Aromatherapy Bath Benefits

Julia Lawless, author of "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils," says that aromatherapy is more than a form of healing that only works through the sense of smell. She says, "It is not simply the aroma that is important but also the chemical interaction between the oils and the body." Essential oils used in aromatherapy can powerfully affect your body and mind. Bathing is an effective way to administer essential oils safely and uniformly.

Sedative

Submerging your body in warm water has a naturally calming effect. Warmth helps relax your muscles and encourages blood flow. Researchers at the Sleep Disorder Center at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts found that women who took a hot (40-40.5 C) had a "significant improvement in sleep continuity."
Combining a warm bath with aromatherapy creates the ideal environment for your body to release stress and can help induce sleep. Several essential oils have anxiolytic, or anxiety-reducing, properties. According to Lawless, some of the most commonly used oils for insomnia are lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood. Adding a few drops of these calming essential oils to bath water can have a sedating effect.

Pain Relief

In their 2004 article entitled, "Hydrotherpay, balneotherapy, and spa treatment in pain management," European researchers found bathing was an effective pain management therapy. They stated that the temperature and pressure of water on the skin played an important role. They also found that muscle relaxation and a reduction of joint swelling contributed to pain relief.

Adding essential oils that reduce inflammation can add to the therapeutic effect of the bath. According to an article published by the Creighton University Medical Center (CUMC), essential oils that have pain-relieving properties include lavender, chamomile, marigold and peppermint.

Aromatherapy can also include the use of man-made scents. In an article published in "Arthritis Today," Alan Hirsch, MD, neurologist at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, states that the scent of green apple "reduced the severity and duration of migraine headache pain and may have a similar effect on joint pain."

Respiratory

Steam can help open up your respiratory passages, and the addition of aromatherapy can help alleviate symptoms of sinusitis, congestion and cough. According to the National Institutes of Health, NIH, the use of chamomile essential oil may reduce the severity of symptoms of the common cold. Other essential oils known for their respiratory benefits include eucalyptus, peppermint and pine. Hot baths that combine steam and aromatherapy may help open up your airways and facilitate the drainage of mucus.