Table of contents:
- Actually, what is meant by aromatherapy?
- Benefits of aromatherapy for body and mind
- 1. Relaxation
- 2. Improve sleep quality
- 3. Treating respiratory problems
- 5. Good for digestion and reduce nausea
Today, aromatherapy is widely used as an alternative treatment for various health conditions. Starting from stress, digestive problems, insomnia, depression, and others. No wonder it becomes easier for you to find various aromatherapy products that are said to be nutritious for the body. Is it true that there are many benefits of aromatherapy for you? Find out the answer below.
Actually, what is meant by aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a way of utilizing natural oils extracted from plants with the aim of improving physical and psychological health. The oils used are essential oils made from various medicinal plants, flowers, herbs, roots, fruits, and trees that grow around the world. According to a number of studies, several types of essential oils have been shown to have a positive effect on improving a person's physical and emotional condition.
For more than 5000 years, aromatherapy is trusted among various cultures around the world. It is believed that aromatherapy is a natural healer that can function as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, as well as providing anti-pain effects.
Essential oils can be used for aromatherapy in a variety of ways. Among others are the following.
- Use diffuser by turning essential oils into fragrant vapors
- Inhaling oil through the nose directly through clothing or from a bottle
- Perform massage therapy using essential oils
- Soak in water mixed with essential oils
- Apply essential oils directly to your skin
Benefits of aromatherapy for body and mind
1. Relaxation
Many studies have shown that essential oils used in aromatherapy, such as lavender and chamomile oil, can soothe you when you are experiencing anxiety or excess stress.
The scent of lavender is believed to provide a relaxing effect and control the sympathetic nervous system, which is the nervous system that is responsible for the stress response fight or flight (fight or flight) and physical symptoms, such as sweaty hands or a racing heart.
2. Improve sleep quality
Since aromatherapy oils help people to reduce stress, it is believed that aromatherapy also helps a person to sleep better. Someone with insomnia, anxiety, or restless leg syndrome and frequent itching at night can use aromatherapy to help sleep.
Essential oil in aromatherapy used can be lavender flower oil. Try turning it on diffuser about an hour before you go to bed with lavender oil or any other oil you prefer.
3. Treating respiratory problems
Some aromatherapy oils have antiseptics that can help clean the air of bacteria, germs, and mold. These organisms are known to interfere with breathing, such as congestion, coughing, or sneezing.
5. Good for digestion and reduce nausea
Aromatherapy oils such as ginger, turmeric, grapes, mint leaves, lemon, chamomile, and eucalyptus can help treat stomach acid, nausea, morning sickness (nausea during pregnancy), or stomach cramps during PMS.
According to Journal of Basic Physiology and Pharmacology In 2015, it was found that turmeric and ginger essential oils are widely used in Asian countries as traditional medicine and food ingredients, due to their stomach-protecting properties. Both of these oils are high in antioxidants, which are believed to reduce necrosis, erosion, and bleeding in the stomach wall which significantly reduces abdominal pain.
