One of the questions I get asked most is about essential oils for blood pressure.
Hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease globally. Affecting an estimated 1.3 billion worldwide, hypertension kills approximately 10 million people every year. However, for many people, managing stress can make drastic improvements. The essential oils for blood pressure are ylang-ylang and clary sage essential oils.
In 2016, I went for an eye test, and the optometrist took a picture of the back of my eye. A horrifying sight showed that the blood vessels behind my eye were bulging and constricted. She looked worried and sent me straight to the doctor to be checked.
I was concerned too. My parents suffered from high blood pressure, and the first telltale symptom my dad experienced was his eye twitching. So, heeding the advice, I headed off to the GP, only to be told that my blood pressure had gone high.
My doctor is a lovely woman who listens well, so when I asked her to give me two weeks to try and sort it myself, she looked skeptical but agreed. Three weeks later, when I was assessed, no one looked happier than she did that my blood pressure was under control.
To be clear, not everyone will respond as dramatically as I did. I'm on no other medications, and despite working long hours, I lead a relatively stress-free life.
Reducing stress will always be critical. However, essential oils for blood pressure may significantly affect many people's health.
What Does Hypertension Mean?
Hypertension or high blood pressure (High BP) means the force that pumps blood from your heart to the rest of your body is too great. This abnormal blood pressure in the arteries stresses nature and causes premature death from heart attacks or strokes.
A number over another number measures blood pressure.
Normal BP would be below 120/80.
The top number references systolic blood pressure, which shows the pressure when your heart is pumping.
The diastolic shows your heart's pressure as it relaxes.
If the systolic is over 140-mmHg or the diastolic measures over 90-mmHg, this is hypertension.
Incidentally, if you do not have a blood pressure monitor, most phones can access one through the google fit app. If you start taking your blood pressure, take three readings each time, and log the lowest. It is good practice to log blood pressure morning and evening. It makes sense that on some days, we will be calmer than others. A spike in one day may mean something other than long-term problems. Let trends over several days inform your actual blood pressure rather than one-day instances.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
There are two answers to that. On one level, we are biologically engineered toward high BP. However, many risk factors will contribute to it.
Let's look at the biological predisposition first.
Age
Our nervous system has two main aspects. The sympathetic nervous system reacts to stress and switches everything up to enable us to run faster and jump up trees to escape sabretooth tigers. Sadly, the tigers are extinct, but our nervous system responds similarly to stress and fear.
The other part of the nervous system is called the parasympathetic, and this is what allows us to rest and restore. Our next cave neighbor has slain the Sabretooth tiger, and coming down from the tree is safe. The sympathetic relaxes our heart rate, removes pressure from the arterial wall, un-dilates the pupils in the eyes…etc.
The fact that we now have continual deadlines and financial stressors as opposed to huge hungry big cats should not be lost on you (the parasympathetic system rarely has an opportunity to shut off), but that's an issue for another article.
When babies are born, they have an essentially parasympathetic tone. Their systems are wired to make them sleep more so they can grow more. However, our bodies take on a more sympathetic tone as we age. We are biologically inclined towards issues of the sympathetic nervous system as we get older, one of which is high blood pressure, and another is anxiety. This is one of the main reasons that older people find it harder to sleep.
As we age, we are geared towards high blood pressure, so it becomes more important to adapt our lives to combat it if possible.
Let's start with sleep because this is when our bodies have the best chance to rest and restore.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can be a high-risk factor for high BP because it means insufficient oxygen is delivered to the heart and lungs.
A great oil choice is a marjoram essential oil blended with lavender oil. Marjoram is tremendous for getting the body clock right so you get into a better sleeping pattern. Marjoram is a natural hypertensive. (Bouyahya, 2020)
Salt
The body does need some sodium to function. For example, too little sodium in the body leads to muscle cramps. However, the Western diet is chock full of salt, and high sodium intake can increase blood pressure.
One of the most accessible areas to adapt the diet here is moving from processed food to fresh, at least a couple of days a week. As well as the extra sodium, most sauces now have way more sugar than they should have. Try flavoring your food with herbs and spices rather than just salt.
Based on the previous section…think of how much better you would feel if your food incorporated more marjoram than salt!
Obesity
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black here. (I hope that translates. It is Black Country speak for "Look who's talking, such hypocrisy!") No one needs to shift a few stones more than I do now, but being overweight puts extra pressure on the heart, increasing sodium in the body and causing insulin problems.
A sedentary lifestyle and too little exercise can also cause high blood pressure.
Smoking, Drugs, and Alcohol
No need for me to write loads. You know it anyway.
Certain Other Conditions
Some hormonal conditions, such as acromegaly (benign pituitary tumor) and Cushing's disease (anomalies with the adrenal glands), can make hypertension more prevalent.
Kidney disease can also be problematic since the adrenals sit atop the kidneys and can cause the adrenals to secrete too much cortisol.
Diabetes can cause issues with insulin and sodium, making hypertension more likely.
Blood pressure has a direct relationship with the thyroid gland. Both underactive and overactive thyroid conditions can cause hypertension.
Medications
High blood pressure is a common side effect of many medications, especially contraceptives, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antidepressants. In some cases, this may be because the drug constricts blood vessels or because it affects body water.
Vitamin Deficiencies
The body can struggle to balance sodium if there are potassium deficiencies (most accessible level - eat a banana a day for a week…see if that helps before seeing the doctor). Vitamin D deficiency is also thought to affect blood pressure negatively. Supplementation is simple; if possible, get some sunshine to your skin to allow the body to try and manufacture more naturally.
Essential Oils for Blood Pressure
Let's begin with some messages we have received asking questions because I have realized these are only sometimes answered if they are not the best oils.
Does Tea Tree Oil Lower Blood Pressure?
It is not one of the primary functions of tea tree essential oil. Tea tree is better used for their antimicrobial abilities. Reserve this one for coughs, colds, headlice, athlete's foot, and zits!
Please explain Peppermint Oil And High Blood Pressure.
This is difficult because even scientists still need to figure out how peppermint essential oil and blood pressure are linked.
Eating mint may reduce blood pressure a little; however, because peppermint essential oil is stimulating (makes us more alert), there does not seem to be a hypotensive (bp reduction) action to inhaling the essential oil. (Sah-Hoon Park,2021)
So, again, I would say reserve this one for helping you concentrate, getting you up in the morning, treating pain…and choosing a more soothing alternative.
Essential Oils For Low Blood Pressure
There are no essential oils for low blood pressure rather than ones to avoid, particularly ylang-ylang and clary sage.
If you have low blood pressure, I would advise against using these in the bath. As a young girl, I used ylang-ylang indiscriminately because it helped balance my PMT, and I fainted getting out of the bath numerous times. Only as I look back did it dawn on me what was going on.
Some essential oils have quite a stimulating nature to them, which may suit you better.
Choose rosemary or peppermint, black pepper, or some of the citruses.
Think of some forest fragrances like pine, fir, cypress, and spruce that refresh and invigorate. They will all make you feel more relaxed, but they do not sedate you.
Check the individual safety of each oil and avoid most citruses in the bath.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
This one is the big hitter.
Wear it on an aroma pendant around your neck. You'll only need one or two drops of essential oil and forget you have it on…until you don't.
It is a classic reaction to suddenly feel nauseous or headachy if you use it too long.
Wear it for an hour tops, then take it off. You can always put it on again later, but take it easy the first few times.
Safety: Not suitable for use during the first 37 weeks of pregnancy (including via inhalation)
Clary Sage Essential Oil
I use clary sage to intersperse with the ylang-ylang so the medicine can keep working.
They both have euphoric effects, so don't be surprised if you feel tipsy. It's not enough to avoid driving or anything else like that, though.
Safety: Not suitable for use during the first 37 weeks of pregnancy (including via inhalation).
While I usually recommend ylang-ylang and clary sage essential oils to lower blood pressure, calming essential oils will be helpful long-term.
Think of how lavender and chamomile soothe the nerves and relax you.
Geranium feels like it lifts the weight of the world from your shoulders.
Rose and Jasmine are excellent if you feel worried or gloomy. (Again, neither of these would be appropriate during pregnancy.)
Think of the big trees like sandalwood and cedarwood, or the resins frankincense and myrrh… (Avoid myrrh if you are pregnant).
And don't forget those lovely base note fragrances that bring the energy down into the body, slowing the breath and grounding you…vetiver, patchouli, benzoin.
I'd encourage you to experiment for yourself.
Take a few minutes to breathe your oil…how does it make you feel?
Does it stimulate, refresh, and make you feel much calmer?
How it feels will give you clues about which will suit your body best.
Anything that feels slowing and soothing will be helpful because you are sensing the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system kicking in.
How To Use Essential Oils For High Blood Pressure
There are many ways to apply essential oils for hypertension. As stated, I like aroma pendants.
Adding a blend of essential oils to the bath daily, focusing on relaxing and soothing stress, can be supportive. Any oils that soothe will be helpful.
Make a cream or lotion to use daily, or even blend some of the best essential oils for blood pressure into coconut or almond oil. If you plan to make a roller ball, I will choose something a little thinner…grapeseed oil, maybe?
Remember to consider the benefits of regular essential oil massages, soothing the mind and relaxing the muscles. Just lie in the bath and allow essential oils that lower diastolic blood pressure to work.
DIY Recipe for Rollerball of Essential Oils for Blood Pressure
- 9ml Grapeseed carrier oil
- 2 drops Ylang-ylang essential oil (Cananga odorata)
- 2 drops Clary sage essential oil (Salvia schlarea)
- 1 drop Sandalwood essential oil (Santalum album)
Method of use: Apply to the pulse points on the write thrice daily.
Safety: Not suitable for use during pregnancy.
Final Word
The last thing your blood pressure needs is more stress. An approach using essential oils for blood pressure as if you want to enjoy relaxation. Take your head out of it and relax…the long-term benefits of becoming calm far outweigh a daily change in your blood pressure reading. Use oils daily, add transitions to your diet and lifestyle, and slowly watch your health improve.
