Ok, let’s face it. Lavender and Peppermint were my “gateway” essential oils. They were the two initial oils that got me hooked on trying more {and more}. And one of the many ways I used Lavender & Peppermint was for tension relief. Over the months, I’ve discovered a few more essential oils that work great for releasing different types of tension!
The two main types of tension I experience is muscle and headache related. Of course, there’s also emotional tension in life {which you can try alleviating by diffusing oils blends like Release, Gentle Baby, and Stress Away}. Today, I’m focusing on the physical, muscle tightness & tension, which can, in turn, bring on headaches.
My main go-to for minor/mild headaches and neck tension is Peppermint oil. My hubby and I both carry a bottle of Peppermint around with us all the time. Yep, you read the right. I’ve got my hubby hooked on the usefulness of oils too! We put roll-on tops on our Peppermint oils, so that we can easily apply them on the back of our necks and across our shoulders. An interesting fact, some people experience Peppermint as a “hot oil” meaning it feels warm on the skin, and others, like myself, experience it as a cooling oil. When I need to cool down in a crowd or when I come in from a hot summer day, I put on some Peppermint oil.
Sometimes, my headaches turn into Migraines. Migraines suck BIG time. I generally have to hit up my Excedrin {modern medicine has its place}, but early on I apply M Grain essential oil blend. It is a hot oil, so use sparingly. I put two drops on a cotton pad, and gentle wipe it along the back of my neck and on my temples {but away from my eyes}. *If you ever get essential oil where you don’t want it, or it starts feeling uncomfortable, rub a little coconut or olive oil onto your skin.* After I take my Excedrin, I like to put a couple drops of Lavender oil on a cool cloth and place on my head.
For deeper muscle tension relief {aka I had an awesome, but painful workout}, PanAway oil blend is AMAZING! I have a little roll-on bottle of it, diluted with coconut oil, that I use on knotted or strained muscles. You can roll-it on and massage it in. I do recommend diluting it with a carrier oil, as it can be a bit uncomfortable applied directly on. Side note – I diffused PanAway once and discovered it smells exactly like Rootbeer. Seriously.
There’s also quite a few blends you can make for yourself, which include PanAway oil for muscle tension relief. Just poke around on Pinterest. I have my Relax Away Bath Salts recipe up on the blog too.
I recently purchased and started using Deep Relief. It was recommended as a great blend for using right after a workout to refresh muscles and keep muscle groups from tightening up later. I might start using this on my Deadlift day, as I’m finding my Trapezius muscle getting exhausted, & tightening up more regularly at the heavy weights. Anyway, I fitted my Deep Relief bottle with a roll-on top and it is comfortable enough to apply directly.
If you are looking for some good alternatives to store-bought muscle rubs and Tylenol, I definitely suggest giving these oils a try. They have become staples in our oil collection. I don’t think I could live without Peppermint oil {I even carried a bottle of it around at Disneyland}!
Also, sharing an added BONUS today!
Sciatic Relief
10 drops Thyme oil
8 drops Wintergreen oil
4 drops Lavender oil
3 drops Peppermint oil
5 drops PanAway
Fill remaining 10ml bottle with fractionated coconut oil. Insert roll-on top. Roll and massage into sciatic area {aka good for the butt}.
Happy Oiling!
