Healing with Aromatherapy
How to Get the Best Sleep Possible
You may not realize it, but your body is doing everything but resting while you snooze
Emanating from a carefully extracted essential oil, an aroma-therapeutic scent has benefits that reach far beyond the nose. In fact, it can be a powerful aid in the pursuit of emotional, mental, and physical well-being. In addition to the physiological effects certain smells have on the central nervous and limbic systems (the limbic system is the part of the brain that controls emotion, memory, and the regulation of hormones), there are psychological responses that many believe hearken back to the important role scent played in human history.
“Long ago, we relied quite heavily on our sense of smell, both to find us food and to find us mates,” explains Sharon Christie, a pharmacist and the founder of aromatherapy-based skincare and home fragrance line Aromafloria.
With the recent increase in spa treatments and products that integrate aromatic essential oils, it has never been easier to tap into the healing power of aromatherapy, not only at the spa but also at home. Natural food stores are stocking quality essential oils, and some spas are creating customized aromatherapy blends for guests.
Christie describes aromatherapy as a key component of preventive medicine, and while that may seem like a bold claim, it’s borne out by both modern science and tried-and-true practice. The term “aromatherapy” was coined in 1928 by French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, but plant essences have played a role in medicine, spiritual pursuits, and beauty rituals for thousands of years. Hippocrates (who is often referred to as the father of modern medicine) prescribed scented baths and massage to ensure optimal wellness, and in many ancient cultures, oils and ointments infused with frankincense, cedar, sandalwood, and cypress were instrumental in daily life. Aromatherapy as we know it (pioneered in the 1950s by the Austrian biochemist Marguerite Maury) is widely practiced today throughout the world, particularly in Europe, where there is a deep respect for the restorative properties of plants. “Many countries in Europe have a long lineage of using alternative healing,” explains Barbara Close, founder of the essential oil–based skincare line Naturopathica and author of the book Aromatherapy: The A–Z Guide to Healing with Essential Oils. “Here in the United States, with the rise of more chronic health-related conditions, such as eczema, migraines, and arthritis, we’re starting to look more carefully at alternative therapies.”
The Science Behind Aromatherapy
There is an art to aromatherapy, but there is also a science. A diverse blend of natural biochemicals creates a fingerprint in each essential oil, which, by the way, isn’t a typical oil at all but a light and watery substance devoid of the fatty acids characteristic of vegetable oils like olive and sweet almond. Stored in flowers, leaves, seeds, bark, and fruit, plants’ volatile essences ensure their pollination and protect them from disease and predators. For humans, essential oils can help relieve stress, fight the flu, and smooth fine lines and wrinkles whether stirred into a warm bath, diffused into the air, or massaged into the skin.
The secret to their healing potential lies in the biochemical mix that makes up these unique aromatic substances. The chemical constituents of essential oils fall into various categories, such as esters (found in lavender and chamomile) which are considered relaxing, and phenols (found in thyme and oregano) which are uplifting and germ-fighting. Within the general groupings are hundreds of chemicals that work synergistically to bring about a wide range of therapeutic results.
Every time we come into contact with essential oils, whether they’re applied to the skin or inhaled, our bodies are affected emotionally and physically. A massage or bath that incorporates rosemary essential oil, for instance, soothes the muscle aches that accompany physical exhaustion while at the same time relieving the fatigue and mild depression that can sometimes overwhelm us when we’re feeling run-down.
For addressing purely mental and emotional issues like clarity of thought, depression, anxiety, and stress, inhalation is the most efficient technique, as it allows the essences to quickly connect with the limbic system. Add steam into the equation, and inhalation becomes a potent remedy for physical symptoms like congestion and sinus infections. When the essences come into contact with the skin (lavender and chamomile can be applied directly, but all others should be diluted in a carrier oil or lotion), they penetrate deep into the dermis. “Essential oils encourage the process of cellular renewal, enhance circulation, and help address skin problems such as acne, eczema, and aging,” says Aromatherapy Associates founder Geraldine Howard, a clinical aroma therapist based in England.
Science is inconclusive about the bulk of these claims, but the fault may not lie in the effectiveness of the essences themselves. Aromatherapy is a difficult therapy to quantify, and funding hasn’t been made available for extensive research. In 2008, researchers at Ohio State University found that the scent of lemon and lavender oils had no influence on pain relief, blood pressure, or the ability to heal but that lemon oil did have a mood-lifting effect. Previous studies have proven that citrus, tea tree, cinnamon, and clove essential oils are potent eradicators of bacteria, viruses, and fungi and thus may help ward off everything from the flu to acne. In regard to mood and mental clarity, a 1998 study from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine revealed that lavender brought about feelings of relaxation and improved mood, and rosemary increased participants’ alertness while lowering anxiety levels. It follows that aromatherapy could be the perfect antidote to those post-lunch energy lulls: rather than an afternoon cup of coffee or tea, aromatherapy proponents recommend stimulating essential oils like peppermint, rosemary, and eucalyptus to give the body a boost without the comedown associated with caffeine.