Soothe Pre-Race Anxiety with These Essential Oils

By Caryn Gehlmann

One of the highlights of my summer is Southern Oregon’s Lake of the Woods Tri-Sport Weekend. It’s an event at a nearby mountain lake that allows you to customize your preferred version of a triathlon. You can participate as a team, do a “half triathlon,” or a variety of other versions including fun options for kids. This fun approach to performing in a triathlon really cuts down on pre-race anxiety.

I’ve been participating in this event with various friends and family members for the last five years and my favorite section of the half-triathlon is definitely open water swimming across the lake! This year I’ll be swimming and running for the half-tri, and my niece will do the biking portion. To prepare I’ve been doing strength training and swimming at the gym. What helps me keep going is using e3’s Muscle Soothe before and after my workouts. My favorite way to apply it is to mix 30 drops with 8 ounces of fragrance-free, natural lotion.

After participating in these triathlons and talking to other participants, I’ve discovered that pre-race anxiety can be a big issue for athletes. Whether you’re a professional athlete or an amateuer like me, sometimes “events” can cause performance anxiety. For example, the idea of open water swimming across a lake can be terrifying! At times like these, breathing exercises can really help calm pre-race anxiety or jitters.

How essential oils help soothe pre-race anxiety.

The simple act of deep breathing calms stress and reduces anxiety. Take a few moments and breathe deeply:

Inhale…Bring yourself into the awareness of the present moment.
Pause….Enjoy the stillness.
Exhale… Release.

You can also combine deep breathing with essential oils and benefit from the deeply relaxing, natural components found in plants A few of my favorites for performance anxiety are e3’s Courageous Blend, Revitalize Blend, or lavender essential oil. Put 1-3 drops of the essential oil on a tissue and inhale the aroma through your nose using the breathing exercise described above.

Have you ever participated in a triathlon? It’s a great way to challenge yourself and increase self-confidence, because you find out you can do so much more than you ever expected. And that’s a great feeling! I’d love to hear your stories, so join us on our Facebook page, or follow us on Instagram (@essential3_aromatherapy), so we can connect. I’ll be sharing more about my event as well so stay tuned!