The Role of Essential Oils in Aromatherapy

April 29, 2009 by  
Filed under Aromatherapy

The sense of smell is very powerful. People like to have scent on their clothes, prefer to have deodorants in homes and hotel rooms, incense in places of worship, and fragrant flowers everywhere. They have used it all throughout history to the present, because simple layman’s wisdom has always told them about the ability of smell to soothe and heal. This is exemplified by the very existence of a healing system known as aromatherapy, and the use of essential oils as aromatherapy oils.

The sense of smell affects the mind much more than we may be consciously aware of. That is the secret behind the powerful effect of aromatherapy oils. Take a simple thing like anxiety. It is something most people suffer from, and some people have it more than others. Essential oils are very good in controlling this anxiety. There could be drugs that reduce anxiety, but aromatherapy essential oils do it without the side effects of the drugs. Some effective aromatherapy essential oils are lavender, cedarwood, bergamont etc. However, aromatherapy could be effective only to a certain extent, and severe cases of anxiety syndrome will have to be clinically treated.

Aromatherapy is effective in containing irritability also. Some of the aromatherapy essential oils that will help control irritation are lavender, chamomile and neroli. Aromatherapy essential oils can be used by adding them to the bath water. Or it can be added to the massage oil, in order to get a deep tissue aromatherapy massage by essential oils. For better effect, aromatherapy oils can be placed in aromatherapy diffusers.

Aromatherapy is very effective in the case of new born babies and their brand new mothers. Post partum depression is a very common problem with new mothers, because of their inability to adjust to the hormonal changes in the body and the demands that the new lifestyle makes. This depression and inadequacy will often communicate itself to the baby who gets insufficient attention because of the mother’s problems. Aromatherapy essential oils can decrease all these problems substantially. Lavender is a good aromatherapy essential oil for treating the new mother and child. There are many ways in which these essential oils can be effectively used to get the best results through aromatherapy. They can be used in aromatherapy diffusers, or can be used as aromatherapy candles. A few drops of essential oils can be used in giving an aromatherapy massage also. Benefits of aromatherapy will be seen in both the mother and the baby.

Stress is another daily problem which responds well to healing by aromatherapy essential oils. A little tension is the routine cross of every one, while substantial amounts of it might be the lot of some people due to pressures of work and mundane problems at home. Having a few drops of essential oils around when you relax or eat or work, will reduce all these problems significantly. Essential oils are one of the best agents of aromatherapy. Workplace stress can also be reduced by having aromatherapy products in the vicinity. Having aromatherapy candles around, with extracts of rose, sage, juniper, or lavender, can be a great tension reliever.