Introduction
Many women will experience some symptoms during menopause. Some of us will sail through it, but most of us will have hot flashes, sleepless nights, and weight gain. Some of us will get our teenage acne back, develop issues with fluid retention, or experience bloating and gut health issues. Some might experience cardiovascular issues, osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, and/or atrophy. Sounds fun, eh? No remedy can cure all of this although I did read once that in other parts of the world where the food is less processed, women do not experience the levels of menopausal symptoms that we in the West do, so diet is definitely a factor. Activity levels also play a role and we all know that life is better when you exercise and stay active.
Perimenopause is the period leading up to the ceasing of menstruation and is actually what we mean when we talk about menopause. Menopause is one moment in time when our periods cease for good. I used to fear this moment and now I’m like a six-year-old, hiding behind the Christmas Tree, waiting for Santa to hurry up and get here!!
Aromatherapy plays a role in my wellness. So does herbalism, reflexology, Reiki, and seeing a Western doctor. I’m thankful my physician is open-minded and doesn’t dismiss my desire to use complementary therapies in my health care.
This blog post will focus on peri and post menopause because I am peri and my wife is post.
Best essential oils for menopause
This list is short. I chose the oils on this list because they are easily obtainable and fit into many budgets. You can buy them all or just a few single oils. These oils have also been studied clinically and their effects are documented. They may provide relief to some of the symptoms we experience with The Change. What are some of the benefits?
- Lowered cortisol levels
- Improving estradiol levels
- Enhanced memory function
- Mood stabilization
- Restful sleep
- Decrease in fluid retention
- Improved appearance of skin and hair
- Reduction in inflammation
This is my short list of the best essential oils for peri/menopause:
- Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum): anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, relieves gastrointestinal discomfort, helps with anxiety, depression, brain fog, and respiratory health.
- Chamomile, Roman (Anthemis nobilis): anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, sedative, supports respiratory health.
- Chaste Berry (Vitex agnus-castus): sleep support, balances estrogen and progesterone by stabilizing the hypothalamus, good for hot flashes, mood swings, depression, and menstrual cramps.
- Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea): sedative, euphoric, aphrodisiac, excellent for PMS and menstrual cramps, anxiety, and depression.
- Marjoram, Sweet (Origanum majoranum L.): antispasmodic, analgesic, anxiety, fear, heart palpitations.
- Orange, Sweet (Citrus x sinensis): uplifting, cheering, antiviral, may assist in lowering cortisol levels
- Ylang Ylang (Cananga oderata var. genuina): targets heart palpitations, anxiety, edginess, and other nervous system-related conditions.
Chamomile and Chaste Berry (also called Vitex by some suppliers) are expensive but powerful. If you can’t afford a 5ml bottle, find a supplier that sells 1ml sample bottles. Eden Botanicals sells 1ml bottles of single essential oils.
Scientific evidence concerning the use of essential oils for menopause
It used to be that scientific evidence backing up the claims of essential oil enthusiasts was hard to come by. This wasn’t due to a lack of evidence. On the contrary, it was through the experiments of organic chemists doing research for the cosmetic and perfume industries over one hundred years ago, that we have the field of aromatherapy today. The medicinal use of aromatic oils did exist hundreds, even thousands of years ago, but essential oils as we would recognize them now are fairly recent. Aromatherapy is modern.
Here in North America, there has historically been a distrust of outside beliefs and practices, especially in the realm of health and wellness. Knowledge of clinical studies on aromatherapy was almost non-existent on this side of the pond because the studies weren’t conducted in English-speaking countries. Cultural attitudes regarding natural medicine coupled with a language barrier resulted in healthcare professionals in North America being less likely to entertain any knowledge concerning the usefulness of essential oils.
This is not the case anymore. Thanks to the Internet, links to many studies can be found, particularly in PubMed. If you follow that link you will be taken to the PubMed database where you can search for individual essential oils by name or phrases like “essential oils and insomnia” or “aromatherapy and arthritis”. The search results will point you toward citations, articles, journals, and books.
I also recommend seeking authors like Kurt Schnaubelt, Valerie Ann Worwood, Jade Chutes, and Robert Tisserand.
How to use essential oils for menopause
Most people know about diffusing essential oils. I’m not a big fan of that because this puts thin coats of essential residue on floors, walls, and furniture. Children and pets can be exposed to oils that may not be suitable for them. Tiny humans and pets both put things in their mouths and this can make them sick.
Essential oils can be added to a bath but because they are volatile compounds that evaporate quickly, putting them in a bathtub full of hot water can be counterproductive. You can mix them into a small amount of oil, cream, or milk and disperse into the tub that way, but they will still evaporate.
Diffusers and tubs are nice when you just want the smell.
The most direct route for essential oils is through inhalation. Putting a drop or two on a cotton pad and inhaling it in your cupped hands is helpful. Take 4-5 slow deep inhalations. Your olfactory nerve will allow the compounds to enter the brain.
I am also a big fan of applying oils to the feet. Add a couple of drops to a favorite cream, lotion, or a small amount of oil such as cold-pressed castor or fractionated coconut oil, and massage into the feet: tops, bottoms, sides, between the toes, and ankles. Do this in bed, just before you go to sleep. This is how I give my wife her essential oils. I know from personal experience that when I massage essential oils into my own feet and put socks on, within 20 minutes I can taste the oil that was used.
Roller balls are also popular. They are especially good for blends or single oils meant to treat things like hot flashes. They are portable and fit nicely into a small purse. There are many recipes online. They contain anywhere from 10 to 40 drops of essentials added to an empty roller ball. A carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil is poured over these oils to fill the roller. Roll between your palms to combine. Start with a few drops. If you don’t feel relief, add a few more drops. There is no standard dose but you want to use the least amount possible. Plants are powerful.
Roll on pulse points or affected areas. A nice thing to do it apply the rollerball to your wrists, rub them together for a few minutes to create warmth – this gets blood to the surface of the skin and helps to facilitate absorption a little faster – and then put your wrists together and inhale the scent.
Aromatherapy synergies for menopause
5×5 Synergy for day sweats
Five drops each of
- Thyme, Sweet
- Basil
- Lemon
- Lime
- Grapefruit
Add to a small glass container and let sit for 24 hours to synergize. Add up to ten drops to an empty 9 or 10ml rollerball and fill with a carrier oil. Apply to pulse points and back of neck when day sweats occur.
Alternative: add 1-3 drops of synergy to a carrier (either an oil or your favorite lotion) and massage into the feet in the morning before putting on socks.
Tropical Breeze: relaxing and uplifting, to dispel anxiety
- 5 drops Lavender
- 3 drops Ylang Ylang
- 3 drops Lime
- 1 drop Lemon or Lemongrass
Add to an empty 9 or 10ml rollerball. Fill with carrier oil. Apply to wrists, rub together, and inhale.
Mood Balancing
- 10 drops Clary Sage
- 6 drops Marjoram
- 4 drops Ylang Ylang
Add to a small glass container and let sit for 24 hours to synergize. Add 1-3 drops to your favorite carrier oil or lotion and massage into your feet at the end of the day to promote restful sleep and balanced hormones. Alternatively, add 10 drops to an empty rollerball and cover with carrier oil.
The Single Note
Don’t overlook the power of the single essential oil. We get so caught up in collecting oils and blending that it should be remembered that these oils can be used alone. I like to put a drop of Ylang Ylang on the back of my neck when I am experiencing hormonal heart palpitations. I will also do the same with Clary Sage or Vitex on those days that I am experiencing hot flashes or anxiety. During the 2020 lockdowns when I experienced a lot of sleep disruption, I massaged a drop of Chamomile oil into each foot, using some body lotion.
Don’t Forget!
I know we aren’t supposed to play up the medicinal qualities of essential oil online because of the danger of “practicing medicine”. We don’t want to allow anyone to accuse us of pretending to be a doctor.
BUT
The fact remains, essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts and some of them, like Vitex, can exert a demonstrable effect on our hormones. The oils really do get into our bodies and they really do cause things to happen once they’re in there, even just one drop. We have to use vague terms like “balancing hormones” so as not to upset the apple cart. It is important to remember that balancing hormones can look like you getting your period again if you’re not fully menopausal, with regular use of Vitex, Clary Sage, or even a spice like Coriander CO2 extract (not mentioned in this blog post but worth mentioning here). So please remember, that plant medicine is powerful and a little goes a very long way!!