So, I’m in the office, and there is a woman who worked there twice as long as I have.
She approaches me and says, “Friday is my last day here. I’m moving on to set up my own thing.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to see you go. What’s up with that?” I say.
“I’m going to work with essential oils. Aromatherapy can help you relax.”
“Hmm,” I thought, and…
…and it wasn’t one of those high-pitched, excited exclamations I would usually use in my head.
You should have seen my puzzled face when I finally got back to my cubicle with a fresh cup of coffee. I thought something along the lines of “seriously how can you leave such a great job to work with some smelly oils…”
Can you guess what happened later?
I will get back to that in a moment, but let’s talk about the world of relaxing scents first.
Aromatherapy will help you relax faster than prozac
Did you know that your sense of smell is the most powerful of all your basic senses?
Neuroscientists confirm that a direct connection to the amygdala and hippocampus makes it unique. Having the strongest link to our memory and emotions means that aromatherapy can quickly and effectively affect your mood, bring back memories, and evoke emotions.
Take advantage of this amazingly designed system, and use different scents to boost your mood, release stress and have better sleep!
Does aromatherapy really work?
Do you still think aromatherapy is some sort of quackery? Try this. Imagine your favourite coffee shop or a restaurant. What’s the first impression? A delicious and comforting smell. It makes you want to sip a hot cup of coffee. It makes you desire to have a bit of that amazing pastry you saw through the window. The memory of the scents creates that craving even before you opened the door.
Does the same thing happen when you walk through the forest or alongside the river? You can easily get lost in your thoughts and suddenly realize your mind is elsewhere. Scents have the power to transport you to a different place and time of your past. The sensation can be so strong that you may feel the need to stop and recall where you’re at and why.
How scents affect us? Aka the famous madeleine
There is the most famous literary reference to the instance of involuntary memory triggered by a specific fragrance known as the “episode of the madeleine”. It comes from the book In Search of Lost Time (also known as Remembrance of Things Past) by Marcel Proust, originally published in 1913.
No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory – this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me. … Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it? … And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings at Combray (because on those mornings I did not go out before mass), when I went to say good morning to her in her bedroom, my aunt Léonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of tea or tisane. The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it. And all from my cup of tea.
Boost your health with fragrances
Aromatherapy is a practice of using essential oils extracted from plants for health benefits. They help to relax, ease stress, and boost energy. The most popular forms of aromatherapy are the inhalation of the scent using diffusers or the topical application of diluted essential oil.
It is important to remember that every essential oil has its chemical compounds. Speak with a trained professional like an aromatherapist, physical or massage therapist, or even pharmacist before you start applying or using oils for healing purposes. Professionals can recommend the best products, and teach you how to use them safely.
As a complementary therapy, aromatherapy does not cure diseases or illnesses. But, it has many benefits:
- Reduces pains and body aches, including headaches
- Supports easing anxiety, agitation, stress, and depression
- Assists healing fatigue and insomnia
- Boosts energy
- And most importantly aromatherapy can help you relax.
Why aromatherapy helps us relax faster than Prozac?
I’m sure you have figured this out already. The direct connection between our nose and brain, scent, and emotions. It works so fast that we do not even realize how huge is the effect that smells can have on us. Pleasant aromas and disgusting odors are everywhere we turn. No surprise then that smart marketers use them to their advantage. Many places like supermarkets, small boutiques, or large chain shops use fragrance diffusers to deliver a seamless olfactory experience for their clients, hence make profits.
Use the power of smell to your benefit
And trust me on this one. I was very skeptical at first before I discovered the amazing effects the essential oils have on me. Now I use them almost every day. Usually in the afternoon or evening when I have the time to enjoy them the most. My favourite way is to add a few drops to the essential oil diffuser. There are so many scents, that I’m sure even the most demanding of noses will find something for themselves.
Master aromatherapy to help ou relax in your own home
Aromas, like tastes, are so personal that the easiest way to find out your favorite ones is simply to test them. Keep in mind that things like mood, time of day, or even your hormonal cycle may clash with specific smells. So don’t give up too quickly!
So, if you haven’t tried already, now is a great time to start your new adventure.
If not now then when.
Here are a few ideas that can help you find the best ways of incorporating aromatherapy into your daily life.
- Add a few drops of pure oil into the essential oil diffuser.
- Mix a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and spray your curtains, bed linen, or air.
- Light scented candles.
- If you’re lucky to have a bathtub, add a few drops of essential oil to your next bath.
- Place scented sticks in your living room or office.
- Blend your favorite oil with a carrier oil like sunflower, olive, or sweet almond oil and use it for a massage.
- Wear a scented bracelet or a necklace.
- Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a tissue, vacuum it up, then hoover your house, and enjoy a beautiful scent.
What’s your favorite scent?
I promised to finish my story, so here it is.
Do you remember my cubicle?
So, I’m still there with my fresh cup of coffee, pondering why that ‘poor’ woman would swap her well paid and engaging job for dealing with some oils.
Fast forward. Same company, different cubicle. It’s time to clock out.
I’m dead tired after a day full of meetings and reporting deadlines. Guess where my thoughts are.
Yes. I’m wondering if I feel like having lavender or Damascus rose in my diffuser this evening.
What’s your favourite scent? Does it boost your mood or bring specific memories? Tell us in a comment below.