Essential oils are complex organic substances that are extracted from concentrated plant extracts. They are obtained by steam distillation of the plant material for use to support health and well-being.
The distillation process turns the plant’s aroma or “essence” into a liquefied form for many recreation and medicinal uses. Essential oils have widespread applications and are becoming a rapidly growing application in aromatherapy. In most cases, the oils are usually applied to the skin but can also be given by inhalation, distribution through the air, orally, or by other means.
Through inhalation of the aromas from essential oils, the limbic system, a part of the brain that plays a role in behaviours, sense of smell, long-term memory, and emotions, can be stimulated.
Unsurprisingly, the limbic system is said to be heavily involved in forming memories, so it partially explains why familiar smells can trigger emotions or memories.
Also, the limbic system controls various unconscious physiological functions like blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. As such, many people claim that essential oils can physically affect the body. Though, this claim is yet to be confirmed in studies anyway.
Regardless of the widespread use of these oils, not much is known about the potentiality of the oils to treat certain health conditions. Still, the health benefits of these oils hold an important place in folk and traditional medicine around the world. Nevertheless, modern medicine supports lots of the prehistoric claims made about essential oils to improve people’s health, which include;
1. Mood boosting
Maybe you have been triggered by frustration, anger, sadness, or irritation and are struggling to shrug it off. You can grate a little lemon rind, take a few deep breaths, and feel energetic, happy, and refreshed immediately. By doing so, you have just experienced essential oils’ energising and uplifting power to boost your mood.
As much as we strive to be happy, a bad mood can come up anytime without warning. But the powerful, potent elixirs of essential oils with natural mood-boosting scents can ease anxiety, refresh the mind, shift emotions, enhance your mood, and make you feel happy in minutes, no matter how bad; you may feel!
2. It reduces stress and anxiety
Research has proved that using essential oils can help reduce stress. By inhaling these oils, the brain sends signals to particular emotions that make you feel optimistic. Using certain essential oils for massage gives you enormous relief from anxiety and stress.
3. Prevention of diseases
Antioxidant properties are present in many essential oils, helping to prevent cell damage by free radicals. This damage, on the other hand, can lead to severe ailments like cancer. Adding essential oils to food to increase the consumption of antioxidants with an accompaniment of shelf life prolongation has been of great interest to researchers worldwide.
4. Healthy hairs
Essential oils are an excellent alternative for caring for hair. The effectiveness of peppermint oil can be used to treat dry and greasy hair and helps improve blood flow to the areas of the scalp. Lavender essential oil helps to keep hair shining, works to control dandruff, and helps in profoundly conditioning the hair. You can read about hair loss and hair loss treatment plans if you are suffering from hair loss.
5. Sleep aid
It has been revealed that sleep quality can be improved by using relaxing lavender oil fragrances, especially for older adults living with dementia. It was found that sprinkling the essential oil on towels around their pillow increased their sleep time significantly and helped them sleep longer in the mornings.
