AROMATHERAPY
Aromatherapy‘s been around since the early 1900s. Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to treat many mental and even physical illnesses or promote relaxation. Essential oils are taken from plants or any other parts of the plants such as bark, root, stalk, buds, flowers. These oils are usually mixed with another substance such as base oil or alcohol and applied to the skin, which can be inhaled directly or sprayed in the air. You can also use it using a diffuser without mixing it with any other oil, and then inhale it in the room. Many massage therapists use it as a part of therapeutic massage.
Effects of Aromatherapy
The essential oil can highly impact your psychological and emotional behavior. The nerve in our brain that controls your sense of smell is called the Olfactory nerve. The endpoint of this nerve is in your nose, and it extends to your back of the nose to your brain. The part of your brain that connects to it is the temporal lobe. The temporal lobe has the hippocampus and the amygdala. The amygdala is the emotional center of the brain whereas the hippocampus plays a role in the memory of past experiences.
The Essential oil contains volatile organic compounds that exert a pharmacological effect when they penetrate the body, either through your skin or through our olfactory nerve. Volatile just means that the oil can vaporize and become a gas. So the oil of these plants is made up of molecules that can be absorbed through the skin in oil form or by the nose as gas form. By inhaling these molecules you send them directly to the emotional part of the brain. This is why inhaling the gas and the fumes have such an effect on your mental health. There is a direct pathway from your nose to the brain.
Not, everything you inhale has molecules that have the pharmacological effect, but inhaling things is a faster route to effecting your brain than eating something because when you eat it, it has to be digested and get into your bloodstream and your bloodstream takes things to your various organs. But gas can be absorbed directly by the nerve which impacts the brain bypassing the bloodstream.
Relaxing essential oils
Certain oils are known to be more activating versus sedating or relaxing and there are few,
- Sandalwood
- Lavender
- Orange Blossom
- Citrus Lemon
- Rose
- Jasmine
- Roman Chamolena
- Clary Sage
In a study, it is found that the individuals who were exposed to lavender, experienced an increase in slow-wave or deep sleep.
How to use Aromatherapy?
You can use Aromatherapy by using a diffuser, aside from using a diffuser, you can put a few drops of essential oils in a cotton ball or sniff it. For using it for massage on your own, you can massage your own feet with essential oil, but remember, not to use this oil directly on your skin which can cause irritation on your skin, use the oil by blending it with some carrier oil such as coconut oil, olive oil. These oils are safe for our skin even these oils have their own health benefits.
Bottomline
AROMATHERAPY, after all, is a pseudoscience-based treatment. It is only meant to treat your psychological and emotional behavior. The smell of the aromatic essential oils creates a soothing sensation of well-being which affects your mental health. Though it has numerous psychological benefits, it is not advised to treat yourself if you are suffering from a serious mental or physical disorder. So it is advised to consult with any health practitioner before opting for this therapy to heal your ailments.