Aromatherapy and Stress Relief
Stress is all around us, and finding ways to cope with stress is not always easy. Aromatherapy has been used as a form of stress-relief for millenia. While modern stress seems unrelenting, we also have many tools to help us reduce our stress. Aromatherapy for stress relief is a great way to relieve stress naturally.
Stress comes in many forms and from many different sources in our lives. Stress can manifest as anxiety, depression, anger, insomnia or just simple exhaustion. Sore muscles, memory problems, difficulty sleeping, the list goes on and on.
Some people show outward signs of stress for all the world to behold while others keep stress buried deep inside themselves and appear to be perfectly calm and in control to the rest of the world. This buried stress can surface as illness or in other damaging ways.
There is a multitude of ways in which we are told that we can regain a sense of peace and well-being and defeat the stress that fills our lives. We are told to create for ourselves an imaginary peaceful place and learn to take our minds to that peaceful place when we get stressed. That sounds pretty good but not getting all stressed out in the first place sounds like a better idea to me.
One simple way to restore peace and tranquility is to use aromatherapy – or calming scents. We can also use scents to MAINTAIN a sense of peace an tranquility. Natural scents are a wonderful thing. They are multi faceted. They can be used to prevent as well as to sooth and to cure.
The scents that are most often used in aromatherapy to relieve, reduce or to prevent stress are Lavender, Chamomile, Geranium, Clary Sage, Sandalwood, Juniper Berry, and Sweet Marjoram. Rosemary is sometimes used as a stress reducer because it stimulates the mind and mind stimulation can reduce stress. (Rosemary should be avoided by pregnant women though.)
To relax and relieve stress use Lavender essential oils or herbs.
To stimulate and sharpen the mind use Rosemary.
Chamomile and Geranium both reduce stress.
To just relax use Clary Sage.
If sleeplessness and depression are the problems use Sandalwood.
If you are angry or anxious try Juniper Berry or Sweet Marjoram.
All of these oils can be used either separately or together to relieve the problems that stress can cause. Just add a few drops of these essential oils to a base of regular massage oil then put a little on a cotton ball and inhale to promote immediate calmness. Don’t use essential oils directly on skin, as they are strong and can cause rashes or other reactions if used at full-strength.
These oils can also be added to a warm bath and you can inhale the soothing aromas as you soak in a deep warm bath.
Candles that contain these oils are also available. You can keep candles burning in your home or office to maintain your sense of peace and well-being and prevent stress before it begins.
*Note: Essential oils should never be used to make tea. Use the herbs rather than the oils for tea making. Many essential oils are toxic if taken internally, though they are safe for other uses.
