often violent or without thought. It causes a person to feel restless both mentally and physically where emotions are volatile and their fuse is short.

Some examples that may cause agitation include:

• Children high on sugar and bouncing off the walls
• The neighbor’s car alarm keeps going off at night
• Someone at work never stops fiddling around with things
• You experience road rage on the freeway because people “don’t know how to drive”
• The dog down the street barks incessantly day and night

All of these scenarios can cause your emotions to go from zero to sixty in less than two seconds. You’re suddenly flooded with agitation and your brain and body are poised to act immediately to stop the thing that is agitating you.

This is how agitation works. It causes you to feel a great need to act violently or angrily toward that which is angering and irritating you.

Thankfully, essential oils can help mitigate feelings of agitation!

The Best Essential Oils for Agitation

Essential oils can really help diffuse feelings of agitation within just a few moments by stimulating the brain and calming down flared emotions.

So, before you lash out and regret your actions, take a look at the list of essential oils below and choose the ones that resonate best your needs.

The best essential oils for agitation include:

• Bergamot
• Cedarwood
• Clary sage
• Frankincense
• Geranium
• Juniper
• Lavender
• Marjoram
• Myrrh
• Ocotea
• Orange
• Roman chamomile
• Rose
• Rosewood
• Sandalwood
• Valerian
• Vetiver
• Ylang ylang

All of these essential oils help to calm and diffuse strong negative emotions and allow the brain a moment to reflect and clear away the need for action. It helps you “walk away” from situations mentally so that you can react calmly instead of in the heat of the moment.

So, instead of lashing out at your co-worker who fiddles with things at the office, you might instead deal with the matter calmly and collectively by asking them to stop because you can’t focus.

Instead of driving like a maniac in bumper to bumper traffic, you might instead listen to some good music, a podcast you enjoy, or even an audiobook to give your mind something good to focus on so that you don’t succumb to road rage.

Obviously, using essential oils will help instill those good emotions and keep you in a happier mood.

Essential Oil Recipes for Agitation

Recommended Blend #1

• 5 drops lavender
• 5 drops orange
• 5 drops cedarwood

Add to a diffuser and diffuse 2-3x daily.

Recommended Blend #2

Apply one drop of one of any of the above essential oils to a tissue or cotton ball and breathe in the aroma for 3-5 deep breaths as needed.

You can even wedge the cotton ball in your air vents in the car to help diffuse the oils while driving.

What have been your favorite essential oils for dealing with feelings of agitation? Please share in the comments below!

You may also enjoy reading:

Essential Oil Quick Usage Guide
Essential Oil Profiles and Therapeutic Uses
The Best Essential Oils for Anger
Essential Oils for Well-Being and Emotional Balance
Could Herbs be Your Answer to Stress Relief?

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