Essential Oils for Menopause: Can They Help?

For many women, menopause comes with symptoms they’d rather skip.

If you’re dealing with hot flashes, mood swings, and insomnia, we’re assuming that you’d rather have some relief.

There’s a whole list of essential oils that might help to make some menopause symptoms easier to manage.

And, at the very least, exploring aromatherapy can be a great tool for self-care.

So let’s get our noses into the question of the best essential oils for menopause.

In this article: 📝

How to use essential oils during menopause

If your menopause symptoms are interfering with your daily life, or you’d just like to feel more in control, essential oils can be a great first step or complement to other treatments.

There are two main ways of using essential oils:

Inhalation

Option one: Add a few drops of your preferred oil to a diffuser.

Option two: Put a drop on a tissue, hold it to your face, and breathe.

And here’s a top tip from women in the Peanut Menopause community – try putting a drop of essential oil on your exercise mat so you can breathe it in while you work out.

Application

Using essential oils topically (i.e. putting them on your skin) can also be helpful.

Many people apply oils to their pulse points or massage them into the area that’s bothering them. For example, some women apply essential oils for menopause to their abdomen.

Although some essential oils can be applied neat, it can be gentler on your skin to mix them into what’s known as a carrier oil—coconut or jojoba oil are popular examples.

Just pour a teaspoon of the carrier oil onto your palm, add a few drops of the essential oil, and then rub your hands together before massaging the oils in.

There are also a couple of things to bear in mind when you start using essential oils:

The right oil makes a difference

We’re not talking about which ‘flavor’ you use. That’s down to personal preference, and experimenting is part of the fun. But the quality of the oil is important.

Essential oils aren’t FDA regulated, so this means that the purity can vary a lot.

Generally, if you want to see a change in your menopause symptoms and not just a nice-smelling home, it’s worth investing.

Patch tests are worth the time

If you’re going to use the oils topically, it’s best to patch test about 48 hours before you massage the oil over a large area.

This just involves dabbing a small amount on your wrist and watching your skin to make sure you don’t break out in a rash.

Knowledge is power

Some essential oils are more potent than others, and it’s worth researching the right number of drops to use.

For example, peppermint has a very strong smell compared to spearmint.

On the other end of the scale, online recipes for essential oil blends are usually heavy on lavender and chamomile because these oils are effective but not quite as striking as some others.

So, now we’ve got to grips with the basics, what are the best essential oils to manage a variety of menopause symptoms?

Essential oils for hormone balance

What essential oils help balance hormones? Traditionally, the most popular is clary sage.

And how does clary sage help menopause? It regulates your hormones, stabilizes your mood, and can even fight depression and anxiety. To a lot of people, this is the queen of menopause essential oils.

Basil is also a great option as your body adjusts to changing estrogen levels. Ylang-ylang is another choice that (potential bonus!) is also known as a libido booster.

Essential oils for your mood

Unstable hormone levels often mean mood swings, and many women experience anxiety as a symptom of menopause too.

Lots of essential oils are known for their calming properties: lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and ylang-ylang especially.

Fennel is used to reduce anxiety, and jasmine is thought to lift your mood.

And if you’re after something a little more potent, why not try CBD oil to create some calm?

Our Peanut community swears by the ethos Balance collection to help ease your menopausal mood swings (plus you can get 15% off when you use code HELLO15).

Essential oils for hot flashes

What essential oils are good for hot flashes?

Well, they’re hormone-related, so clary sage and basil are some of the best if you’d like to stop them from happening or reduce their frequency.

Lots of women also swear by peppermint oil for hot flashes. Apparently, applying it to your neck and spine right at the beginning of a hot flash can fend it off.

Essential oils for your skin

One of the best oils you can use to make your skin clearer, softer, and more resilient is geranium rose.

You have options here – either add a few drops to a bath or mix two drops into a carrier oil and massage it directly onto your skin.

By the way, argan oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil are some of the best carrier oils to moisturize your skin without clogging your pores.

Essential oils for brain fog

If you need to clear your head from menopause brain fog, energizing wild orange, peppermint, and bergamot are your friends.

Lavender and rosemary have also been shown to boost memory and reduce anxiety and depression.

Try putting a diffuser beside your desk or rubbing the oil on your neck for maximum effect.

Essential oils for sleep

Menopause fatigue is partly hormonal, but it’s not helped by the fact that menopause can also mess with your sleep cycle.

Lavender and ylang-ylang relieve stress and promote relaxation.

Adding them to your bedtime routine, maybe as a pre-bed moisturizer after a hot bath, can help you to get the rest you need.

Essential oils for menopause weight gain

Lemon and grapefruit oils can help to speed up your metabolism—but, word of caution, grapefruit can interfere with estradiol levels, so best not to take it if you’re on HRT.

You can also try peppermint oil to help reduce sugar cravings and make it easier to eat a healthy menopause diet.

And while you’re at it, add a drop of lavender essential oil to a pillow.

Lavender has been shown to help ease anxiety and stress, giving you the energy you need to ease the cravings.

Other things to try

If essential oils aren’t up your street, there are plenty of natural supplements you can try.

Some of the most popular are black cohosh, milk thistle, and St John’s Wort.

These are all thought to help with symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.

Just make sure you consult a doctor before starting on a new supplement. Although they’re not officially medicines, they can interact with some prescription drugs.

And otherwise, the best advice is to look after yourself:

• Exercise
  
• Practice good sleep hygiene
  
• Try meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises
  
• Eat foods rich in iron, calcium, and Omega-3 fatty acids

So have fun exploring the world of aromatherapy and essential oils for menopause, take the time to put yourself first, and remember, you’ve totally got this.