Day 97- Aromatherapy

The association between smell and emotion are closely linked, and breathing in certain scents can trigger a positive reaction in your brain, stimulating our mind in so many different ways. Aromatherapy can boost your mood, fight stress, aid in concentration, help with relaxation and sleep etc.
Here are some ways specific scents can aid in your mental well-being.

• Peppermint aids in concentration
• Pine relieves anxiety 
• Vanilla is comforting and may combat cravings for sweets
• Lavender can relax you and help you fall asleep
• Jasmine, grapefruit, rose and mandarin are good for stress
• Lemon, grapefruit, jasmine and orange are good at lifting depression

On the above list I mentioned pine relieves anxiety, but I absolutely can't stand the smell of pine. The smell of pine actually makes me feel ill. I think this goes back to when I was a child and fell off the top of a pine tree, while I was lying flat on my back all I could smell was the pine from the trees around me. So pine would definitely not relieve anxiety for me. Christmas time is definitely not a happy time for my nose.


Aside from going out and buying your standard air fresheners, there are many natural ways you can create an aromatic environment, which by the way, are also healthier for you than the store bought air fresheners. You could simmer cinnamon in a pot of water on the stove. Put in a few cloves or add some apple or apple peels to the cinnamon. Other ideas would be to add grated fruit peels to boiling water like tangerines, lemons, or oranges. Of course the best idea is the smell of freshly baked cookies. Dryer sheets also create a nice fresh smell.


There are so many other ideas for aromatherapy, these are just a few ideas. Of course I always seem to go with the lazy approach. I of course decided to get a couple of the store bought air fresheners, but I will experiment with the boiling water method in the future.