Aromatherapy Stress Relief - Pros And Cons

Aromatherapy is not a new concept. The medicinal properties of aromatic oils were described in the early Materia Medica, the five volume set written by the Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides and considered to be the precursor of modern pharmacopeias.

With the growing number of people experiencing stress on a daily basis, it should come as no surprise that many are turning to aromatherapy stress relief.

Stress can be debilitating and have serious effects on your health. It can decrease immune function, leaving you vulnerable to illness and disease. It can cause heart palpitations and may promote heart disease. It also interferes with hormone and brain function.

Depending on the essential oils chosen, aromatherapy can relieve stress is multiple ways. Some calm anxiety while others relieve depression and guilt. Helplessness, insomnia, restlessness, irritability, nervous tension, tiredness and exhaustion can also be treated with aromatherapy.

Scientific research backs up aromatherapy stress relief. Oils such as lavender, chamomile, marjoram, lemon, bergamot and sandalwood were all found to have a relaxing effect on brain waves. In other studies, chamomile showed sedative effects, as did neroli, valerian, petitgrain and opapanax. Ylang ylang has long been used by aromatherapy practitioners for its relaxing effects.

The easiest way to practice aromatherapy stress relief is to apply a few drops of the essential oil to a cotton ball and breathe in the scent for a few minutes. There are also special tools that aid in the disbursal of these stress relief oils. They include light bulb rings, vaporizers and diffusers. These can help release the scent throughout a room.

Essential oils are also effective through the skin. However, due to the potency of these oils, care must be taken. Massage oils using essential oils are common and can easily be made at home. Just add a few drops of the aromatherapy scents you feel would do you the most good to a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil or olive oil.
Baths are a good way to combine inhalation and skin contact with aromatherapy.

Add a few drops of essential oil to a warm bath. The scented steam works in combination with the oils in the bath to relieve stress and anxiety.

Aromatherapy stress relief isn't for everyone. For some individuals, the smells can trigger allergies or headaches. Individuals with sensitive skin may find that the oils irritate the skin when use topically.

Some essential oils are contraindicated for individuals with certain health conditions. Women who are pregnant should avoid lemon and marjoram. Lavender is contraindicated in the first trimester, but generally considered to be safe after this point. Those with kidney problems should not use sandalwood.

Some essential oils may cause photosensitivity, or an increased sensitivity to the sun's harmful rays. These include bergamot, lemon and petitgrain. Care should be taken to protect skin from the sun if these are used. Failure to do so could result in a very uncomfortable sunburn. Chemically sensitive people may not tolerate most types of aromatherapy.

Don't let stress take over your life. With the use of essential oils and aromatherapy, stress relief is only a scent away.