Have you ever smelled something and you were immediately transported to another time or place? I know I have. Like being transported to being near my grandmother when I smell lilacs or being in my childhood kitchen when I smell chocolate chip cookies. I love those memories.
The power and science of smell is incredible. Imagine you are out for a walk and you stop to inhale the fragrance of a rose in full bloom. Or maybe you catch the aroma of fresh rosemary while cooking in the kitchen. These scents can create a shift in our mood, wake us up (or lull us to sleep), and they can, in fact, transport us to another time. Aromatherapy has a positive effect on our mental and physical states by working with the limbic system.
Essential oils contain massive concentrations of powerful plant chemicals and can stimulate the subconscious with their scents bringing feelings of alertness, happiness, calm, relaxation, or sleepiness. These aromas can elicit powerful physiologic, mental, and emotional responses. By using aromatherapy to keep negative states of being such as stress, tension, and sleeplessness at bay, we are able to give our overall health a boost.
Hello Adaptiv and Balance! Where have you been all my life? 💛
Did you know that inhaling your essential oils was such an exceptional way to support your emotional AND physical health? ...our bodies are SO incredible!
Now you may be wondering how the Limbic System actually works. Well, let’s dive in! As a person inhales an essential oil, the molecules of the oil go into the back of each nostril to the epithelium patch where the molecules attach to receptors on the cilia hairs. These convert to nerves that send the odor information to the olfactory bulb in the brain. This bulb communicates directly with the amygdala, hippocampus, and other brain structures.
Still with me? 🙃🙃🙃 Good! Getting to the good stuff - promise!
The amygdala is the center for emotions in the limbic system and it links our sense of smell to our ability to learn emotionally. (Hello EMOTIONAL BRAIN) The capacity to link information and emotions is why essential oils are such a powerful partner in creating and maintaining emotional health. This is EXACTLY why smells will trigger memories more than seeing an image, tasting food, or even listening to music! Some of our most popular oils to start to anchor your emotional brain are citrus oils, as they provoke happy, uplifting, and supportive emotions in most people.
Let’s break down how you can use essential oils aromatically.
✅ The easiest way is to simply open a bottle and simply breathe in the aroma through the nose. This process is called direct inhalation. Pretty straightforward, right?
To enhance this method, place a drop of an oil or blend in the hands, rub them together and then cup around the nose and mouth and breathe in. You can also place drops of oil on a piece of cloth or tissue and hold it close to your face and inhale.
✅ The next method is to use an ultrasonic diffuser which is beneficial for affecting mood, cleansing the air, and changing the aroma of a space (think non-toxic Febreze!) Diffusers are devices that can be used to evaporate an oil into the surrounding environment.
If you’re like me then you probably have one in each room in your house and have by now tossed all the candles and Plug-ins in the trash. If you haven’t, there is no time like the present.
✅ Lastly, you can add essential oils to water or to alcohol (such as vodka) in a spray bottle, and then the mixture can be sprayed in the air, on surfaces, or on the body.
Here are some fun diffuser blends to try -
