From the 8th – 14th June, we are celebrating Aromatherapy Awareness Week in the UK.
Dating all the way back to 2000 BC, aromatherapy is the ancient treatment that makes use of the aromatic essences, which are naturally extracted from plants. This complimentary therapy benefits the body by promoting emotional wellbeing as well as physical health.
How does it work?
Aromatherapy oils use over four hundred naturally sourced ingredients; constructed by extracting the essences of flowers, seeds, leaves, and root or barks of individual plants and fruit.
Aromatherapy works by connecting to your sense of smell, via the olfactory nerves – housed at the top of your nose, which link directly to the innermost parts of the brain – the limbic system.
These are the sections that control our fundamental human instincts, store memories, and trigger our emotional and physical responses.
The limbic system is also closely aligned with the physical mechanisms of our bodies – it impacts on blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and hormone balance.
Once transmitted via the olfactory system, the limbic part of our brain immediately interprets a smell.
The effect is instantaneous on both alpha (relaxing) and beta (stimulating) brainwaves.
This response lets off a reaction in your body, both emotionally and physically.
If your alpha brain waves have been triggered, you’ll begin to feel noticeably calmer.
Conversely, if a more stimulating aromatherapy oil has been used, such as lemon or spearmint, then your beta brain waves are affected and you’ll be left feeling invigorated and more alert.
What does it treat?
Aromatherapy is believed to be an effective reliever of anxiety, depression, tiredness and pain.
For example, sleeping problems are often treated by lavender, which triggers alpha brain waves to relieve anxiety and muscle tension.
While limited scientific research currently exists to ‘prove’ its power, aromatherapy is recognised as a complementary therapy that works wonders as a stress reliever.
Its ability to vastly improve your mood means that aromatherapy is routinely used to help patients who are suffering due to cancer or its treatment.
Aromatherapy… is a natural, non-invasive modality designed to affect the whole person not just the symptom or disease and to assist the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself by the correct use of essential oils.” Jade Shutes
Commonly, aromatherapy is used to combat physical problems too. Its application is known to boost the immune system, fight off bacterial infections, assist with the management of menstrual pain, improve circulation, relieve digestion problems and clear up headaches.
Have you had success with using aromatherapy to combat health problems or stress?
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