After a stressful day what’s your favorite way to unwind? I know for me sitting in a warm bath with lavender bath salts does it perfectly. There are other fragrances that I love too but there’s just something about lavender that makes everything in the world right.

Lavender is known as a calming and relaxing herb and has been used for insomnia, anxiety, depression, and natural stress relief. Lavender aromatherapy can help with your sleep and mood, and has a wide range of health benefits. There are a ton of other benefits to essential oils and aromatherapy and it’s been exciting to learn about them as I have started to enjoy the Doterra products.  Below are a list of a few of my top 10 uses for them.

1. Stress Relief: The aromatic compounds from many different essential oils are known as relaxants and can help to soothe your mind and eliminate anxiety. I have even seen a study where a medical facility infused Bergamot into the department for a week and on the days that they didn’t the staff was more on edge.  Some of the best essential oils for stress relief are lemon oil, lavender, bergamot, peppermint, vetiver, and ylang ylang essential oils. Lemon oil can improve mood and reduce angry outbursts.

2. As an antidressent it can really help  to eliminate feelings of depression, and since the side effects of pharmaceutical antidepressants are very complicated, this is a very important function of aromatherapy. It’s not to be used without seaking medical treatment id the symptoms are not controlled but, it can be used for reducing depression. Favorites are peppermint, chamomile, lavender, and jasmine.

3. Memory  Aromatherapy is now being used as an alternative or supplemental treatment for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  Sage oil is the most commonly recommended oil for this sort of memory-enhancing effect. I have used Clary Sage to help with brain fog and menopause symptoms

4. Boost Energy Levels.  Who doesn’t need a little more energy in their day?  Alot of essential oils are known to increase circulation, raise energy levels, and generally stimulate the body and mind, without the dangerous side effects of other stimulating substances. The best essential oils for giving yourself an energy boost include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, angelica, jasmine, tea tree, rosemary, and sage.

5. Healing and Recovery.  Some of the most popular essential oils for speeding up the healing process of the body include lavender, calendula, rosehip, Everlasting, and buckthorn essential oils.They can even help with psoriasis and excema.

6. Headaches:  Some of the best essential oils that have been connected to reducing headaches and migraines are peppermint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, and rosemary essential oils. You can also mix these oils in a carrier oil and spread that oil onto your skin, scalp, neck, and temples. Some of the best carrier oils for headaches include almond, avocado, coconut, apricot kernel, and sesame oils.

7. Sleep Aid.  Some of the best essential oils for managing your sleeping habits and having a healthy, sedative effect on the body include lavender, chamomile, jasmine, benzoin, neroli, rose, sandalwood, sweet marjoram, and ylang ylang essential oils. I love turning on my diffuser at night before bed and let the room get filled with the scent of lavendar.

8. Immune System.  It’s better to prevent than treat, and aromatherapy can give you a serious boost to your immune system if used properly. The anti-microbial effects, as well as the anti-fungal and antibacterial effects can protect you from any number of illnesses and infections that could damage your system. This area of aromatherapy is very popular and widely studied. Some of the most effective essential oils that boost your immune system include oregano, frankincense, lemon, peppermint, cinnamon, and eucalyptus essential oils.  I use one called On Guard that has a mixture of these fragrances in it.

9. Pain Relief. Pain relief is one of the most useful reasons of aromatherapy. The top essential oils, both for professional and personal use, include lavender, chamomile, clary sage, juniper, eucalyptus, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils. Clary sage works great for menstrual cramps.  And Peppermint mixed in coconut oil makes a great massage oil.

10. Digestion.  Even though this isn’t really studied much, aromatherapy ease constipation, indigestion, bloating, and can speed up the metabolism so food is digested quicker. Citrus essential oils are normally the best for treating digestive conditions, including lemon and orange, but there have also been some studies that have cited ginger, dill, fennel, chamomile, clary sage, and lavender as being effective as well.

Whatever your condition, and whatever essential oils you choose to use, always consult your doctor if you are on medications before trying anything new. Also, be sure to only buy essential oils from approved sources and don’t attempt to mix and use oils unless you have done your research.  Some oils are not to be used directly on the skin and need a carrier oil for application and some can be ingested but you need to do your research.

Comments

comments