Study: Breathing orange essential oil reduces cortisol levels by 84%

There’s something comforting about walking into a room that smells good. Pleasant scents can instantly improve mood or relieve stress, depending on the scent and the feelings and memories we associate with it. And the aroma of essential oils can be even more powerful. Case in point: orange essential oil. The oil, extracted from orange peel, has a sweet, citrusy aroma that smells exactly like a freshly peeled orange, and is linked to numerous health benefits, from a sunnier mood to a slimmer body. Read on to discover 6 benefits of orange essential oil, along with expert advice on how to make the most of this healing oil.

6 benefits of orange essential oil

Simply inhaling the invigorating aroma of orange essential oil brings countless benefits proven by studies. In my practice, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of this aromatic medicine,” says Lulu Shimek, ND, naturopathic doctor at Kale Diagnostics, a holistic medicine practice. Perhaps the most powerful advantage of this oil is its ability to increase intellectual capacity. In fact, in a study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, Researchers at UC Irvine found that people who inhaled the scent of a blend of six essential oils, including orange essential oil, improved cognitive performance by 226%. (Click to read more about this study and how essential oils can improve focus and memory.)

But it turns out that orange oil itself also has independent advantages! Here are six benefits you can start enjoying today:

1. Orange Essential Oil Relieves Anxiety

Orange essential oil is a natural, fragrant antidote to anxiety, offering a sense of calm even on the most stressful of days, says Dr. Shimek. With its high limonene content, this oil has shown promise in relieving symptoms of anxiety and stress. The proof: a study in the magazineAdvanced Biomedical Researchfound that smelling orange essential oil dramatically reduced cortisol levels associated with anxiety and stress in children. The research looked at patients who underwent a simple dental procedure and found that those in the group who received orange aromatherapy decreased their cortisol levels by 84%, in addition to seeing an 82% drop in heart rate. (Click to see more ways to reduce cortisol in the morning so you feel less stressed all day.)

2. Reduces carbohydrate cravings

High levels of cortisol, which rise with stress, increase hunger hormones and increase sugar cravings. Cortisol is a bully, and if it’s high, it affects every hormone in our body, says women’s health expert Sara Gotttfried, MD. As you rush from task to task, your cortisol levels rise even higher, causing sugar cravings. There’s no doubt about that.

In fact, a Yale University study found that people with high cortisol levels experienced stronger cravings for sweets. And not surprisingly, they gained 89% more weight over a six-month period compared to their low-cortisol counterparts. Therefore, the above study’s finding that simply breathing orange essential oil reduces cortisol levels by 84% suggests that it also reduces sugar and carbohydrate cravings.

3. Orange essential oil relieves pain

A study inIndian Journal of Palliative Caresuggests that the aroma of orange essential oil can reduce pain. In their study, patients who were in a hospital emergency room for treatment of broken bones and who had a pad containing four drops of the oil stuck to their collars experienced significantly lower pain levels than other patients who did not receive the oil. .

4. Improves your mood

Orange essential oil has compounds that have an uplifting and mood-enhancing effect on the body and has been shown to help reset something in the body called the HPA axis, which refers to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in the brain, as well as the adrenal glands. . glands in the abdomen, explains natural health expert Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM, creator of The Essential Oils Healing Deck. In fact, a study published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that inhaling the aroma of orange essential oil significantly reduced signs of depression in individuals, as well as adjusting the levels of brain hormones that play a key role in mood and depression.

5. Orange Essential Oil Boosts Energy

Scientists reporting in the journalMoleculesOrange oil’s 26 aromatic compounds are said to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which leads to a burst of energy, as well as increasing the burning of glucose and fat in muscle tissue, doubling energy and endurance for nearly two hours per sniff . Plus, you can get the benefit even if you don’t have a bottle of oil on hand by simply nibbling on a few orange slices or drinking some orange juice. (Click for expert advice on regulating your nervous system and how it can help you feel better.)

5. It makes it easier to recover from stress

When we’re under constant, chronic stress, it can be difficult to put aside those nagging worries when it’s time to relax. The good news: Orange essential oil can help. A recent study in Construction Engineering Magazine examined the use of orange essential oil during work breaks and how it helped people relax. They found that when participants took a break in a room where orange essential oil was being diffused, heart rate variability (the time interval between heartbeats that is a measure of how well your body handles stress ) increased by up to 48 %, helping them define. let go of stress and take the moment to breathe. And this is in addition to the reduction in cortisol mentioned above. (Click to see the three good things approach is the simple balm you need if you’re feeling burnt out.)

6. Orange essential oil prevents weight gain

Animal research suggests that ingesting orange essential oil may even be a smart strategy for people trying to lose weight. In a study published in the journal Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, overweight rats that received an orange essential oil capsule for 15 days gained 41% less weight than rats that did not receive the capsule, in addition to experiencing significant changes in the composition of their liver and adipose tissue. Researchers explain that orange essential oil affects the levels of proteins, hormones and hormone receptors in the body that improve your ability to lose weight.

How to get the benefits of orange essential oil

There are two main ways to use essential oils: diffusing them and inhaling the aroma and applying them topically.

Get the benefits with a diffuser

Inhaling the oils works quickly through the olfactory system, which means the nerves in the nose detect the compounds and quickly transmit signals to the brain, Schoffro Cook. This is the quickest method of reaping the benefits of oils. And while you can simply open the bottle and take a few sniffs, experts agree that pouring it into a diffuser ensures you’re exposed to the scent for longer.

Pendency: Simply add a few drops of orange essential oil to a diffuser, like the InnoGear Essential Oil Diffuser (Buy on Amazon, $13.99), and let the fragrance spread throughout the room. Generally, you want to diffuse the room for at least 15 to 20 minutes to get the full benefits.

Get the benefits by applying it to your skin

When you apply the oil topically, the beneficial compounds travel through the skin. Applying the oils to the skin can have a beneficial effect on whatever part of the body they are being applied to, and some of the compounds travel directly through the skin, where they have access to the blood, and can travel throughout the body to induce healing effects. , explains Schoffro Cook.

Pendency: To apply an essential oil topically, you should mix 1 to 3 drops of the oil with half a teaspoon of a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or mineral oil (this allows you to cover a large area without applying too much essential oil, as some can be aggressive to the skin) and rub them into the skin as if it were perfume.

What to Look for When Buying Orange Essential Oil

I encourage people to buy essential oils directly from the company that makes them or from their local health food store, as there are many products on the market that have been adulterated, says Schoffro Cook. She adds that many of the products sold in department stores or online stores are scented oils, not essential oils, and there is a big difference. At best, they don’t work because they don’t contain any of the therapeutic ingredients, just synthetic versions of them, she explains. At worst, they are often toxic and can have harmful effects on a person’s health.

Look for a brand backed by third-party testing that reveals the origin of its oils and specifies the beneficial compounds it contains. A few we like: Young Living Orange Essential Oil (buy at YoungLiving.com, $16.45 for a 0.5-ounce bottle) and Rocky Mountain Oils Orange Essential Oil (buy at RockyMountailOils.com, $8 .95 for a 0.5 oz bottle).

---

To learn more about essential oils, click on the links below!

Study: The fragrance of sandalwood essential oil activates hair follicles to grow longer, thicker hair

This $9 Essential Oil Helps Keep Jane Seymour Looking Young

Essential Oils for Weight Loss: 6 Study-Proven Ways to Lose Belly Fat No Diet Required!

This $6 Essential Oil Helps Soothe Cold Sores, Eliminate Joint Pain, and Cure a Runny Nose

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your doctor before following any treatment plan.

First For Women aims to feature only the best products and services. We update when possible, but offers expire and prices may change. If you buy something through one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Questions? Contact us at shop@firstforwomen.com