Depending on how much you already know about essential oils, you might be aware of their ability to lift your mood. More advanced essential oil aficionados could even know about some of the potential health benefits these oils can provide. However, many of us aren’t in the know about how essential oils actually work.
This article will explain everything you need to know about these oils and what really makes them essential.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils come directly from plants, making them a natural and chemical-free alternative to other scents and methods of improving your overall well-being. Since these oils don’t carry many side effects that we often associate with over-the-counter solutions, they are highly sought after by people of all ages.
If you’re new to essential oils, the first thing that you are likely to notice is their potent, lovely aromas. However, there is so much more going on under the surface than we might realize at first smell.
How Are Essential Oils Made?
These kinds of oils are aptly named. They are called “essential” because they are the very essence of a plant, condensed and bottled. As a result, essential oils are typically quite concentrated. If you are using them straight from the source, they should be diluted before they’re ready for primetime.
Much of the time, these plant extracts are taken through the process of distillation. Other times, essential oils are derived through a process known as cold pressing.
What Are Some of the Most Popular Essential Oils?
Just because a specific essential oil is more popular doesn’t mean that it will absolutely work for what you want. Feel free to try out different oils for different purposes, and you will likely find an oil or blend of oils that suits your needs.
That being said, some of the more well-known essential oils can be an excellent place to either start your essential oil journey or find new favorites along the way.
Popular essential oils include, but aren’t limited to:
- Lavender
- Eucalyptus
- Tea tree
- Bergamot
- Chamomile
- Peppermint
- Frankincense
- Lemon
- Lemongrass (which is technically different from lemon oil)
- Sandalwood
- Oregano
- Ylang-ylang
What Is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a practice that harnesses the many abilities of essential oils for our improvement. This can be in terms of lifting our spirits, helping us focus, making us relax, and so much more. Consulting with an aromatherapist can clarify how exactly to achieve your goals by way of essential oil therapy.
How Does the Brain Process Essential Oils?
In order to understand how the brain processes essential oils, we must first understand how the brain processes smell in general through the olfactory system. Smells go through a part of the brain known as the olfactory bulb, located in the front of the brain.
From there, those receptors are sent to the limbic system. The limbic systems in our brains include crucial parts like the amygdala and the hippocampus.
Since the limbic system is closely associated with memory and how we feel emotions, it makes sense that scent has such a power over our feelings. In fact, scent is the sense most closely associated with both memory and emotions. This helps give essential oils the ability to change our mood for the better, all thanks to how we perceive our sense of smell.
What Are the Health Benefits of Essential Oils?
The use of essential oils has been commonplace for thousands of years. At times, they were employed as a form of alternative medicine or complementary medicine. Nowadays, essential oils can be a pleasant way to deal with various day-to-day troubles (or just enjoy their soothing fragrances).
There are many potential benefits that you could experience as a result of introducing essential oils and aromatherapy into your family’s life. However, here are a few of the most common and noteworthy advantages to look forward to.
Better Quality Sleep
The next logical step after relaxation is falling asleep, but essential oils can also help you stay asleep and get better quality sleep. That’s why we harnessed their many powers in our SleepyPatch Sleep Promoting Stickers. These oh-so-cute patches come stocked with relaxing mandarin, sweet marjoram, lavender, and vetiver essential oils.
Kids and adults alike can use stickers from The Natural Patch Co. to make the most out of their days and have the most restful nights possible.
Advantages of Lower Stress
Clinical trials have been exploring the abilities of different essential oils to reduce stress to great success. Since these helpful oils can be so beneficial in terms of relaxation, they can also be useful for various stress-related health conditions.
For instance, essential oils can help to lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, and promote overall wellness of the nervous system and beyond. Lowering stress and reaching a calm state can result in improved behavioral traits as well.
Our ZenPatch Mood Calming Stickers are perfect for everything from finishing homework to preparing an important presentation at work to meal prepping for the week. From kids to adults, zen is only a sticker away.
Skincare
The best products for us come from nature, and skincare is no exception to this rule. Essential oils can be used in lotions or can be diluted with the help of water or carrier oil of your choice. Certain oils like eucalyptus, geranium, and tea tree are particularly renowned for their antimicrobial properties.
These antimicrobial properties mean they can help alleviate some symptoms of eczema, skin irritation, and other rashes. Always use a diluted form of these oils, and consult with a medical professional prior to use.
Assisting the Respiratory System
Simply sniffing certain essential oils can do a wonderful job of clearing the sinuses, which is immensely helpful when you have difficulty breathing. Especially when our kids are experiencing an allergic reaction or a cold that causes congestion, we want to find an effective and chemical-free solution.
One of the most kid and adult-friendly ways of dispersing these oils into the air is by using an essential oil diffuser. With just a few drops of the essential oils of your choice, a diffuser will have a humidifying effect while also introducing the scent to the room.
For an option that will work on the go or for those without a diffuser, the AllergyPatch Allergy Relief Stickers have you and your family covered. Oils like lemon, grapefruit, black spruce, and peppermint all join together to take care of allergy symptoms and congestion.
While we love the anti-inflammatory powers of essential oils, all serious allergic reactions should be treated by a healthcare professional.
How Can We Make the Most Out of Essential Oils?
Exactly how you and your family prefer to utilize essential oils is up to you, but know that you have a wide array of options to experiment with. As long as you are using a diluted form of the oil, they can be used for all sorts of different purposes. Now that you understand how essential oils work, you can broaden your horizons.
Sources:
What Are Essential Oils, and Do They Work? | Healthline
What the Nose Knows | Harvard Gazette
Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Ten Essential Oils In Vitro | National Institutes of Health
Aromatherapy for Stress Reduction in Healthy Adults | ScienceDirect
