Let’s chat for a second about the history of aromatherapy. Essential oil usage dates back to Babylonian times. They were used in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India for rituals, perfumes, and religious practices. The actual term “aromatherapy” was officially coined in the 20th century as the scientific community began to recognize the emotional benefits of essential oils. There was substantial research done in the 90’s that helped biologists to understand just how the body responds to smells.
We can begin to understand the science behind emotional aromatherapy by taking a look at what those biologists learned. Each essential oil has its own unique chemical makeup. The chemical design of an essential oil determines what it is useful for—some chemical elements make an essential oil useful for cleaning, others beneficial for the skin, while others still can be used to create specific emotional responses depending upon the chemical composition.
When an essential oil is inhaled, it travels through the nose and is processed by the portion of the brain that is responsible for controlling our sense of smell. From there, aromatic pathways connect the scent to the part of our brain where memories and experiences are stored. As the aroma travels through aromatic pathways, memories are triggered, giving us an emotional response. Because everyone has different memories and life experiences, each of us will have a different response when using essential oils for managing our emotions. In fact, no two people will have the same exact response to an oil, but we do know that certain aromas have a general consensus. For example, citrus essential oils tend to make people feel uplifted and happy.
In our stressful, ever-changing world, there are many resources that can be used to manage emotions. So, you might be wondering, “Why should I use essential oils to manage my mood?”
First, one of the biggest reasons to use essential oils for mood management is that they are natural, safe substances that won’t cause harmful problems - no side effects that might endanger your health. Many of the substances and sources we use to manage stress or deal with our emotions can end up hurting us in other ways. Using essential oils for mood management provides a safe and simple way to deal with complex emotions that are constantly changing.
Second, essential oils provide a great way to quickly alter your mood. In many cases, you can start to feel the calming, soothing, or uplifting effects of an essential oil from the moment that you open the bottle. Inhaling essential oils, applying them to the skin, or diffusing them in the air allows you to quickly alter your mood because the oil will generate an emotional response within the brain from the first sniff. Our sense of smell is powerful, the aroma of essential oils will reach our brain within 10 seconds!
Lastly, essential oils provide the user with a convenient way to manage mood nearly any time of day and in any location. While there many other ways to manage our emotions—speaking with friends or a counselor, doing physical activities like yoga, or giving ourselves a break by taking a vacation—these options aren’t always practical right in the moment when we wish to alter our mood. However, essential oils provide a simple way to manage your emotions while at work, home, school, or in practically any circumstance, making it super easy to manage our mood and emotions using specific aromas.
The following diffuser blends are titled for the season, but I want you to consider this - think about the emotion you are feeling or what emotion you're seeking, that should influence the diffuser blend you choose. For example, if you're in the cold, winter months and could use a ray of sunshine in your day, consider diffusing something from the spring or summer.
spring diffuser blends
summer diffuser blends
autumn diffuser blends
winter diffuser blends
The bonus "side effect" to diffusing essential oils to manage our mood is that you'll also be cleansing and purifying the air and everyone else who smells the aroma will have their own unique experience. If you're in the market for a new diffuser check out the ones
I have for sell or I have a blog post:
Diffusers & How to Clean'em for some more suggestions
I'm here for ya! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need specific help within any area of using natural solutions. I'm here to take the overwhelm out and ensure you're confident in using the right products for your unique situation and circumstance.
xoDanette