HEALTH

You may have heard of aromatherapy before, but you may not know what it actually entails. Aromatherapy is exactly what it sounds like: The use of natural oils and scents in order to boost your psychological and physical well being.

You’re probably thinking, “How can just the scent of something benefit me?” You’ll likely be shocked to find out that aromatherapy is actually proven to have tons of benefits such as reducing anxiety and stress, boosting energy levels and inducing a good night’s sleep. Stay with us while we explain this scientifically…

According to 21drops, when you breathe in a therapeutic scent, it alerts the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system is the system that alerts your endocrine and nervous systems. The endocrine system regulates things like your mood and metabolism and your nervous system controls your body’s awareness.

With that in mind, it’s also super easy to use aromatherapy right at home. Here are three different ways you can de-stress with scents.

1. Candles

Candles are a great way to incorporate relaxing scents into a space. Try scents such as lavender or mint, as they are especially great for clearing the mind during stressful times. You can burn them while studying or even while in a bath. Just remember: Always be careful around open flames!

2. Scent diffusers

If your parental figures aren’t okay with you burning candles in your room, oil diffusers are just as great. The reeds soak in the scented oil and continuously release the scent, making it so there’s no need for a flame. You can find these anywhere you buy candles, too, so they're super convenient. Decor tip: They even look super cute on desks or bedside tables.

3. Bath oils

What’s better than a warm bath, right? Next time, try taking some oil and putting just a few drops into the running water. The scent will lift out of the bath and soak into your skin as well. This method of aromatherapy can also help circulation and physical balance. Since you're already chilled out in the bath, put on your favorite movie and drift off into “me time” mode.

What do you think of aromatherapy? Will you be practicing it at home?

by Kristina Lee | 4/28/2018