Aromatherapy Advice

Fight Stress With Fragrant Herbs and Aromatherapy

By Dina Hunter

Our sense of smell is very powerful and can help keep our lives happy and unstressed. Most people don’t consider their sense of smell very important until they lose it. Once you’ve tried some of these therapies, I think you’ll see just how important your sense of smell is.

When you’re feeling over whelmed by stress and anxiety, think of your favorite fragrance. Imagine yourself surrounded by it. Breathe it in. Now, think about how you feel. I’ll bet you feel less stressed, more relaxed.

What is aromatherapy? Aromatherapy means “treatment using scents.” The healing art of aromatherapy uses essential oils to relieve anxiety, tension and fatigue to promote relaxation.

How does it work? Essential oils stimulate our sense of smell. Smells enter through our nose and travel to the part of our brain that controls our moods, emotions and memory. Things we smell, even imagined ones, have a significant impact on how we feel.

Too much stress in our life can cause an increased risk  of stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, colds, cold sores, cancer and other chronic aches and pains. Doctors always recommend avoiding stress but how can you? If you’re going to have any kind of life you’re going to have stress.

Instead of trying to avoid stress, find ways to deal with it. Try using aromatherapy. It’s one of the easiest stress busters around.

Even if you’ve never bought a bottle of essential oil you’re probably already acquainted with aromatherapy.

For instance…

When you relax with a cup of fragrant tea, is it the tea itself that relaxes you or the fragrant, relaxing smell?

Does your food taste better when it smells good? Does the smell of a roast cooking or bread baking bring back memories of carefree, happy days at Grandma’s house?

Does the smell of pumpkin pie, ginger bread and Christmas greenery bring back memories of a perfect Christmas and all the love that comes with family gatherings? Or does it bring back all the horror of that Christmas when Grandpa was no longer there and Mom and Dad were getting a divorce?

Does a certain cologne or aftershave trigger memories of that special guy or gal that you wish you hadn’t broken up with?

These are all examples of aromatherapy. The trick to fighting stress and anxiety with aromatherapy is to discover and isolate the scents that trigger happy, relaxing feelings.

Following is a list of herbs that are known for their calming qualities. You can buy the essential oils at most herb or specialty stores.

Chamomile, sandalwood, lavender, ylang ylang, rose, orange, violets.

Try one or more of these easy ways to use essential oils.

1.  Fill a small spray bottle with three ounces of water and five or six drops                   of essential oil of your choice. Whenever you feel stressed, spray it and take a few deep breaths.

2.  Pour four or five drops of essential oil in a tub of water, climb in and relax. Your stress and tension seems to float away.

3.  To fill a room with a relaxing aroma, simply add several drops of essential oil to a kettle of water and simmer.

4.  Get together with a friend and take turns giving each other a massage. Add six to eight drops of essential oil to ½ cup of vegetable oil and you’re ready to go.

5.  Pour three or four drops of essential oil on a cotton ball. Carry it in a small plastic bag in your purse or car. When you feel an attack of road rage coming on just open the bag and breathe deeply.

6.  Lavender is one of the most soothing and relaxing scents. When you’re having trouble sleeping, try putting a  few drops on a cotton ball and slip it in your pillow case. You’ll soon find yourself drifting off.

You don’t have to run out and buy a supply of essential oils to relax. Just think of your favorite scents and try using them. If you have fragrant roses, Daphne or lavender in your yard, pick a bouquet and keep them handy. When you feel anxious or stressed just stand near them and breathe in that heady scent.

Think back over your life and try to remember the smells you noticed when you were happiest. Use these scents to relax. You don’t have to actually smell them. Imagine them. Imagine how you felt when you smelled these scents.

When I was a small child, we had a patch of violets by our mail box. I loved the smell of those violets. I would sometimes lie down with my face in the violets and go to sleep. I always felt so loved as a child and the smell of violets always brings back that feeling.

So find your relaxing smells. It may be roses, violets, carnations, lilacs or just the simple, clean smell of a spring rain. Decide what smells make you happiest. Then keep them handy so you can pull them out whenever you need them. Spray, simmer, sniff or imagine your way to a happier, healthier life.

    Find out more about relieving stress with herbs at www.healthyherbalplants.com.