Stress, anxiety and other lifestyle related diseases are spreading like a pandemic in the modern generation. Read on how to find out how aromatherapy can help you deal with these problems and also about the specialists in this field.
Stress has influenced our lives in the 21st century like never before. The increase in industrialisation and modernisation has led to an increase in work hours which has led to a better financial status of the middle class. But the more things you possess, the more you have to lose. Managing work, personal life, finances, education, health, social life and so many other things in between has left very little room for people to be relaxed.
However, stress can be detrimental to health, especially, when it occurs on a regular basis to a tremendous extent. Stress is impacting the physical, mental and emotional health of modern people for a long time. It can develop into serious mental health problems like depression, anxiety disorder among other psychological problems. Even children are under stress due to the pressure of school work. An important aspect of life is to manage the challenges that come with changing lifestyles.
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Stress management is one of the biggest challenges today. Stress not only affects your mental health but it also can also take a toll on your physical well being. No wonder, nowadays, we hear so many stories of young people suffering from heart attacks and strokes. No matter how much we try to ignore, it is important to be aware of the long-term consequences of putting too much pressure on mind, body and soul. One of the best ways to deal with this problem is aromatherapy.
What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is an ancient holistic therapy which uses natural, aromatic essential oils to treat and manage several conditions like stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain. There are more than 30 essential oils which are used to practise aromatherapy. These oils are extracted from flowers, fruits, trees and herbs.
What is the principle of Aromatherapy?
Smell is one of the strongest senses in the body. Our psychological state is highly affected by the smell. Did you ever go to a place and it made you feel bad because it didn’t smell like the way you wanted it to? That’s only because our olfactory receptors are directly connected to the part of the brain that affects our mood. In fact, perfumes are one of the essential parts of aesthetics only because of how strongly it affects our brain and emotions.
The reason we love flowers so much is not only because of the look but for the incredibly pleasant fragrance that lightens up our day. Aromatherapy uses the science of sensation to generate certain psychological effects with the help of soothing aromas.
This aroma comes from the essential oils which are applied to the body as they evaporate into the air, which when inhaled, which soothes our olfactory sensations. Inhaling these mollifying aromas produces positive psychological and physical effects on the body which helps in strengthening the immune system and balancing out our mental state.
Essential oils also have physiological and chemical effects on our body. A soothing massage in itself is a powerful relaxing therapy and when it is combined with beautiful aromas the experience becomes otherworldly. Different oils are known to have different benefits about which we are going to tell you later in this article. So aromatherapy is a complete treatment for the mind and the body.
Science of Aromatherapy:
Modern scientific studies have concluded that essential oils have the ability to fight a lot of health issues including depression stress, chronic pain and infections, etc. Essential oils also have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic and antioxidant properties which produce helpful physiological effects on the body. Aromatherapy not only focuses on the physical aspect but it focuses more on the spiritual and psychological development which can help you deal with your everyday problems in a better way.
Among the five senses in the human body, smell is one of the strong senses which can often help us feel euphoric because it can influence certain sections of our brain which is related to a heightened sense of well-being and consciousness. A study published in Flavour and Fragrance journal in 2011 said that inhaling essential oil for 40 minutes showed an increase in the theta brain waves. The theta waves are indicative of a calm state of mind and body.
The concept of aromatherapy is also applied to many products including aromatherapy lamps which deliver healing aroma into the air. It is believed that they have many benefits including the ability to improve air quality and purifying the air by killing airborne microorganisms and having a positive effect on your mental health by their soothing fragrance.
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Benefits of Essential Oils:
Essential oils are beneficial in general but specific essential oils are used for specific purposes.
Rosemary, lemon and lavender essential oils increase serotonin which is an important neurotransmitter that is responsible for making us feel euphoric. In fact, many antidepressant drugs called SSRI, use the mechanism of serotonin action to tackle depression but these drugs can have some side effects. With aromatherapy, there are no such side effects.
Bergamot, ylang-ylang and lavender are known to regulate the amount of cortisol, which is the stress hormone that can affect several metabolic functions in the body.
White verbena, lemongrass and citronella promote the neurotransmitter called GABA which is very helpful in controlling anxiety
Sage and grove produce endorphins which increase the feelings of happiness and satisfaction.
Essential oil can also help in managing chronic pain like lavender, chamomile and orange. Peppermint, winter green and spruce essential oils can be applied topically to produce a soothing effect.
Aromatherapy and Spirituality
Aromatherapy is focused on the overall development of the body through a physical, mental and spiritual approach. Spirituality takes us to a higher level of consciousness that drives us to achieve things and deal with setbacks. It gives us a sense of purpose that is important to the healing process. A balanced spiritual state is great support for your physical form. It also includes guided meditation, regular exercise and mindful eating. With aromatherapy, these practices come naturally as a part of a natural healing process. Happy body cannot flourish without a happy spirit and vice versa.
Aromatherapy specialists in India
There are many aromatherapy specialists in India. Many of the specialists also practice other forms of natural therapies like Ayurveda, naturopathy, etc. Here we present you a list of the most experienced practitioners of aromatherapy in India.
Dr. Vijay Abboot
He has a really long experience of 47 years in the field of Ayurvedic and Aromatherapy treatments. He practices at his private clinic in Delhi in Patel Nagar East.
Dr. Jayashree
With 37 long years of experience, she practices at her clinic in Chennai.
Dr. Ruchi Gulati
She has a long experience of 26 years in the field of aromatherapy treatment and practices at Nandavanam Kerala Ayurvedic Clinic in Delhi.
Dr. Sanjay Erande
He has 17 years of experience in Aromatherapy and practices in his private clinic in Mumbai.
Dr. Swapnil Chaudhari
He has 20 years of experience in Aromatherapy and practices in RCF Hospital, Chembur East, Mumbai.
Dr. Saravanan
He has 15 years of experience and practices in his private clinic in Chennai.
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