Relaxation & Aromatherapy

Whether you exercise, meditate, go to yoga or take a few deep breaths in the middle of a long day, finding some way to relax is a good idea. Stress and anxiety can manifest both mentally and physically. As part of your relaxation routine, you can possibly utilize aromatherapy for some benefits. Aromatherapists use essential oils and specific techniques to help people relax both physically and mentally. Prior to beginning any aromatherapy treatment, you should consult a certified aromatherapist or your doctor to make sure it is appropriate for your specific needs.

Conditions

In her book, "Aromatherapy: An A-Z," aromatherapist Patricia Davis discusses the different situations where she uses aromatherapy to help increase someone's relaxation. One is muscular tension. You can easily tighten up muscles in your body from stress or strenuous physical exertion, and aromatherapy may help relax them. Davis also discusses employing essential oils and aromatherapy techniques to help you with finding a way to increase your mental and emotional relaxation.

Oils

Aromatherapists use many essential oils for increasing relaxation. Davis notes that she treats clients' muscular tension with oils such as clary sage and jasmine. To promote mental relaxation, essential oils such as bergamot, chamomile, lavender and neroli may be more appropriate.

Research Support

While not fully established as medical treatments to increase relaxation, aromatherapy does have scientific research to support its use for helping people to relax. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that research studies on pregnant women show aromatherapy increases their relaxation during delivery. The UMMC also specifically discusses research indicating that lavender essential oil used in aromatherapy treatments helps promote relaxation and improve mood. A 2002 animal study found that essential oils produced muscular relaxation, and in a discussion on BreastCancer.org, Dr. Dan Benor highlights aromatherapy's relaxation and anxiety relieving benefits.

Methods

You have a number of methods available to you for using aromatherapy for relaxation purposes. Davis suggests that using essential oils in a warm bath can help promote both physical and mental relaxation. The aromatherapy oil and the warm water can help relieve muscular tension and provide a calm and stress-free setting for lowering mental stress, too. You can also try aromatherapy massage, and a vaporizer provides a quick and easy way to increase relaxation.

Safety

Aromatherapy utilizes essential oils which are not without safety risks. Essential oils need to be used in low concentrations which means you must mix them into another carrier oil; adding them to water does not dilute them. Even generally safe oil can cause skin irritation and other potential side effects, so discussing your aromatherapy needs with a certified therapist is always advisable. You should not substitute aromatherapy for medical treatment or approved medical relaxation techniques unless first getting approval from your doctor.