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Reduce Stress with Aromatherapy Essential Oils
Stress detracts from beauty, causing lines and wrinkles,
prematurely graying hair, baggy eyes from insomnia and all
sorts of illnesses. If you haven?t already given in to the
aromatherapy craze, you may decide to go for it to achieve
a little synaptic peace of mind, without the antidepressants
(more about antidepressants later). Everything claims to be
aromatherapeutic these days: they even invented little
chemical plug-ins that are supposed to mask the stinkiness
of daily life while promoting restful contemplation. But
aromatherapy is based on the science of scent, and permeating
your nostrils with a chemical that sort of smells like
lavender is not the same as using the real, essential oil.
Using Essential Oils
Essential oils are extracted from plants either by using steam
of by dissolving the oils out using solvents, then evaporating
the solvents. What?s left behind is the soul of the plant ?the
essence without the physical form. Romantic, isn?t it!
If you?ve shopped for aromatherapy products before, you?ve
probably noticed that most of them are lavender. It?s true
that this herb is supposed to have calming and restorative
properties, but lavender isn?t the only aromatherapy choice
out there, and it?s not for everyone. You can get essential
oils for nearly everything, and can experiment with spice,
herbs, flowers and woodsy scents to find the things you like
best.
Rules of Aromatherapy Blends
The first rule of aromatherapy is to know yourself. The part
of the brain responsible for olfaction (sense of smell) is
partly surrounded by the part of the brain that handles long-
term memory, and is also part of the limbic system, which
handles emotion. The central position of your olfactory sense
is why when you smell something you smelled as a child, it
will often bring a flood of memories and emotions with it.
That?s why scent is a highly individual thing: we all have
different associations to the smell of roses, to Old Spice
aftershave and to baking bread. All this is to say that the
smell of sweet orange oil may make one person feel cheery and
another unbearably sad. It all depends.
Aroma researchers have found that in general, men like the
smell of vanilla and the smell of lavender. That?s no reason
to choose either scents as a perfume, though: men are also
crazy about the smell of pizza! Most people love the smell of
something sweet baking, and one do-it-yourself aromatherapy
is to bake a loaf of bread. Other activities that have an
aromatherapeutic element include taking a bubble bath,
drinking a fragrant wine, walking through a eucalyptus grove,
or hanging out in a cedar sauna.
Some years ago, psychology researchers found that piping the
smell of the ocean in to the air significantly helped people
feel less depressed.
Aromatherapy Product Information
When you choose aromatherapy products, try to get samples
before committing to buy. Go with essential oils over
synthetics, but if Aqua Velva reminds you of being a kid,
happy and excited to be riding on your Dad?s shoulders, then
buy a bottle of aftershave and sprinkle it around the room.
Aromatherapy means using what works for you.
If you have allergies or asthma, chemical-based aromatherapy
may be fraught with danger. Synthetic scents are derived from
chemical compounds, many of which can cause strong allergic
reactions such as wheezing, coughing, hives and itching or
even nausea and vomiting. Don't fall into the trap of
believing that, just because a product claims to be
aromatherapy-based, it's automatically good for you.
Many people have allergic reactions to perfectly natural
products. If you have allergies, make sure you read the back
of any product you're considering before shelling out money
for something that may make you sick.
Ideally, aromatherapy will help you feel happier, rejuvenated,
stronger and more calm.
Avoid scents that bring back unhappy memories or that make you
feel heavy and sleepy (unless you?re using aroma for insomnia).
Chamomile is commonly used for a sleep aid.
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