How Essential Oils Enhance Your Relaxation Session

Whether you are coming in for a Reflexology, Yoga Nidra, Mind Body Reset or a Restorative Yoga session, you’ll notice I almost always incorporate essential oils. That’s because just like icing on a cake, they make everything better!

What are Essential Oils

The roots, bark, flowers and leaves of plants and shrubs have been used throughout history for medicinal and culinary purposes. Essential oils are derived from plants, usually through a distillation process. Distillation extracts and concentrates the active components of the plants.

Essential oils have a wide range of actions including calming, stimulating, mucous clearing, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. They truly are nature’s pharmacy. I learned so many intriguing things while studying herbalism including the most important lesson; we have to use them with care and knowledge.

How Essential Oils Help You

Essential oils can help you with both emotional and physiological challenges.

They can be used in a few different ways. In most of my sessions, I am massaging the oils topically into your skin where they are absorbed into the bloodstream so your body can use them therapeutically. I also may invite you to inhale the oils by placing a drop into the cup of your hands and asking you to take a few deep breaths.  When inhaled, the essential oil molecules travel to the part of your brain linked to smell (the olfactory system). The olfactory system then interacts with the part of your brain that controls emotions, mood and memory (the limbic system).

So, if you come into my office feeling anxious, we might use lavender, chamomile or bergamot to help calm your nervous system. If lack of focus is your issue, we might try a lemon-peppermint combo to help you get clear and focused.

If you’re bothered by gas and bloating, we might use a combination of digestive oils like cardamom, fennel or ginger to help your digestive system. If you’ve twisted your ankle or your arthritis is acting up, we might slather on wintergreen to reduce inflammation. Got a cold? Then then I would suggest you rub eucalyptus on your chest, your sinus area and while you’re at it, I’d invite you to take a few big inhales to clear your stuffy nasal passages.

There is an essential oil for just about every ill. Since many pharmaceutical drugs are derived from plants, there is plenty of research on the medicinal properties of plants.

If you want to explore essential oils and their therapeutic application (aromatherapy) see the suggestions below. If you are looking for the specific properties of a certain essential oil, try the last resource; AromaWeb Directory. This site also provides a guide to credible books on aromatherapy.

Johns Hopkins Medicine; Clinical viewpoint, safety, common uses

Scientific Reviews; Research summaries on efficacy and mechanisms

AromaWeb Directory; Detailed profiles and safety data for many oils

Essential oils are nature’s gift to us. When used with care, they can be a great addition to your self-care and stress management practices.

You can book your next relaxation session by clicking on the “Book” button from any page on my website. Feel free to share this blog.

Relax and stay well!