Essential Oils for Anxiety: What the Research Shows

Essential oils for anxiety usually means lavender, inhaled from a diffuser, a tissue or a few drops on a pillow. This guide covers what the largest reviews found, why a US health agency still calls the question unclear, and how to try it safely.

We sell an assorted essential oil collection that includes lavender, so read this with that in mind. Where the evidence is thin, or covers a product we do not sell, this guide says so. For the wider scent question, see our guide to how scents affect mood, sleep and stress.

Do Essential Oils Help Anxiety?

Lavender might, according to pooled trials, but the evidence is mixed and covers lavender far more than any other oil. Two meta-analyses lean positive, while a US health agency says the benefit of aromatherapy is still unclear.

• Where the evidence leans: A 2019 review and a 2021 meta-analysis both pooled randomised trials of lavender and found lower anxiety scores than placebo or no treatment.
• Where it is cautious: The NCCIH lavender page, updated February 2025, says it is unclear whether lavender aromatherapy has benefits for anxiety, stress or symptoms of depression.
• What that means for you: Lavender is a low-cost, low-risk thing some people try for a calmer moment, not a proven way to manage anxiety. Ongoing anxiety is worth raising with a professional.

What Did the Largest Reviews of Lavender and Anxiety Find?

They found lower anxiety scores with lavender on average, with large differences between trials. The 2019 review pooled 37 randomised trials with 3,964 participants; the 2021 review reported a similar size of effect.

• Inhaled lavender: Donelli and colleagues (2019) reported lavender inhalation lowered anxiety on validated scales (Hedges' g −0.73, 95% CI −1.00 to −0.46, 1,682 participants), including state anxiety on the STAI scale (mean difference −5.99).
• Lavender in any form: Kim and colleagues (2021) found lavender beat placebo or no treatment for anxiety (g −0.72, 95% CI −0.90 to −0.55). More treatment sessions were linked to a bigger effect.
• Massage: The 2019 review also found a benefit for massage with lavender oil (g −0.66), but says the studies cannot show whether lavender itself caused it.
• Blood pressure: Lavender inhalation did not significantly change systolic blood pressure in the 2019 review, so the benefit shows up in questionnaires, not that body measure.

How Reliable Is the Evidence That Lavender Calms Anxiety?

Not very, by the reviewers' own account. The 2019 authors describe the average quality of the available studies as low and say most randomised trials had a high overall risk of bias.

• Mixed designs: The same review notes the studies were very different from each other, especially for non-oral routes, so the average can mislead. For inhalation it says there is only “an indication” of an effect of reasonable size.
• The route question: A 2020 network meta-analysis ranked lavender aromatherapy best at the first week of follow-up (SMD −0.57), but its confidence interval (−1.14 to 0.01) just reaches zero, so it is not a clear result.
• Self-rated anxiety: Most trials measure how anxious people say they feel, in settings such as before surgery. Whether that carries over to everyday worry is not something these reviews can tell us.

Is Oral Lavender the Same as Lavender Essential Oil in a Bottle?

No. The firmest results are for Silexan, a standardised lavender oil capsule taken by mouth, which is not an essential oil bottle and not something we sell.

• What was tested: The 2019 review found a benefit for oral Silexan 80 mg a day over at least six weeks on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (mean difference −2.90).
• What the NCCIH says: The NCCIH says studies suggest an oral lavender oil product might be beneficial for anxiety, with limits such as small sample sizes.
• Our oils: Our product page says aromatherapy grade only and not for ingestion. Do not swallow essential oil on the strength of a capsule trial.

How Do You Try Lavender Oil Safely?

Inhale it from a diffuser or tissue, dilute it before it touches your skin, patch test first, and stop if your skin objects. These steps are practical safety advice from our product page and the NCCIH, not a dose from a trial.

1. Do not swallow it. Our product page says aromatherapy grade only; do not ingest.
2. Inhale before you apply. Most of the pooled trials used inhalation, so a diffuser or a drop on a tissue is the closest match to the evidence.
3. Dilute for skin. Our product page suggests 1 to 3% in a carrier oil for adults, which is 6 to 18 drops per 30 ml, and 0.5 to 1% for sensitive skin. That is our guidance, not a trial's strength.
4. Patch test first. The NCCIH says topical products containing lavender may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.
5. Stop if it bothers you. Redness, itching, a headache or feeling worse are reasons to stop.

Is Lavender Oil Safe, and Who Should Avoid It?

Lavender is generally well tolerated in the studies, but skin allergy is possible and little is known about pregnancy. Ask a health professional first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or treating a child.

• Skin: Per the NCCIH, topical lavender may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.
• Children: The NCCIH notes a few cases of breast tissue swelling in children who used topical products containing lavender, and says it is unclear whether lavender was responsible.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: The NCCIH says little is known about whether lavender is safe in either.
• Safety reporting: The 2019 review describes a safe profile for lavender but says safety data were poorly collected and reported in the trials.

When Should You See a Professional About Anxiety?

See a professional if anxiety is persistent, is getting in the way of daily life, or is not improving with self-help. This guide is information, not medical advice.

• Talk to someone: The UK's NHS suggests talking about your feelings with a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor, and tells people to see a GP if they think they might have generalised anxiety disorder.
• Everyday self-help: The NHS lists breathing exercises, regular exercise and regular meals, and suggests limiting caffeine and avoiding alcohol to relieve anxiety.
• In a crisis: If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, get urgent help. In Canada, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.

Do not stop a prescribed medicine to try an essential oil. Aromatherapy is not a substitute for care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do essential oils help anxiety?

Pooled trials of lavender lean positive, but study quality is low and the NCCIH says it is unclear whether lavender aromatherapy helps anxiety. Treat it as worth knowing about, not proven.

Does lavender oil help anxiety?

Two meta-analyses found lower anxiety scores with lavender than with placebo or no treatment. The reviewers note high risk of bias and large differences between trials.

How do you use essential oils for anxiety?

Most trials used inhalation. Our product page says aromatherapy only, not for ingestion, and to dilute to 1 to 3% in a carrier oil before any skin use.

Is lavender oil safe to put on your skin?

Only diluted, after a patch test. The NCCIH says topical lavender may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.

When should I see a doctor about anxiety?

If anxiety is persistent, affects daily life or is not improving with self-help, talk to a professional. In a crisis, call or text 988 in Canada.

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