While you may have heard of the word Aromatherapy recently, but did you know the origins of Aromatherapy traces back to the 10th century?
In the ancient civilization of India, China and Egypt aromatic plants were used to improve physical and mental health, if you are wondering what exactly Aromatherapy is then let me explain to you.
It is nothing but a therapy in which essential oil is used to improve mental health and physical health.
The process of obtaining essential oil is called distillation, during which a subtract is extracted from the plants which forms the base of an essential oil. It has numerous benefits such as pain relief, improved digestion and reduced stress and anxiety.
How essential oil works
It works on the smell receptors that are present in your nose. They send a message to your nervous system helping calm it down. It is also believed that essential oil creates a balance on the chemical reaction inside your body, helping you stay in the right state of mind.
One thing that is worth mentioning here is that you should never inject, eat or swallow these essential oils as that may not have a favourable effect.
In many countries such as the USA, the FDA doesn’t regulate the essential oil so it is very important that you select the right essential oil for yourself because a lot of counterfeit ones that exist in the market have synthetic fragrances so be very careful while choosing it.
One of the ways to avoid such fraud is by looking out for essential oil that comes with certification. And second is to look for companies that are transparent about their manufacturing process, whether they are using steam distillation or cold pressed etc.
Make sure to buy a genuine essential oil because the amount of mental health benefits it offers are just out of this world, let’s look at them:
– Eases the feeling of anxiety: It’s a very common disorder these days but that doesn’t mean that it should be ignored. While some amount of stress before doing something important is normal but if you are having the following symptoms frequently, then in all probability you are dealing with anxiety.
– Too much worry
– Restless feeling
– Feeling emotional
– Tiredness
– Unable to concentrate
– Insomnia
– Digestive issues
What essential oil does is it gives a message to your brain to release more serotonin and dopamine. Both these chemicals help to improve your mood and lower the levels of anxiety thereby relaxing your mind.
One thing to note is that it has a temporary effect and if you suffering from this for a long time then it is advised you consult a doctor. The other ways of managing anxiety are:
– Talk therapy
– Clean diet
– Pharmacotherapy
– Exercise
There is a popular belief that essential oil increases the level of creativity and then ultimately helps in improving your mood and reducing anxiety.
Usage method:
Here are different ways through which you can use essential oil to help with your anxiety:
- Just put a few drops around the different corners of your house, you could also put a few drops on your pillow for that good night’s sleep and don’t worry about the stains, the best is to keep the oil in a saucer or any other small utensil besides your bed.
- Spray it: One of the easiest and most convenient ways of applying essential oil in the area of your choosing, you could also get a custom spray made with your favourite essential oil along with some fragrance.
- Oil burner diffuser: This one is my personal favourite. It is made up of ceramic with oil being placed on top of a ceramic dish. As the candle heats and the dish gets warmer, the oil on it evaporates in the room. The burning of a candle just adds another layer of relaxation to it, giving a wonderful experience.
- Electronic oil diffuser: The only way it is different from an oil burner is that it uses electricity to spread the essential oil instead of the fire. The only cause for using this is that it reduces the risk of a fire drastically.
- Fragrance candles: You will get a wide variety of these candles which not only does the job of an essential oil brilliantly but also has a great fragrance too.
- Add it to your bathtub: You all know that great refreshing feeling you get after taking a bath, now Imagine the feeling of relaxation along with a feeling of freshness.
You could also combine your essential oil with other activities that you do, such as yoga, reading, meditation and much more. Remember to choose the formula that works best for you. Switching to essential oils is a great way to settle down your anxiety drastically just keep these points in mind and we wish you all the best in your journey.
Image Credit : Image by pvproductions on Freepik
