After a hectic day, everyone has their own tried-and-true strategies for winding down. Some people find relief from stress with a few minutes of yoga or a brisk stroll before bed; for others, it’s a combination of meditation and reflective writing in a diary. Many people find that going through their skin care regimen before bed helps them relax and get ready for sleep. Adding a relaxing smell to your preferred method of winding down will help ease your senses and enhance the experience.
Although a bit more work is required if you want to fully use smell in your relaxing routine, even something as simple as burning a delicately fragrant candle can help. We’re talking about aromatherapy, so read on to learn how you can use essential oils in the most peaceful way to incorporate them into your daily life.
Diffuse the aroma throughout the room.
There is a wide variety of options for releasing aromatherapy essential oils into the atmosphere. These diffuser machines atomize the scent prototypes and release them into the air using heat or sonic vibrations. We prefer ultrasonic diffusers over other types since the sonic waves don’t destroy the smell as heat may. Diffusers that operate on electricity provide a powerful scent, but they must be connected into an electrical outlet and turned off when not in use. Reed diffusers work around the clock because the reeds soak up the oil and slowly release it into the air. They don’t need to be near an electrical outlet, so you may put them wherever, but the fragrance isn’t as strong as it is with electric diffusers.
Distribute it liberally with a spray.
Using a room spray is another easy method of incorporating aromatherapy into your house. Air fresheners work by diluting aroma oils with a carrier oil or water before spraying the resulting droplets into the room. Room sprays don’t generate any heat, so the resulting aroma isn’t as strong as it would be with some of the other options available. However, room sprays are very cheap and rapidly diffuse their scent, making them a practical option for temporarily improving a space’s odor. Room sprays are safe for homes with children and pets since they do not pose a fire hazard or risk of being knocked over by curious hands.
Raise a light to the occasion.
Candles not only provide pleasant aromas, but also produce ambient illumination that cannot be replicated by electrical means. Quickly unwind by turning down the lights, lighting some candles with essential oils, and taking in the ambiance you’ve created. To keep your candles burning for as long as possible, keep them out of the reach of dogs, youngsters, and drafts. Overheating the wax will cause the candle to fail, therefore it’s best to limit their use to no more than four hours at a time. Never leave anything burning in the open without taking the necessary safety measures, since this might result in serious injury or death.
Spread some on your pillow.
Adding a few drops of an aromatherapy oil on your pillow before getting into bed will help you relax and fall asleep more quickly. Use a pillow cover or another barrier to keep the oils off of your pillow, and sleep on a pillow case you don’t mind being soiled. Lavender essential oils are a popular choice for this, but any of the other options above are valid as well. If you want to reap the advantages of aromatherapy while you sleep but don’t want to keep a diffuser plugged in, this is a great option.
Put some on your body and feel relief.
To maximize the experience and get the therapeutic advantages of aromatherapy, try adding a few pumps of scented lotion or massage oil. Perform a skin test with only a little dab of the fragrance before using it all over your body. Simply dab some on the inside of your wrist or elbow, bandage it up, and wait a day to see what happens. You may apply as much as you want if you don’t experience any adverse effects.
Pack a compress
Adding a few drops of your preferred scent of essential oils to a compress made of a washcloth or towel might help relieve tension and headache discomfort. The scent will be most potent if added to a hot compress, but any temperature will work. Dried rice in a sock or other fabric bag may also serve as a reusable hot/cold pack. Infuse the rice with a pleasant scent with the addition of aroma oils or dried herbs for consistent usage. Lavender, chamomile, and other relaxing smells are available pre-scented on hot/cold packs and wraps sold in stores.
Scents with a calming effect are great for unwinding after a hectic day. When searching for aromatherapy goods like scented candles and reed diffusers, keep an eye out for the kind of oils and scent you need.
