Aromatherapy: Healing with Scents
Aromatherapy is an ancient healing practice based on using essential oils for centuries to improve health and mood.
How does aromatherapy work?
Experts believe that aromatherapy activates olfactory receptors in the nose, which send messages through the nervous system to the brain. The oils may stimulate areas in the brain, such as the limbic system, which plays an important role in emotional regulation and memory formation. This interaction can profoundly affect our mood, relaxation, and overall health.
Benefits of Aromatherapy
1. Better sleep
A study published in the National Institutes of Health’s PubMed Central database (Her et al., 2021) found that aromatherapy improves sleep quality in adults and elderly people. Lavender essential oil is one of the most commonly used oils for promoting better sleep quality. Lavender oil helps calm the nervous system, relax the body and help you fall asleep.
How can you use lavender oil to improve sleep quality?
A.Spray: Mix 20 drops of lavender oil with 2 cups of distilled water and spray the diluted mixture into your bed sheets.
B.A diffuser: Fill the diffuser with water, add a few drops of essential lavender oil, and turn it on before bedtime to allow the aroma to diffuse into the room.
C. Apply a few drops of lavender essential oil to a tissue or handkerchief and tuck it into your pillow or pyjamas before bed.
2. Aromatherapy for pain relief
aromatherapy has potential benefits to treat pain and the symptoms of certain ailments including depression, inflammation, headaches, and respiratory problems.
Here is a list of essential oils that may help with pain relief:
3. Help relax
Aromatherapy massage helps improve overall mood and relaxation. Essential oils like lavender, ylang-ylang, jasmine, sandalwood, and chamomile effectively promote relaxation and calmness and lower stress levels.
4. Alleviate depression
Aromatherapy massage offers potential benefits to alleviate depression symptoms and enhance overall mood. Additionally, research suggests it might be helpful in mitigating postpartum blues after delivery (Imura et al., 2006). Studies have also indicated that aromatherapy massage combined with inhalation can reduce pain and improve quality of life during menstruation (Li et al., 2006).
Safety tips for using essential oils
- Make sure to buy good-quality essential oils that are pure and natural.
- Dellute oils before use.
- Diffuse oils in a ventilated area for about 30 minutes.
- Avoid applying essential oils to your skin before sun exposure.
- Limit the use of essential oils where pets frequent.
