Aromatherapy: Simple ways to Refresh and Recharge

Aromatherapy is the use of fragrant essential oils derived from plants. These oils can be applied on the skin or body via surface application or massages, inhaled but never ingested or consumed. Also called as essential oil therapy, it is believed that aromatherapy can enhance physical, mental and emotional well-being. In a broader sense or to make it more scientific – these plant based aromatic oils are believed to affect the body through the sense of smell (olfactory sense), stimulating the brain and influencing the central nervous system. It can alleviate symptoms, boost your mood, reduce stress, and promote a sense of relaxation. 

Aromatherapy is not new. If you think about it, it is all around you. From your kitchen spices, to your toothpaste, to your bath soap/ body wash, lotions, candles, pain balms, air fresheners.. all have added aromas which in various ways appeal to your senses and give you a specific kind of “good” feeling. Mint in your toothpaste makes you feel fresh & energetic in the morning. Lavender in your body wash can calm you down and promote a restful sleep after a warm evening shower.

The most common ways of using Aromatherapy are –

• Inhalation – Essential oils can be inhaled directly from a bottle, through a diffuser, or by placing a few drops on a cotton ball or tissue. Aromas are also added into candles & air fresheners which when burned or sprayed infuse the air with the desired fragrance.
• Topical application – Aromatherapy oils are almost always diluted in a neutral carrier oil like almond, coconut or safflower and then applied or massaged on to the body. They not only soak into the skin but also are inhaled this way.

All in all Aromatherapy is a holistic treatment – meaning it impacts your body, mind and soul. Aromatherapy has been used extensively for –

• Anxiety & stress relief – typically with essential oils of chamomile, lavender, bergamot
• Improved mood – mint, lavender oils
• pain relief – imagine your regular Zandu balm or Vicks Inhaler which can not only aid a headache or blocked nose, but also make you feel less pain.
• Improved sleep – I swear by lavender essential oils here.
• Alleviating nausea – Lemon, ginger are good for this. Reminds you of your dadi ma’s advicing you to smell a lemon on long road journeys.
• Better focus & concentration – rosemary and lemon oils can help.
• Better respiratory health – Remember when every Indian household had a bottle of Eucalyptus oil just for those days of cold & blocked noses.

Essential oils are made via a specialized process and need to be used with equal care. They must never be used on babies or children under the age of 3 and that too with the guidance of a trained Aromatherapy expert. Do not self medicate especially for children or chronically ill patients. Products made for children may contain essential oils but I am assuming if they are manufactured & sold by a known brand would follow guidelines & regulations, so make it a point to read labels for ingredients.

And for the sake of repetition, do not use essential oils directly, always dilute them in good quality carrier oils.

However, incorporating Aromatherapy in your life, does not need to be very complicated. If you are using it for general well being here are a few ways you can incorporate the goodness of essential oils in your life –

• Invest in good candles that are listed to be infused with essential oils – light these candles in safe, well ventilated places (for limited hours). I usually light a candle in my bathroom about 10 – 15 minutes before I know I will step into the shower.
• Look for body lotions with essential oils of rose or lavender to help you feel relaxed and peaceful after a hard day’s work.
• Invest in a room spray or a pillow mist which contains the fragrance of lavender – spray it in your room before bedtime or even lightly on your pillow. I vouch for this for insomniacs and night owls like me – it does promote a quick and deep sleep.
• Go in for a body massage once in a while and ask them to use oils which are infused with essential oils – you can even book an Aromatherapy massage at Spas or home salon services like Urban Clap.
• Invest in a good reed diffuser – this is usually a set of a small ceramic vase with bamboo reeds, and a bottle of essential oil of your choice. You pour in some oil in the ceramic vase and place the bamboo reeds in it. The oil travels up the reeds and releases into the air gently. In our house, we have replaced the agarbatti in our God’s room with a reed diffuser after wanting to do away with the smoke from agarbattis and to prevent fire hazards.
• A quick fix is to boil up a pot of fragrances – fill up a pot with water and add in sliced lemons, ginger, a cinnamon stick and a star anise, and boil this up for about 30 minutes. Your home will smell like you are baking a lemon cake. Alternatively, try coffee and cinnamon, vanilla. While not long lasting, the fun is in the process and the act of creating your own bubbling pot of aromas.

Have you tried Aromatherapy? What are your favourite aromas? Mine are vanilla and lavender!

I am participating in #BlogchatterA2Z.

I will be writing 26 blog posts on the theme of Self-Care.