The majority of us lead hectic lives. Some days are good, and some days are bad. Certain situations in our daily lives can trigger stress and anxiety, getting the best of us. We tend to overlook our needs and feel overwhelmed due to hustle culture and the aftermath of a pandemic, triggering stress and anxiety. Naturally, this gets the best of us. At times like this, we want to feel in control of our emotions and experience stability.
We underestimate the power of mindfulness and the sense of calm it can bring. Mindfulness is a technique where we use our minds to engage in the present moment. It can effectively treat various chronic diseases, including stress, depression, hypertension, and more. Focusing on the present can help us heal, feel positive, and express gratitude for things we don't normally do.
One of the ways to achieve it is through aromatherapy!
What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a routine that can ground your mind and soul. Engaging in mindfulness through aromatherapy triggers the olfactory senses and associates an emotion with the smell of essential oils. The pleasant or familiar scent can elevate the mood, calm the senses, and help anchor our attention and breathing.
Seven steps to practice aromatherapy
1. Find a place you’re most comfortable and tune in to soothing music.2. Introduce the pleasant smell by dropping a few drops into the diffuser. Sit a few feet away from the diffuser and focus on breathing and the smell.
3. Now, close your eyes and pay attention to the aroma. Is your body tense or relaxed as soon as you breathe in the smell?
4. Breathe in and out, observe and think of any sensations or memories associated with that smell.
5. Think about the colour or shape that you would associate with the aroma. Notice how your body and muscles feel relaxed.
6. As you imagine pleasant things, think about how the diffuser is diffusing all the tension in your muscles and mind.
7. Continue breathing to the rhythm of the diffusion and music until you feel fully relaxed.
Sublime Recommends: Essential oils for your Aromatherapy
We all have heard of the buzz over essential oils. Call it the elixir because this thing can do-it-all! It’s not used just for the betterment of your hair and skin, but also does wonders for your mental well-being through aromatherapy!
1. Secret Alchemist Dream | Sleep-Inducing Oil
Secret Alchemist Dream’s therapeutic oil is made with Roman Chamomile & Ylang Ylang. This oil will bring a sense of calm to your beauty sleep. Roll it on your pulse points, inhale the aroma and get sound sleep!
2. Suganda Pure Rosehip Oil
This pure, cold-pressed oil is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and is suitable for all skin types. It is the ultimate treatment for repairing sun damage and is also used for aromatherapy. Use 1-2 drops into your diffuser and inhale its aromatic scent to help you unwind after a stressful day.
How can mindfulness through aromatherapy help you?
1. Reduces stress level
Aromatherapy is known to have a calming effect that leads to stress reduction. This practice with essential oil helps lower your blood pressure level and calm your nerves to maintain a healthy and stable body.
2. Manages anxiety
Essential oils like jasmine, chamomile, lavender and more help reduce anxiety. The flowery fragrance has the healing ability to help you cope after a long day at work. These oils are ideally non-irritant and can be used to massage as well.
3. Boosts attention span and improves the sleep schedule
Those struggling with the attention span of a goldfish can understand how frustrating it can get. Aromatherapy can help you out with that too! Oils like basil, rosemary and more can improve brain function and soothe nerves. Inhaling the aroma and breathing in rhythm can boost your concentration levels!
An aromatherapy massage with an essential oil can improve your sleep quality! Roll an essential oil on your pulse points before sleeping. Consider this as the last part of your routine, it will definitely help in fixing your sleep schedule.
Given how chaotic life can get, we should take a step back and understand that these little things can bring bigger and better changes to our life. Aromatherapy is quite effective if done with patience and passion.
Let us know if you follow these steps to practise mindfulness with aromatherapy. We truly hope it helps you find the calm in the chaos!
FAQs:
1. How to pick the right essential oil?
Always check the components on the label if you plan on applying them directly to your skin. When applied to sensitive areas like the eyes and nose, ingredients like peppermint or tea tree can cause skin irritation. To prevent skin sensitivity while using oils like peppermint, apply a few drops to your palms with a base oil (argan, avocado, olive, coconut, or jojoba) that’s fragrant-free.
2. What are the other ways I can practise aromatherapy?
Besides diffusion, there are several ways to practise aromatherapy. You can light up an incense stick, use body oil for a DIY spa bath or massage your body with a few drops of essential oils.
- Salonee Salian
