Essential oils may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to hormone health but they can be a great way to keep things in check. Essential oils can have a few different benefits when it comes to balancing hormones, including reducing stress levels, promoting better sleep, supporting optimum hormone production and can even fix sugar cravings (which can have an effect on appetite and weight, indirectly affecting hormone balance).
Some essential oils can help to balance hormone levels. These include:
- Clary Sage: Clary sage is a great essential oil for balancing hormone levels. This can help with regulating your menstrual cycle and easing monthly symptoms. Dopamine is another hormone that can be increased by using clary sage. It can also be good for reducing stress levels, which are sometimes a culprit for hormone imbalances, and for reducing cortisol levels.
- Myrtle Oil: Myrtle oil can help to balance thyroid hormones in particular. It’s also classed as an adaptogen that can help the body to change how it responds to stress.
- Lavender: Lavender is well known for its relaxation benefits and is helpful for keeping stress levels down. It can also improve sleep (particularly deep, restorative sleep), which is also important for hormone balance.
- Thyme: Thyme helps to balance progesterone, a female sex hormone.
- Geranium: Geranium can affect the release of hormones from the adrenal glands.
- Neroli Oil: Neroli oil can be a great choice for women during menopause. Inhaling it can bring relief to some menopause symptoms. It can also help with stress reduction.
- Peppermint: It’s often associated with better digestion but peppermint can be effective for curbing cravings that can lead to weight gain. Having even a bit of excess weight can increase estrogen levels as some estrogen is produced in fat cells. Keeping your appetite normalized can avoid this as well as balance hormones.
How can you use essential oils to balance your hormones? One of the easiest ways to get the benefits is to use a diffuser. Just add a couple of drops of your chosen oils to a diffuser and let the molecules permeate the room. You can also add a few drops to an aromatherapy bath or just inhale the scents.
