How to Lift Your Spirits with Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the practice of using plant and essential oils to promote both physical and mental well-being. For centuries, people have been using aromatherapy to calm anger and stress, clear sinuses, and reduce the symptoms of depression and fatigue. Here's a few tips to lift your spirits using aromatherapy at home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Oil diffuser

   Choose the right essential oils:
   
   Use Chamomile, Clary Sage, Lavender and Ylang Ylang to promote a sense of calm.
   
   Eucalyptus, Lemon, Peppermint and Tea Tree essential oils can aid in clearing sinus congestion.
   
   To combat the symptoms of depression and fatigue, try uplifting citrus blends of Lemon and Tangerine, or energizing essential oils like Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Rosemary.
   
   Experiment with a few different scents to make a custom blend that suits you best.

2. Once you've chosen the essential oils, you can:
   
   Add a few drops to a simmering pot of water on the stove;
   Use an oil diffuser;
   Mix with mineral salts for a relaxing bath;
   Add to your massage oil
   
   Many candles are also made with essential oils and can help to change the mood of a room as well as its' occupants.

3. Continue using aromatherapy to lift your spirits whenever the need arises. After becoming familiar with the benefits of aromatherapy, many people will incorporate it into their usual routines.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy only 100% essential oils whenever possible. "Scented" oils or items that are listed as "FO" or "Fragrance oil" have been cut with a carrier oil and don't possess the same strength as an essential oil.
• Pricing for essential oils can widely vary. You may want to do a little comparison shopping online (Ebay is a great resource) to find the best price.
• Never leave a candle or oil diffuser burning unattended.

Resources

• AromaWeb.com

[rspears01]

on 11/4/2009 I can certainly attest to this working beautifully. Aromatherapy is a very legit method to altering your moods and lifting your spirits. Blessed Be!

[CCrock]

on 10/13/2009 Great article on using aromatherapy to improve your mood! I'm a lover of lavender!

[xtraordinary]

on 10/13/2009 Excellent article on aromatherapy. 5 stars~

[kims3003]

on 10/13/2009 great info well done

[godfather25]

on 10/10/2009 Good article on lifting your spirits with aromatherapy.