Stress And Relaxation Massage

Pressure can be stimulating, challenging and motivating, but if it builds up we may be left feeling unable to cope. Our response is often to deny the pressure and ignore the physical signs of stress such as fatigue, self-doubt, sleeplessness and headaches. If the symptoms and causes of stress are left untreated they will affect your general health and well-being, and can even lead to serious illness, such as ulcers, heart attacks and clinical depression, so it’s important to start tackling problems at an early stage, before they erupt. De-stressing requires a positive tactical plan for learning how to cope and retain a balanced outlook on life.

Anxiety:
Whether it’s a temporary bout of nerves, caused by something like an impending examination or interview, or an ongoing response to a persistent problem, anxiety can be a debilitating response to stress. It prevents you from dealing effectively with a problem and makes you feel tense. Essential oils, when inhaled, stimulate the lymbic portion of the brain which is responsible for all our feelings of well-being and discontent. They can balance the senses before deep depression sets into a more serious state. Temporary anxiety can also trigger skin eruptions so watch your diet and boost levels of vitamins C and E and B complex. Anxiety can be alleviated with a combination of uplifting and calming oils. You can use the oils individually or mix them, using two relaxing oils to one uplifting oil. A good combination is basil, neroli and lavender. Stick to the same blend and proportions for bath and body, mixing five drops of each of the three oils in one tablespoon of base oil for the bath and two tablespoons for the body. All of the oils can be used individually in light-ring burners or fragrances.

Basil (uplifting); Bergamot (uplifting); Geranium (relaxing); Lavender (soothing); Neroli (sedative); Sandalwood (calming).

Solar Plexus Stroke:
A marvellous way of unlocking tension by calming the main nerves that run through this area. Use your left hand (for calming) to stroke the solar plexus (located just below the breast bone) in anti-clockwise circles. Close your eyes as you do this and try to empty your mind. It can help soothe you even if you’re clothed, but the effect is enhanced if you use a relaxing oil such as lavender or geranium. Try it while your bath is running, or when lying in bed before you go to sleep.

Mild Shock:
This is a temporary form of stress, but the impact on the system can nonetheless be very strong, so a fast-acting remedy is needed.

Chamomile (calming); Rosemary (stimulating); Melissa (anti-depressant); Neroli (relieves anxiety); Peppermint (invigorating pain-reliever).

Use only two essential oils: both camphor and melissa work well individually with neroli, and peppermint has an affinity with melissa. Use a total of six drops in 1 1/2 tablespoons of base oils, with smaller quantities of rosemary (for example, four drops of rosemary to sic drops of melissa). For fast relief add four drops to a handkerchief and inhale.