Aromatherapy is a natural health practice that uses essential oils extracted from plants. These concentrated oils can be inhaled, applied to the skin through massage or bath salts or diffused in the air.
Research shows that aromatherapy helps people with a wide variety of health concerns. For example, it can help improve sexual function and libido, relieve headaches, aches and pains, reduce anxiety, and lower depression symptoms in cancer patients.
What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils from plants to promote health and wellbeing. It’s an ancient practice that is also a scientific discipline.
Many studies have shown that certain essential oils can improve sleep and help alleviate pain. They also can boost mood and relieve stress.
Experts believe that aromatherapy works by stimulating smell receptors in the nose and sending messages to the brain. These signals travel to the limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, and the hypothalamus, which controls the release of feel-good hormones.
Inhaling these aromas through diffusers, steam rooms or oil burners can relax and energize you. They also can help keep the air clean and prevent infections.
It’s important to use only high-quality essential oils, such as lavender, chamomile, bergamot or tea tree. If you’re not sure which one is best for you, speak to a professional aromatherapist or massage therapist.
How does aromatherapy work?
Aromatherapy works by inhaling or applying essential oils to the skin, which can help relieve pain, anxiety and depression. The oils can also be diffused into the air using a vaporizer, spray or oil burner.
Research has shown that certain scents can relax people and stimulate their brain’s limbic system, which helps regulate emotions and behavior. Lavender, for example, is a common essential oil used to promote relaxation and calmness.
Researchers don’t know exactly how aromatherapy works, but they think it could involve the smell receptors in the nose communicating with parts of the brain that are used to store and recall memories.
Inhaling oils through a vaporizer, steam inhalation or spray can help reduce stress and improve sleep. Diffusing oils can also help clean the air and provide respiratory disinfection.
What are the benefits of aromatherapy?
There are many benefits to aromatherapy, from soothing the mind to promoting healthy sleep. It is used to treat a wide range of health conditions, including stress and anxiety.
For example, lavender oil can help to reduce anxiety and improve feelings of relaxation. It also helps to regulate breathing, heart rate, and hormones.
Essential oils have been used by humans for thousands of years. They have been used for health, spiritual, and ceremonial purposes.
An aromatherapy massage can be very helpful for people suffering from headaches or migraines. The pressure of the massage can boost circulation to the brain and other parts of the body.
Some essential oils are also able to help with digestive issues such as nausea, diarrhoea, and indigestion. Ginger, peppermint, and fennel oil are particularly useful in these cases.
What are the risks of aromatherapy?
Essential oils, which are extracts from flower, herb or tree parts, can be used to improve your well-being. They’re usually used by breathing the diluted form through your nose, or putting them on your skin with a massage or bath.
Using aromatherapy can have positive effects on your mood, sleep and stress levels. It can also help reduce anxiety and ease pain.
However, you should not use aromatherapy if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. You may also have a risk of a negative reaction to certain oils, and they can interfere with conventional medicine.
Another potential risk is that some essential oils can make your skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light, which can increase the risk of sunburn. This is particularly true of citrus essential oils.