Humans have five senses: sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. The olfactory senses are potent since they are connected to that part of the brain and part of the limbic system that harbors memory and learning. This is why certain smells often lead us down memory lane.
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine and holistic treatment that has been around for centuries. The essential oils used in aromatherapy are obtained from a plant's flowers, bark, stems, leaves, and roots. It was extensively used in ancient India, Egypt, and China civilizations. The benefits of aromatherapy are so well-known and widespread that modern science has even vetted its usage.
How to Incorporate Essential Oils into Your Lifestyle
Many wellness practitioners and even doctors suggest the use of various aroma oils. Essential oils help improve a person's mind, body, and spirit. It works through the sense of smell and skin absorption.
To apply the benefits of aromatherapy, various products are required:
- Aroma diffuser
- Aromatic spritzer
- Bathing salts
- Hot or cold compress
- Topical application through body oils, creams, and lotions for massages
The Benefits Of Essential Oils
Here, we have mentioned the benefits of essential oils in aromatherapy:
Essential oil usage has been seen to alleviate numerous maladies and allow people to lead better lives. Many practitioners often allude to the antibacterial and antifungal properties of aroma oils.
Helps manage pain
- Treats insomnia
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Assists in feeling invigorated and energized
- Beneficial for depression
- Beneficial for headaches and migraines
- Helps with joint pains
- Helps pregnant women deal better with labor pain
- Eases symptoms of menstrual issues and menopause
- Prevents alopecia or hair loss
- Provides comfort to patients undergoing chemotherapy and its side-effects
Remember, essential oils generally don't have side effects. Still, they should be avoided or used at doctors' discretion if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have high blood pressure, have any skin diseases, or are asthmatic.
Never use essential oils directly on your skin, as they can lead to allergic reactions and rashes. Mix the essential oil with a carrier oil like almond, coconut, jojoba, or olive oil before applying it to your skin. Do not step out in the sun after application; do a patch test the first time you use it.
Never consume these oils directly, as they can be fatal. Always check the labels before buying essential oils since many knock-offs are available, and it doesn't have the same desired effect as the original.
The Amazing Benefits of Aromatherapy for Boosting your Mood
Important essential oil usage includes maintaining a psychological balance and uplifting your mood when feeling down and out.
1. Increases Concentration
Whether at work or home, your efficiency is determined by how well you can concentrate on the task. Sometimes even the best of us can get distracted.
The essential oils that can help mitigate this:
- Peppermint
- Lemon
- Rosemary
- Patchouli
2. Uplifts your Mood
We all have those bad days when nothing seems to cheer us up, and the gloom is all-pervading and overwhelmed. If you don't want to feel woeful, sniff out these soothing aromas by pouring some essential oil into an aroma diffuser and placing it on your desk or in the corner of your room.
Watch these aroma oils work magic on your spirit!
- Lavender
- Basil
- Clary sage
- Ylang-ylang
- Chamomile
- Bergamot
3. Relieves Stress
Women wear multiple hats, and thus, stress is common among them. De-stressing is extremely important to be healthy physically as well psychologically. Yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy have often been prescribed for stress management. And this is considered as the best benefit of aromatherapy.
- Cinnamon
- Neroli
- Peach
- Cypress
4. Helps with Sleepless Nights
Constant blue light exposure to laptop and mobile screens, thousands of daily checklists to accomplish, emotional issues, and innumerable underlying issues can contribute to insomnia among women. Lack of sleep can lead to puffy eyes, dark circles, acne, physical ailments, fatigue, aggravating stress, and other mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
- Lavender
- Vanilla
- Sandalwood
5. Keep the Depression at Bay
One of the amazing benefits of aromatherapy is that it helps uplift the mood of those suffering from depression. But be cautioned that aromatherapy alone cannot do it. The magic of the essential oils should be used in tandem with medication and counseling as per your doctor's advice. You can have a relaxing massage or bath using essential oils, use it as your regular fragrance- perfumes, and soaps, or even spread the smell of your favorite aroma oil throughout the house using aroma diffuser.
- Jasmine
- Sandalwood
- Basil
- Ylang-ylang
- Rose
- Petitgrain
- Lavender
- Chamomile
6. Be the Problem Solver
Your productivity at work depends on how well you can solve the problems at hand. But sometimes, we can feel a mental block that doesn't lead to that light bulb moment.
But a whiff of certain essential oils can recharge the brain cells and get your cognitive functions running.
7. Feel Energized
Due to numerous reasons, we feel fatigued and keep stifling yawns. It is unprofessional and creates a bad impression in front of your peers.
- Pine
- Lemongrass
- Sweet orange
- Spearmint
- Grapefruit
- Basil
- Cedarwood
- Wintergreen
8. Be the Epitome of Calmness
It is important to feel calm and composed to reap the most of your potential and be 100 percent productive. Sometimes to unwind, the refreshing smell of essential oils and soothing music helps you feel tranquil. This is one of the best benefits of aromatherapy.
- Myrrh
- Helichrysum
- Rose
- Chamomile
- Vetiver
- frankincense
9. Igniting the Carnal Desires
One thing that often crosses our mind is whether scented candles work their magic in the bedroom or is it some marketing strategy to make us shell out the big bucks. Certain perfumes are known to act as mood enhancers and help create a romantic ambiance.
- Cinnamon
- Chocolate
- Jasmine
- Orange blossom
Conclusion
We can very well say that the benefits of aromatherapy are manifold, and knowing when to use it is the trick. We have provided you with a comprehensive list of essential oils that can be used under different circumstances.
Spread the smile and the smell!
