Aromatherapy – The Benefits of Lavender and Roses

Aromatherapy has been around for centuries and can help your health in so many different areas. Lavender and roses are sure to please your senses in many scentsentational ways!

Lavender and roses are both fragrant scents used frequently for the purposes of aromatherapy.  Aromatherapy offers an alternative means of treating many physical and psychological health problems. Both lavender and roses can be used in this natural form of alternative treatment whereby the aromas of essential oils from plants can offer a sense of comfort and relief. Those who decide to give aromatherapy a try can enjoy the many benefits of lavender and roses through having a therapeutic massage or by inhaling the essential oils.

Benefits of Lavender:

Lavender gives off a beautiful scent that is not overwhelming to the senses. Before you use the lavender fragrance in an essential oil you may wish to research different types of lavender such as lavender roses and blue lavender. The mauve color of lavender is very lovely. Finding out the color meanings may encourage you to use lavender to provide relief from anxiety and nights spent tossing and turning.

The essential oil from lavender can help those who suffer from anxiety, depression, emotional stress, dementia and headaches. It can also be used to relax muscles that have grown tense. Use it for muscle pain, joint pain, sprains, back aches, lumbago and rheumatoid arthritis. Dried lavender can be used to make the essential oil and then it can be applied to the area on your body that is suffering from aches and pains.

Lavender is also very therapeutic for the hair and the skin. It can be effectively used to cleanse the hair and the scalp and to encourage the growth of new hair. It can also be used to treat skin problems such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. Lavender essential oil can be used for fine lines and wrinkles on the skin. The oil from the lavender plant has antiseptic properties and can be used on burns, cuts and sunburns.

Benefits of Roses:

There are different rose color meanings which can be fun to research. For instance the meaning of white roses is different than that of yellow roses or of pink roses. Find out about the meaning of roses before you decide to use them in aromatherapy practices.

Dried roses can be used to make essential oils. There is an assortment of rose plants to choose from for this purpose. The most common ones used are Rosa damascene and Rosa centifolia.

Rose is most often used in massage to improve blood circulation and to improve the function of the glands and muscles. It can reinvigorate the nervous system and calm the mind. The essential oil of rose can also give the skin an invigorated look. It can also provide relief from menstrual cramps and body aches.

Becca

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Reducing Stress Levels with Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy. Even the word has a relaxing and calming sound to it.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils in order to improve and enhance an individual’s health and well-being. While it is not a miracle practice it is a very basic and natural way to manage and reduce stress in your life.

Essential oils can be thought of as concentrated extracts that are taken from the roots of plants, as well as the bark, flowers and leaves of plants. Examples of these include orange, rosemary, roses, lavender and sandalwood. Aromatherapy is not a new concept by any means. It dates back to ancient times and was even made reference to in the Old Testament.

Lessening Stress with Oils:

You may wonder how aromatherapy can be of help when it comes to stress. If you are constantly facing situations in your life that are stressful then stress can become overwhelming and downright harmful to your well-being. The scents of essential oils can be used to relax and soothe because they produce chemical responses in the brain that can help to center the mind and make stress more manageable.

Our noses play an important role in this process as they are the entry by way scents make their way to our thinking and feeling center – the brain.

Olfactory cells are found at the top portion of each one of our nostrils. These cells capture the scent of the essential oil and then take those impulses and transport them to the limbic system in the brain.

It is the limbic system that not only controls the way in which we respond to stress but also stores and recalls all of our memories (it is our very own memory lane!) and processes all of our emotions. The limbic system is connected to our sense of smell. How we respond to stress also starts here which explains why what we smell can have a strong effect on stress.

Plant Essences – Something for Everyone!

If you would like to try aromatherapy for stress relief but are not sure what plant essence appeals to you the most then experiment with a variety of them. There are many essential oils from plants that can lead to a calmer and tranquil state of mind.

The wonderful thing about aromatherapy is that it is simple to do and is not expensive. You can dip a cotton ball in the oil, inhale it and let it take over your senses and improve your mood. Aromatherapy can be enjoyed by anyone practically anywhere. This makes it a very versatile natural therapy for stress.

If anxiety and tension are weighing you down then try a combination of geranium, lavender and patchouli.

Lavender and geranium can also be used on their own to relax the body and mind and to relieve stress. As a type of nerve sedative chamomile and Melissa earn high marks. Chamomile can also be effectively used by itself as a stress and anxiety reducer.

Clary sage is beneficial when you have a strong desire to relax.

When it comes to depression and/or insomnia sandalwood can be very effective. Sweet marjoram is helpful when it comes to reducing high levels of anxiety and tension. Juniper berry is also an anxiety reliever and is worthwhile when you are feeling red hot with anger!

Samantha

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