Scents Can Lead to Less Stress in Life
Getting ready to head back to school can be a stressful time for everyone. With so many schedules to juggle, deadlines to meet and commitments to fulfill we all need a way to chill out for a minute. There are many ways to get our brains to relax such as pleasing visuals, sounds, textures and scent. Let’s focus on scents, since this is one of the easiest ways to connect to emotional centers in the brain.
How Our Sense of Smell Affects Our Moods
Our sense of smell is very powerful. Studies have shown that our brains share common structures to process both odors and emotions. This commonality allows odors to modulate our moods, the way that we process information and, to some extent, our behavior. (1) Our sense of smell is very sensitive and we can use that knowledge to help us reduce anxiety, create a feeling of safety and so much more. Let’s explore popular scents that you can incorporate into your home, office and car.
Scents Produce Different Results
As with most things in life, one size doesn’t fit all. If you’re driving a car, you wouldn’t want to be surrounded by scents that make you sleepy. Conversely, if you need to go to sleep you don’t want to be around scents that energize, so we’ve broken down scent suggestions by intent.
Increase Focus/Concentration
Essential oils have actually been shown to improve one’s focus and concentration over time.(2) I prefer a peppermint zinger to get my brain alert, but here are some other ones that you can try:
- Basil. This scent was put to the test back in 2012 and found to improve mental alertness by 21% when used continuously over a three week time period.
- Patchouli. This scent has been tested and the results show that it naturally relieves stress when applied to the temples of the head. Having less stress allows our brains to focus on the task in front of us.
- Rosemary. Used in aromatherapy to improve thinking ability and mental alertness.
- Sage. This oil is thought to enhance memory and thinking ability. Researchers are so intrigued by its attributes that feel it deserves more attention as it may contain a compound that might prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Help You Sleep
We’ve all experienced restless nights, but were you aware that adding this fragrance in the bedroom may relax you enough to fall into a restful slumber? (3) Here are a few scents to consider:
- Lavender. This is a well-known scent that helps relax the body and reduce anxiety.
- Vanilla. Aside from it’s delicious smell, vanilla has been shown to lower the body’s heart rate and blood pressure when released into a room.
- Jasmine. Looking for a good night’s sleep? Then this is the scent for you. According to tests, people who inhaled the fragrance experienced a deeper sleep, less movement and better quality of rest!
Bring Back Good Memories
I don’t know about you, but most of my best childhood memories are tied to food. Coming from a large family, there was always a fresh pie (apple being my personal favorite), cakes, breads, um, I’ll stop here because I’m making myself hungry, but you get the idea. Here are some scents to consider:
- Apple Oak reminds me of those apple pies I mentioned a moment ago. It’s like a blend of MacIntosh and Granny Smith apples with a bit of orange, peach and pineapple scents mixed in to really bring the scent to life.
- Banana Nut Bread. Well, enough said. It’s hard to improve on this delicious aroma. It’s like you’ve just removed the bread loaf from the oven and are waiting for it to cool. The scent is amazing and makes me feel like home.
- Pumpkin Chia. I’m a loyal apple pie consumer, but the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel with a hint of clove and black tea reminds me of crisp autumn days and Halloween preparations.
Ways to Incorporate These Scents Into Your Life
Unfortunately most of us don’t live in a field of flowers that these essential oils come from, so we’ll have to find other ways to reap the benefits. You could buy essential oils to keep in your pocket or purse, but that will probably get old quickly. In the home or office the easiest way to surround yourself with these scents:
- Aromatherapy Necklace: Some people have found that adding an essential oil to their necklace helps them remain calm and reduces stress.
- Soaps: Showering in your favorite scent is one way to get your day off to a great start.
- Diffuser: Diffuser kits with natural reeds will disperse the scent for months. As a matter of fact nowadays you can find quite a few unique diffusers such as CBD, pet diffusers, as well as traditional floral scents.
- Highly Scented Candles: Highly scented candles give off the scent even when they are not lit. For this reason, many people have highly scented soy candles simply for the decorative effect they provide. You can order candles in the scents that you prefer in a variety of sizes such as tea lights, tins, tumblers, jars and unique containers.
Let us help transform your home and office with scents choices that will help you breathe easier and reduce your stress levels. This will bring you peace not only at home, but everywhere you go. You can speak to our knowledgeable staff by phone, in person, or use our contact us page.
Resources:
(1) www.icesi.edu.co
(3) sleep.org