It’s Monday night and you find yourself tossing and turning in bed; anxiety about all the upcoming events this week is keeping you awake. Or perhaps it’s Wednesday afternoon and you’ve just gotten home from basketball practice, too sore to make it up the stairs. Maybe it’s finally Friday, and you’re looking for a way to recover from the exhausting week left behind you. Believe it or not, essential oils can be very useful in the day to day life of a busy high school student. Below are five easy essential oil fixes for common symptoms. It is important to note that essential oils should be used sparingly and safely to fully receive the benefits they have to offer.

Headaches (Medical News Today)

Suggested oil: Peppermint

How to use: To help relieve that painful headache, you can dilute 2-3 drops of peppermint oil in 2 teaspoons of a carrier oil, like coconut, and massage it into your temples and across your forehead.

Stress (healthline.com)

Suggested oil: Lavender

How to use: A common essential oil used to relieve stress is lavender. You can unwind from a stressful day by adding a few drops of lavender oil to a teaspoon of coconut oil and mixing this into a warm bath.

Sleep (Young Living)

Suggested oil: Cedarwood

How to use: If you have trouble falling asleep at night, then cedarwood is the oil for you. You can easily incorporate it into your bedtime routine by diffusing it at night or applying 1-2 drops to your pillow.

Acne (DoTerra)

Suggested oil: Tea tree

How to use: Tea tree oil can be very helpful with occasional breakouts and skin irritations. All you need to do is apply 1-2 drops to a cotton ball and apply to affected areas.

Sore muscles (healthline.com)

Suggested oil: Eucalyptus

How to use: After a tough workout or sports practice, eucalyptus oil can be used to soothe aching muscles. Create a compress my filling a bowl with cold water for swelling and hot water for muscle pain. Add about 15 drops of eucalyptus oil to the bowl, soak a towel in it, and hold on affected areas.