How Does Aromatherapy Work?

If the question "how does aromatherapy work?" has ever popped into your head, then you're not alone.

But I can....... so read on to find out more about the benefits of aromatherapy and the answer to the question "how does aromatherapy work?"

Aromatherapy & Your Body

But, research shows that our sense of smell is very important indeed! Research has shown that people who have lost their sense of smell are at much higher risk of mood disorders and psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety, even paranoia.

Our olfactory system might not seem very dramatic, but it is very highly attuned to the world around us, and scientists believe that humans can differentiate between 10,000 and 100,000 different smells - and even remember each and every one of them. Pretty impressive stuff!

Our sense of smell also seems to be the sense most strongly linked to our memories and subconscious, and a smell can trigger a memory associated with it many, many years later. I'm sure we've all experienced that at one time or another, and although this is happening in our brains, it's almost felt in our gut.... a very physical sensation.

Even very early civilizations realized the importance of this sense, and although they may not have known the answer to "how does aromatherapy work?", they knew that it DID!

The term 'Aromatherapy' wasn't used until the end of the 1920's, but thousands of years before that, the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans all used their understanding of aromatic flowers/herbs/flowers and this process, to treat all sorts of ailments.

Today Aromatherapy is used to relieve the symptoms of, and even heal, many physical, mental and emotional problems. Scientists have found that the reaction between specific essential oils and our body's chemical compounds can have a number of different effects. These include -

• Calming


• Sedating


• Stimulating


• Energizing


• Pain-relieving


• Anti-viral


• Anti-fungal


• Anti-inflammatory


• Diuretic

..... and many others.

Although it may not exactly answer the question "how does aromatherapy work", this shows how using essential aromatherapy oils can help restore your body to a state of healthy balance, both physically and emotionally.

There are three main ways in which aromatherapy is used. Firstly by inhalation (using the sense of smell), then topically (through absorption) and thirdly by ingestion (taken orally).

How Does Aromatherapy Work In Your Body?

When you inhale the scent of a particular essential oil, it is immediately transported through your olfactory system (your nose!) directly to your brain - to the limbic system to be exact.

If you've never heard of the Limbic system (and most people haven't), it's basically the part of your brain that controls moods/emotions/stress levels and memories. It also controls your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and hormone balance. That's a lot of responsibility!

When the scent of whichever aromatherapy oil/s you have inhaled reaches your brain, it has an immediate effect on both the alpha (relaxing) and beta (stimulating) brainwaves. So, for example, if you've inhaled Lavender aromatherapy oil, then your alpha brain waves will be affected, and you'll begin to feel calmer and more relaxed.

If you've used a more stimulating essential oil, such as Lemon or Spearmint, then you are likely to feel more alert and invigorated.

The same effect can be obtained by using essential aromatherapy oils in either a massage, or in a warm bath.

So, how does Aromatherapy work when essential oils are applied topically? Well, although these oils don't dissolve in water, they do dissolve in fat, so once they have been absorbed through our skin they dissolve in the fat cells and pass into our bloodstream. This can take anywhere from 10 - 20 minutes to happen, so the oils don't have the same, immediate effect, but the end result is the same.

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