Stress has become a way of life for many Americans. Are you one of them? You’re not alone, a full 77% of Americans regularly experience physical symptoms as a result of stress.
However, knowing that you’re stressed and making it go away are two entirely different things. You might even be stressed about being stressed because you know it’s not good for you.
So how do you relax and make that stress melt away?
Amazingly enough, your sense of smell may be able to help you. There is some evidence that certain smells can help reduce the stress you feel.
This is where aromatherapy comes in. How does aromatherapy work? Let’s find out!
What Is Aromatherapy?
Simply put, aromatherapy is a holistic treatment that relies on using scents. It may surprise you to know that scents can have actual physical effects on the body. The right scent can cause physiological responses such as
- Improving circulation
- Easing muscular aches and pains
- Help optimize renewal on a cellular level
Scents have a powerful emotional effect as well. A particular scent can trigger a strong response. For example, you may have trouble remembering a certain event, but if you smell a scent that was present at the time, the memories may come flooding back.
You might think that aromatherapy sounds a little pseudoscientific, but it actually does work. People have been using aromatic oils and preparations around the world for thousands of years.
Even now, aromatherapy is an accepted part of medical treatment in France. Some oils you can only get with a prescription from a doctor!
How Does Aromatherapy Work?
There are a variety of methods for using aromatherapy as a health treatment. The scents are achieved through the use of essential oils. These oils are extracted from the flowers, fruit, leaves, stems, or roots of certain plants.
To have an effect on the body, the molecules of these oils need to enter your body. This can happen through inhalation or absorption through the skin.
For a topical application, aromatherapists may mix essential oils with a carrier massage oil and apply them through a soothing massage. Other soothing ways to apply the oils are through facial steamers, hot or cold compresses, and clay masks.
For at home treatments, it can be simpler to use a diffuser to radiate the scent throughout the room. You can also get bathing salts with aromatic scents and draw yourself a bath. Simply relax in the tub and let your stress and negative thoughts melt away.
You can also rub a few drops of certain oils into the bottoms of your feet.
Basically, any method that will allow the small molecules of the scent to penetrate your cells will work.
Benefits of Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can be highly effective as a stress treatment. But stress relief isn’t the only thing that aromatherapy can help with.
Check out this impressive list of benefits
- Provide pain relief
- Alleviate headaches and migraines
- Alleviate sore joints
- Treat insomnia
- Facilitate better digestion
- Boost the immune system
- Combat fungi, bacteria, and viruses
- Help ease labor pains
- Alleviate the nasty side effects of chemotherapy
- Address menstrual pain
- Improve circulation
Not every scent will provide all of these benefits, of course. Aromatherapy is highly individualistic. One oil may work for another person and not for you. That’s why seeing a trained aromatherapist is important if you want to achieve the best results.
Side Effects of Aromatherapy
Because aromatherapy makes use of natural products, the side effects are generally minimal. However, as anyone who has ever touched a poison ivy plant knows, not all things in nature are good for us. Thus, aromatherapy can have unpleasant side effects for some people.
Some of these effects include:
- Nausea
- Rashes
- Other skin irritations
- Asthma attacks
- Allergic reactions
- Headaches
Plus, remember that some people are allergic to certain foods like nuts or seeds. Always tell your aromatherapist about any allergies that you may have. If you’re allergic to eating them, you will likely be allergic to using them in aromatherapy as well.
Cautions When Using Essential Oils
Essential oils are highly concentrated and you should never apply them directly to your skin. If you plan to use them for massage you should mix them with a carrier oil first. Coconut oil, jojoba oil, and almond oil are all excellent choices.
To play it safe, you should always do a skin patch test first to ensure that you don’t have a reaction.
Additionally, some oils (particularly citrus ones) can cause your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight. Thus, if you plan to spend a fair amount of time outside, you should avoid using these oils on your skin.
If you are pregnant or nursing you should not try to self-medicate with essential oils. Some oils can cause unexpected side effects and are best used under the supervision of a doctor or licensed aromatherapist. Also, use caution if you plan to use essential oils on children.
Popular Oils and Their Uses
What ails you? It may be that a simple use of essential oil can help. Let’s look at what you can treat with essential oils.
Feeling stressed or anxious? Try lavender, thyme, or chamomile oil.
Feeling depressed? Basil and lemon oils are both great options.
Looking for an antibacterial cleaning solution? Enjoy the powerful effects of tea tree oil.
Have a cold? Reach for a bit of yarrow oil.
Of course, the list goes on from there. Feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.
Try it Out!
Have we answered your question, “how does aromatherapy work?”
Essential oils can have powerful healing effects and are useful in many applications. If you’re concerned about using essential oils on your own, try visiting a licensed aromatherapist to get started. You don’t have anything to lose but your negative health symptoms!
For more self-improvement tips, be sure to check out the other posts on our blog.