A lot of people tend to associate aromatherapy with making the house smell nice or enhancing the spa experience, but aromatherapy does more than that. Aromatherapy is a century-old practice of using essential oils to support overall health and well-being. In fact, it is often utilized as a complementary therapy method.
In an effort to help you get started on aromatherapy, we listed down some of the health benefits associated with it. Here are a few.
Improve sleep
If you suffer from insomnia or find it difficult to stay asleep at night, you might want to try aromatherapy. Aromatherapy cannot cure insomnia, but inhaling essential oil can encourage sounder sleep. Ylang Ylang and chamomile may help alleviate sleeping problems.
Manage pain
Some people would find themselves reaching into their medicine cabinet for some aspirin to seek relief from headache, muscle and joint pain. What they fail to realize is that these drugs come with dangerous side effects and can take a toll on your health later on.
Essential oils are great for pain relief. It is also effective at alleviating many of the discomforts associated with major illnesses. Depending on the type of oil and the type of pain, essential oils can be placed in a diffuser, used in massage or applied directly to pressure points. Sandalwood, lavender, chamomile and clary sage are just some examples of essential oils that can induce relaxation and pain relief.
Stress and anxiety relief
Aromatherapy is a commonly known relaxation technique. Several studies have proven that aromatherapy helps reduce stress. In a 2007 study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, researchers have found that aromatherapy massage may be a helpful complementary therapy for people with cancer or other chronic diseases. Patients who have undergone aromatherapy showed reduced stress and anxiety levels as compared to those who were not using aromatherapy. And hey, who doesn’t love the smell of a good essential oil during a massage?
Chamomile, lavender and vetiver are known for their calming properties. These essential oils help ease nervousness, apprehension and irritability.