Mood Boosting Essential Oils to Save a Moody Day!
Oftentimes, people associate a healthy mood with exercise, diet, and a good lifestyle. Little do they know is that there is another way to enhance their mood that can do even better than those three—and that is using essential oils.
Essential oils are concentrated extracts of plants that use the plants' natural fragrance or aroma to combat hundreds of health issues including stress and undesirable moods. These oils are a great solution to deal with such problems, as they deliver effects through the body's olfactory system.
How Essential Oils Affect Mood
Olfactory system, better known as the body's sense of smell, is the reason your body reacts to whatever you smell through your nose. When you inhale the aroma of an essential oil, you are absorbing the oil's molecules which are the tiny particles that trigger your olfactory system.
When your nose inhales the oil molecules, the special cells in your nose translate these oils as signals; and these signals are transmitted to the brain right away. The brain then tells the body to react according to the signals it received. Since the nose is located near to the brain, it does not take too long to accommodate these signals. This is the reason you quickly react to a perfume's scent or to a foul odor.
Furthermore, the essential oil's oil molecules directly target the limbic system of the brain or the area of the brain that is responsible for emotion, mood, and behavior; therefore, inhaling an essential oil's aroma is one of the fastest ways to deliver effects straight to the brain's mood-controlling system.
Though almost all essential oils are potent enough to affect your mood, there are select aromas that stand out from the rest—providing the best effects to your brain.
Bergamot
Bergamot oil has taken a role in a lot of studies regarding anxiety and depression. This oil stimulates mood by improving the body's blood circulation. Its fresh scent can trigger a happy or joyful feeling. It is highly recommended for people who want to lower their stress level. In fact, the oil, itself, is a natural antidepressant ingredient.
To use bergamot oil, it is best to rub about two drops into your hands. Cup your nose and mouth and slowly breathe in the aroma. You may also rub bergamot oil onto your stomach and feet. Or you could create an antidepressant essential oil blend made up of bergamot oil and other oils you want to mix it with.
Lemon
Lemon's citrus scent is undoubtedly refreshing for the mind. This causes the mind and body to feel energized whenever the scent is diffused and inhaled. For this reason, essential oils that are made from lemon plant extract are often used by people who have lethargy issue, as these help them feel more active.
Lemon scent is best diffused and inhaled during the morning to start the day feeling energized. However, it is also great to use this essential oil during lazy afternoons or whenever you need to combat a sleepy mood.
Ylang Ylang
You can get rid of all the negative emotions by using Ylang Ylang. This essential oil has a sedative effect that is potent enough to help calm your mind; but, at the same time, is mild enough to not make you feel lethargic. It balances your brain's activity level to help you retain a calm and positive mood.
The scent of Ylang Ylang is also effective in releasing unwanted feelings such as anger, loneliness, jealousy, and even low self-esteem.
Ylang Ylang essential oils and blends are often used as massage oils. The feeling of the oil and scent, covering your body can greatly reduce stress. If you are not used to applying so much oil on your skin, you may simply diffuse an Ylang Ylang essential oil at home.
Lavender
You may think of lavender as an overrated ingredient but with the great effects it can deliver to the body, it deserves all the recognition. The aroma of lavender boosts mood by relaxing the mind and by helping it release more positive feelings. It also helps control stress hormones in the body.
Additionally, lavender has long been used as a natural antidepressant, making it a good stress relief if you want to get a more positive mood. There are medicinal capsules, containing lavender essential oil, that are widely used as anxiety reliever.
Diffusing lavender essential oil at home is the best way to take in all the lavender's beneficial properties. You may also mix this versatile oil with any of the oils mentioned above and feel a better, synergistic mood lift.
Jasmine
Jasmine oils are natural antidepressant used to rid of negativities in mind. Jasmine transforms mood by toning down stress levels in the body and thereby giving way to a clearer mind.
Jasmine essential oils can calm the nerves in your body and uplift your mood by helping release rejuvenating effects in the body including a boost in both your confidence and optimism.
You may diffuse jasmine essential oils anytime of the day especially when you feel like your mood is starting to swing. You may also blend jasmine and lavender oils to soothe headaches and migraines.
These five natural extracts are the best essential oils for you as they cover everything you need to enhance your mood. However, there are a lot more essential oils out there which you can also try if you want. The thing is, when it comes to your mood, essential oils are your best bet and you fortunately have a wide range of options for that.
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