What does fresh-cut grass, freshly fallen rain, baked chocolate chip cookies, a juicy hamburger off the grill, a beautiful bouquet; alluring perfume, or cologne all have in common? They all have an undeniable aroma. When you think of how these things smelled it changed how you felt. How about the scent of fresh laundry or the inviting scent of a freshly clean home with a nice candle burning creating an ambiance? There is nothing like a clean-scented room. The smell of the ocean can make you feel like you’re on a sunny beach. Scents have the power to affect your mood to make us feel happier and calmer. A large percentage of our emotions are because of smell.
The Impact That Scents Have On Our Mood
Our five basic senses are sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. But our sense of smell is by far the most powerful. The limbic system is the part of the brain that controls our emotions and memories. Scents send signals to this part of the brain, which in turn triggers our emotions and memories. Studies have shown that certain aromas can help increase productivity at work, stimulate the brain when studying, and make you feel calm and relaxed. What do you think about the fact that most stores have pleasant scents when you’re shopping? Some aromas can increase sales and keep customers coming back, which is why businesses use them. Everyday scents can have a significant impact on our moods. The smell of fresh coffee can invigorate you in the morning and help you start your day on the right foot.
Why Aromatherapy Scents Are Beneficial to Health
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils that are extracted from plants for therapeutic benefits. This Holistic health practice has been used for centuries to promote health and well-being. There are many health benefits to using aromatherapy including
- Reducing anxiety and stress
- Reducing nausea
- Improving the quality of sleep
- Boosting energy
- Promoting relaxation
- Relieving headaches
- Clearing sinuses
- Soothing sore joints and muscle aches
How scents affect our lives according to statistics
Scents play an important role in our daily life and can impact how we feel and our memories almost immediately. Studies have shown how certain scents stimulate our brain’s other senses. When we smell something pleasant we tend to feel happier and when we smell something unpleasant we feel the complete opposite.
When you smell fresh baked goods you can also taste the flavor. Aromas can create a certain spark of nostalgia for people and our brains are triggered by these scents to do so.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are a type of natural oil that is typically obtained by distillation. They have a characteristic fragrance that comes from the plant or other source from which they are extracted. They are used in perfumes, medicine, aromatherapy, and food flavorings. Below you will find a list of my favorite natural scents and their mood-changing abilities, uses, and health benefits.
Lavender
One of the most popular aromatherapy scents with its calming effects has often been used for reducing stress levels and improving sleep quality. Lavender can be used in multiple ways. For example, you can place a Lavender scented Candle next to your bedside, spray lavender essential oil on your sheets and pillows, and use a lavender-scented bubble bath, body butter, or lotion for that extra added calming effect for a good night’s sleep. This scent can almost instantly calm the body and mind. There is evidence that lavender oil can help to alleviate anxiety, repel insects, and be a skin enhancer. It’s great when experiencing PMS symptoms.
Chamomile
This sweet and herbal fragrance tends to give you a peaceful and calm mood especially having a nice hot cup of chamomile tea after a long day. With its relaxing, calming, and revitalizing smell it improves your mood to stay focused. The essential oils in chamomile have been used as an antiseptic and pain-relieving agent and it also can boost your immunity, it is also used to help you relax when having menstrual cramps.
Eucalyptus
This fragrance is commonly used in spas for its relaxing and refreshing scent. Its relaxing fragrance helps the body and mind to feel at ease without making you sleepy. The essential oil has many uses in massage oils, candles, bubble baths, and bath salts for aching muscles, as well as in foot soaks for those achy feet. It is also a great way to freshen your breath.
Sage
Sage in aromatherapy soothing and balancing scent can ease negative moods. It can increase relaxation and promote an uplifting effect on the senses. Sage is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits so it can help with soothing joint pain and muscle aches. It can also soothe menstruation-associated pain. In skin care, it’s widely used in soaps, and massage oils for its detoxifying effects.
Peppermint
The cooling and invigorating scent of peppermint can make you feel energized and alert. It’s a great fragrance to start the day awakening your senses to keep you calm and focused. Peppermint can be used to alleviate nausea and upset stomach. It has also been used to help relieve headache symptoms.
Lemon
The uplifting, clean, and refreshing scent of lemon is great for energizing and uplifting any mood and it can help fight fatigue. Lemon is a great scent as an air freshener and diffuser. Lemon-scented household cleaners make your home smell and feel as refreshing as a cold glass of lemonade. The lemon essential oil contains antibacterial properties. The citrusy smell blends well with other citrus and flora fragrances such as lime, lavender, and chamomile.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a very stimulating, and purifying scent that calms tension and anxiety. It can help you focus when feeling emotionally drained. It’s a natural astringent and can assist in reducing pain in achy muscles. It has been known to deter insects so on those warm summer nights using a lemongrass-scented outdoor candle is good for warding off pesky insects
Orange
The scent of pealing a Fresh, Sweet, refreshing orange can instantly give you an energizing effect. It can enhance circulation, strengthen the immune system, and it is used as a natural household cleaner. Its vitamin C is also great for topical use in skincare products treating acne.
Tea Tree
This is a must-have essential oil fragrance. Its fresh and spicy scent can open up the senses and leave you feeling cleansed and revitalized. It has been commonly used to treat minor burns, cuts, and scrapes. It’s known to help fight dandruff, reduce inflammation, and treat mild acne. It’s also a great insect repellant.
Coffee
This earthy strong aroma creates a feeling of alertness and is mentally stimulating. The fresh smell of a hot cup of coffee can immediately awaken the senses. It is great in body scrubs, lip balms, and body creams. This is a great scent that blends well with vanilla.
Vanilla
The sweet and warm aroma of vanilla has a comforting and calming effect on the senses. This alluring scent is great for relieving anxiety and feelings of restlessness. Vanilla is known to boost skin health because the oil is rich in antioxidants. It is also known to help boost libido by stimulating the love hormone in women and men. Light a vanilla-scented candle or pour a couple of drops of essential oil into a diffuser and unwind.
Rose
The sweet fragrance of a Rose can evoke feelings of happiness, love, and romance. Many people find that touch can have a calming effect, sometimes helping to manage stress and arousal. If you can’t have fresh roses, using a rose-scented candle, potpourri, or rose essential oil diffuser can be a pleasant alternative.
How to use essential oils:
You can select any use of essential oils you prefer because there are many different methods to enjoy them. To determine what appeals to you, try out various fragrances. Do you prefer delicate scents, powerful scents, sweet scents, or even strange scents? It’s your nose so try creating your perfect aroma and what mood you want to be in. Try using a few drops of essential oils in a diffuser, lighting a lovely candle to establish the mood, or using pillow mist or room sprays for an immediate fix. Although essential oils can be applied topically, it’s crucial to dilute them before applying them to the skin to prevent skin irritation. If you want to unwind, reduce tension, or just feel joy, start experimenting with making your own perfect mix.
There are a number of ways to enjoy the benefits of essential oils, including using them in massage, diffusing them, using scented candles, using a room spray, taking a bubble bath, or using soap infused with essential oils. You can also enjoy these benefits by using essential oil-infused products such as scrubs, lotions, and body butter. It is important to read the label on the product of your choice and also follow the advice of a professional when using essential oils.
