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Dozens of studies have found that essential oils can both protect your long-term health and relieve symptoms of common maladies. They can help lower stress levels, relieve pain, improve mood, and quell cravings and nausea. Essential oils have even been demonstrated in lab studies to kill flu, E. coli, and cancer cells.
Below are some indications of what a particular scent or type of scent can do for your mood, your well-being, or simply your comfort. Our lives are hectic enough, why not surround yourself with pleasant smells and enhance your well-being!
Aromatherapy can help with a physical condition, can help with symptoms, can effect your mood, or help alleviate or temporarily eliminate stress or other psychological factors.
Essential Oil: Bergamot
Best for: Relaxation; Relieving Anxiety and Stress
It is an effective antidote against depression, anxiety, urinary tract infections and nervous indigestion.
Bonus Perks: Increases energy; promotes relaxation without making you sleepy.
Essential Oil: Eucalyptus
Best for: Increasing Energy
The scent increases brain wave activity and counters physical and mental fatigue. Carry eucalyptus with you on long car trips, or smell it to help you study. International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc., a research and development corporation in New Jersey, found that sniffing eucalyptus increases your energy.
Bonus Perks: Boosts Concentration
Essential Oil: Lemon
Best for: Eliminating Stress
Inhaling lemon oil has been shown to increase concentration and alertness.
Bonus Perks: Elevates Mood and Energy
Essential Oil: Cedarwood
Best for: Helping you fall Asleep
Bonus Perks: It may help people with chronic anxiety, stress, and depression.
Essential Oil: Tea Tree Oil
Best for: Boosts Energy
The powerful aroma of tea tree oil helps to counter fatigue, improve concentration and clear the mind.
Bonus perk: Tea tree oil may be helpful in alleviating chest and head congestion, stuffy nose, and other symptoms of colds and flu, especially when used in steam inhalation.
Essential Oil: Cinnamon
Best for: Improving Focus
It may stoke the area of the brain that governs alertness. For example, research found that drivers were more focused and less flustered after breathing in cinnamon-oil scents.
Bonus perks: Increases concentration; reduces frustration
Essential Oil: Clove Oil
Best for: Stimulates the brain.
Bonus perks: The scent may make you more attentive and possibly feel more energetic than you normally would.
Essential Oil: Orange
Best for: Decreasing Anxiety
A study found that people who sniffed it before a stressful test were able to stay calm under pressure, sans anxiety spikes, possibly because the scent can help slash stress hormones.
Bonus perk: Elevates mood
Essential Oil: Chamomile
Best for: Promotes Calmness & Sleep
Bonus Perk: It can help to calm irritable babies and soothe a toddler’s temper tantrums.
Essential Oil: Ylang Ylang
Best for: Reducing Anxiety and Stress
Essential Oil: Lavender
Best for: Relaxation; Relieving PMS
The scent can trigger the body’s “rest and digest” response, promoting relaxation. A 2013 study found that it also eases pre-period symptoms such as mental confusion and depression.
Bonus perks: Decreases anxiety, insomnia, and migraine pain
Essential Oil: Rose Oil
Best for: Controlling anger
Bonus perk: Some studies show that rose oil may help with symptoms of menopause.
Essential Oil: Clary Sage
Best for: Boosting energy
Bonus perks: It may also provide benefits to help overcome fear.
