February 9, 2023
Aromatherapy for Stress Relief
Aromatherapy, or inhaling certain natural scents for health benefits, has plenty of people who swear by its effectiveness. Even conventional medical site WebMD.com touts its curative properties, noting that it can help everything from anxiety to poor sleep.“The oils may activate certain areas of your brain, like your limbic system, which plays a role in your emotions,” notes WebMD writer Camille Noe Pagán. “They could also have an impact on your hypothalamus, which may respond to the oil by creating feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin.”If you’re stressed out (and really, what student isn’t at some point in the semester?), you may want to give aromatherapy a try. Some oils that may help ease stress and anxiety are lavender, chamomile, frankincense, peppermint, lemon, lemongrass, bergamot, and cedarwood, among others. (You can look these oils and others up on AromaWeb for specific benefits and safety information.)Aromatherapy can take a variety of forms. Here are some of the easiest and least expensive:
- Try a scented candle. Be sure to look for candles made with vegetable or soy wax, and scented with 100% natural essential oils to avoid harmful chemicals.
- Sniff an essential oil straight out of the bottle. You can also put a few drops on a cotton ball to carry with you, or even wear an aromatherapy locket that contains a cotton pad inside that you can scent with oils.
- Try a DIY sachet. Fill a small muslin bag with rice, and put ten drops of your favorite oil on the rice. Hang it in your room or from your car’s rearview mirror.
- Include a few drops of your favorite oil in a hot bath.
- Use an inexpensive or secondhand diffuser. Some plug into an electrical outlet, and these may (or may not) require water to release scented steam. Others require only a tealight candle to disperse the scent.
- Make a room spray. For an easy DIY spray, fill a small glass bottle 3/4ths full with spring water. Fill the remaining quarter with witch hazel (available in the skin care section of your local drugstore). Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and spray the stress away!
- Make a steam inhalation treatment. Boil some water, then remove from heat. Put a few drops of oil into the water. When it cools down enough so it’s still steaming but won’t burn your face off, put a towel over your head to contain the steam and lean over the water, inhaling deeply. (Eucalyptus and peppermint oil are great for easing congestion using this method.)
Important safety information: Some oils might be harmful to children, pets, those who are pregnant, or people who have epilepsy or high blood pressure. Do a bit of research from a reputable source like AromaWeb to ensure safe usage. In addition, be sure any oils in your aromatherapy products are 100% natural essential oils. Synthetic oils are often petroleum-based and may contain harmful toxins. Finally, before applying oils directly to skin, dilute with a carrier oil like jojoba or olive oil, and do a patch test to check for allergic reactions. With just a little preparation, you can ensure that you choose the best oils for you and get all their benefits, without adding stress due to an allergic reaction or other complication.