Essential Oils have earned their rightful place on night stands and in fashionable handbags around the world and have been in use for thousands of years. Renowned for improving everything from sleep to stress, anxiety to aggravation, it’s no wonder more and more of us turn to those little vials of natural, plant based aromas as our self care go-to’s.
Our sense of smell is 10 times as sensitive as any of our other senses. Scents work directly with our brain and connect with the area memories and emotions are stored. Think if you were to come across a vintage trunk in your parent’s basement with all your childhood memories. It’s why certain smells may take you back – like when you get a whiff of that one spicy cologne and find yourself transported back in time to the dance with your high school crush.
We’ve come a long way from those super strong, lingering synthetic scents that were de rigueur among our teenage friends. Now we know those artificial perfumes are not even good for us to breathe in and they’re in everything, including household cleaning products. So what can you do about it? Make the switch to products fragranced only with essential oils and make sure the bottle says free from synthetic fragrances.
Also, remember that memory is subjective. If a person has a negative memory associated with a particular scent, they may not feel relaxed when they smell that scent. It makes sense if you don’t like the way something is scented, you probably won’t feel much better if you smell it.
Research shows that there’s more to the enjoyment of essential oils than just the aroma. Many studies have been conducted on the potential benefits of lavender. As an essential oil, it has been shown to improve sleep quality and alleviate symptoms associated with mild insomnia and restlessness. Other essential oils may be beneficial as well. Not only has research shown that Roman chamomile can calm anxiety, improve vital signs and promote better quality sleep, but it also has the potential to reduce nightmares. (forbes.com)
Essential oils of sweet orange, peppermint and frankincense have been shown to help people feel calmer and more relaxed. It’s important to note THE research on mental health benefits is still ongoing and expanding.
According to Yufang Lin, MD, an integrative medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, essential oils work through inhalation or through topical application and have mind-body benefits. “The quickest way to change one’s mood is through smell, thus essential oil is an excellent way to reduce anxiety and support relaxation,” says Dr. Lin. (Women’s Health Magazine).
With essential oils, we’ve been intentional on balancing the mix of two different scents – using rejuvenating and relaxing scents together such as Citrus and Herbs like Peppermint and Lemon in our Fresh & Clean Hand Soap or Floral and Citrus scents like Lavender and Grapefruit in our All Purpose Spray. Having that balance in smell helps to ensure your nose and body are not overpowered while cleaning, as well as to help promote and engage the correct senses and energy to get the job done.