Have you ever walked past the flowers in a supermarket and gone, “Ah, that’s just great?”
Back in my elementary school days, I’d walk to school and pass by a house whose entire lawn was a flower garden. Tulips, roses, lavender, and more. It all smelled so refreshing and put a pep in my step.
Aside from a matter of personal taste, there’s also a science behind our preferences. Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years, dating back to the 10th century, and has been used in many countries around the world. The Mayo Clinic suggests aromatherapy is working when certain scents stimulate smell receptors in our nose. This then sends a message through our nervous system to the part of our brain that controls emotions.
In other words, different smells can have an impact on us emotionally.
Aromatherapy is said to be able to help manage stress, insomnia, concentration, and more. As students, we’ve all experienced some of these issues. Keep scrolling to read a few ways that certain scents can help manage the toll that school can take on students. These recommendations and information come from the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.
Full disclosure: this is not the be-all-end-all the way to solve these issues. Instead aromatherapy is used to help manage them. Also, before you try certain scents or products, please make sure that you are not allergic to them.
For help with stress
Stress can hit students at any time. Whether it’s the first week of class, exam season, or anywhere in between, stress happens. Lavender is a calming, lighter smell that, when inhaled, can help relax the mind. It’s also a flower, so check your grocery store or market to see if you can bring an arrangement to have in your room.
In the summer, do a quick Google search and look for local lavender farms. They can provide a great experience to learn more about the uses of lavender as you tour the grounds. You can find lavender in a variety of products besides essential oils as well. If it’s a particular activity that causes you to stress, try making a stress ball with some lavender in it, for example, filling a linen sack with lavender petals. You can keep it in your backpack or even just having it to give a good squeeze before you go to class.
For help with insomnia
Ah, sleep. We all need it and it’s easy to mess up your regular sleeping routine. Alongside lavender, chamomile is a soft scent that also does the trick. It’s regarded as a sleep-inducing scent, so whenever you need some shut-eye, give it a try. It includes an antioxidant by the name of apigenin, which is found in chamomile tea as well.
Not a tea drinker? Not to worry, there are plenty of other ways to inhale chamomile. Try taking a warm bath with a bath bomb at night to help you wind down from your day. Bring a book in there (careful not to splash!), play some music, or just enjoy the water. This scent will help you get some much-needed sleep.
For help with body pain
Are those uncomfortable chairs in your lecture hall taking a toll on your back or neck? Peppermint is a good smell for relieving muscle pains. It’s a source of antispasmodics, which is an ingredient in medicine that helps involuntary muscle spasms.
The wellness store Sage offers a peppermint halo that you can apply to areas that are feeling tense. It helps with headaches as well. The halo is also infused with lavender and rosemary to have a cooling effect on the skin. If you feel your shoulders start to tense up after hunching over your laptop for too long, lather on the halo.
For help with health
When everyone around you is getting sick, it can be a challenge to stay healthy for school. You don’t want to miss much in class and you don’t enjoy having to dodge every sneeze and cough that comes in your direction. Eucalyptus is a helpful scent to have on hand to try to avoid getting sick. It’s especially helpful for respiratory issues because of the amount of cineole it contains. This can also help if you have asthma. Try keeping your eyes peeled for creams or lotions that include eucalyptus for easy use.
For help with concentration
Whether you’re trying to concentrate on taking notes or trying to hammer out an essay you want to get done, concentration is key. Next time you’re having a hard time doing so, break out some rosemary to help. Rosemary is known for being a circulatory stimulant to help your brain keep it’s focus and work faster.
One way to experience the scent is to get a diffuser where you can apply not only rosemary but also alternate between other scents as well. Depending on what kind of diffuser you are looking for, they come at all prices. Check out places like Winners, Marshall’s or even Canadian Tire for a variety of sizes. You don’t need to spend a whack ton of money on them to get the use you are looking for.
Everyone’s nose and preferences are different. Just like our tastes in food, we all have our favourites and our least favourites. Finding what scent works best for you may take a few trial sniffs, but take your time. Keep in mind that aromatherapy doesn’t require you to break your bank in order to have the best-of-the-best oils or bath bombs. So get out there and sniff, sniff, sniff!