Aromatherapy for Health and Wellness: 12 Essential Oils to Use

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Life is full of little aches and pains. If left alone, they can become a real annoyance. These small health issues may never rise to the level of requiring a visit to the doctor either.

What can you do for your health and wellness in such a situation? One affordable option to consider is aromatherapy.

Any medical issue which concerns you should be evaluated by a medical professional. If you decide the problem doesn’t rise to that level, then essential oils may provide results through aromatherapy that get you feeling better in no time at all.

Most essential oils have 2-3 properties that include antiseptics, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anesthetic, and anti-depressant results. These highly concentrated oils are extracted from natural source materials including flowers, roots, seeds, and tree bark to create specific effects.

If you’re thinking about using aromatherapy to promote better personal health and wellness, then here are the best options to try using.

Best Essential Oils to Use for Aromatherapy

 #1. Peppermint

Peppermint has a slight spicy aroma.

This essential oil provides feelings of energy when it is inhaled during an aromatherapy session. Because it contains high levels of menthol, it may relieve minor symptoms that are caused by inflammation in your air passageways. Headaches, sinus congestive, and muscle soothing are typical results that can be achieved with a peppermint essential oil. Some people like to rub a small amount on their temples or dilute it into a carrier oil to rub it directly into sore muscles.

 #2. Lavender

Lavender is possibly one of the most popular essential oils around.

The ever popular lavender is an aromatherapy option when you’re feeling stressed out, or you’re struggling to fall asleep at night. The scent has a calming effect on the body, creating feelings of sleepiness almost immediately for many people. That calming effect can be intense enough to soothe feelings of deep anxiety too. It also makes the house smell pretty amazing when you place this essential oil into a diffuser.

 #3. Lemon

The tangy and refreshing smell of lemon is great for uplifting your mood.

Have you ever cleaned the house with a lemon-scented cleaner and felt like you had more creative energy than before you started working? Lemon is an aromatherapy scent which uplifts the soul. It promotes higher levels of mental awareness while improving your overall concentration. If you have a lot of work to do and you’re struggling to stay focused, bring a little lemon as an essential oil and inhale deeply. As an added bonus, there are anti-fungal and antiseptic qualities to this aromatherapy option as well.

 #4. Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus can either be good or bad for you. Try a sample before committing.

This aromatherapy option can either bring about blissfulness or misery. For some people, this essential oil can act as an irritant. For others, it can be a useful anti-inflammatory aromatherapy option that provides relief for common cold symptoms, chest congestion, coughing, and a runny nose. If you don’t own a diffuser, one great way to use eucalyptus as an essential oil is to place a drop or two into the bathtub.

 #5. Tea Tree

Tea tree oil is renown for it anti-fungal properties.

Do you know that tea tree essential oils are a popular option in many alternative medicine practices? That is because it offers a unique astringent property that helps to clean up skin irritation, soothe wounds, and do so without irritation. Put a few drops into your soap or shampoo for an amazing bath or shower experience. Never ingest any tea tree oil as it has been shown to be toxic when swallowed.

 #6. Cinnamon

Cinnamon isn’t just something you find in lattes.

This essential oil provides you with a certain coziness that is difficult to replicate otherwise. When the world smells like cinnamon, it takes you back to the winter holidays, family dinners, and laughter around the fireplace. When you use it as an aromatherapy option, cinnamon can help clear up the stubborn congestion and coughing of a chest cold. If you sleep with a CPAP machine, cinnamon aromatherapy helps to clear out that mucus which likes to sit in your sinuses.

 #7. Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a herb often used in Thai cooking.

What is exciting about this essential oil is that there is evidence to suggest it may provide anticancer activities, including in neuroblastoma and colon lines. As an aromatherapy option, it offers a scent that is energetic and cheerful. The mosquitoes don’t like it either, which means there’s another advantage to using it. A couple of drops in your shampoo even helps to reduce dandruff while you feel more awake without an early boost of caffeine.

 #8. Rosemary

Rosemary is not only for culinary use.

If you like to put herbs into the foods you make, then it makes sense to keep this essential oil around as an aromatherapy option. It is very popular as a health and wellness product. Check lotions, creams, and skin care products, and you’ll find it is used regularly. What is nice about rosemary is that it acts as a stimulant. You can achieve blood pressure boosts, a heart rate increase, and increased brainwave activity when used as aromatherapy. At the same time, it encourages your body to reduce cortisol levels, which means the impact of stress is reduced.

 #9. Sweet Orange

Sweet orange has a sweet and tangy aroma.

This is the most difficult essential oil to use for aromatherapy on this list. It won’t diffuse well, and it can make your skin sensitive to sunlight. Try using it in a carrier oil for best results and be careful not to overuse it. There is a sweetness to the odor of this oil that becomes overwhelming very quickly. Make sure that you purchase the sweet version and not the bitter version too if you’re looking for a health and wellness option.

 #10. Clary Sage

Clary sage emits a clean floral aroma.

This aromatherapy option provides some unique benefits that must be considered. Evidence suggests that it can help to regulate hormone levels. Inhaling the aroma from this essential oil may have an anti-depressant effect as well. For women who struggle with painful menstruation cycles, combining clary sage, marjoram, and lavender makes for an excellent massage treatment.

 #11. Rose

Rose essential oil is sweet-smelling and pleasant.

This essential oil is often recommended as an aromatherapy option when dealing with difficult or painful emotions. As a health and wellness option, it also works to reduce anxiety levels and may be helpful for some people who are struggling with insomnia. On its own, rose essential oil is often thought of (or treated as) an aphrodisiac.

 #12. Geranium

Geranium is a sweet-smelling oil somewhat akin to that of rose.

If you feel like your emotions are all over the place, and you’re out of control, then an aromatherapy session with geranium essential oils could provide relief. It is believed that this essential oil helps the brain transmit messages through your nervous system with greater effectiveness by either breathing it or having it absorbed through the skin. It may also have a calming effect on your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure while supporting stronger immune functions.

A Final Thought About Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

Having a diffuser will make it easier to help spread the scent.

Numerous manufacturers are providing essential oils on the market today. When you start shopping for aromatherapy options, make sure that you’re purchasing a product which is 100% pure and of a therapeutic grade.

Although you can use some essential oils on their own, it only takes a drop or two to produce the results you want. In most situations, you’ll find that a carrier oil or water will help you create the environment that will be therapeutic for your needs.

Some essential oils do create medication interactions. If you are currently taking prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, or even vitamins, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with your doctor to ensure there aren’t any adverse outcomes that might happen.

Natural remedies can be a helpful way to be in control of your health and wellness. Choose the essential oils that will produce the results you want, grab a diffuser if you need one, and then start enjoying the good life.