There are plenty of ways you reap emotional benefits by using the best essential oils for diffusers. Finding a blend that supports your specific needs can enhance your productivity at work, regulate your sleep cycle, and even balance your hormones. Our sense of smell is the first part of the brain to be developed as a fetus, so you can be assured that using essential oils to regulate stress isn't just trendy — it's based off science. By breathing specific scents, we’re triggering sensations felt by the emotional part of our brain, aka the limbic system.
Have you ever smelled something that literally brought you back to an old experience? That’s your sense of smell working in connection with your limbic system. These two things are constantly working together to not only bring back old memories, but also trigger physical responses, like recoiling in disgust after smelling something rancid.
Inhaling essential oils can support five of the brain's primary functions: They can be anxiolytic, which relieves anxiety and stress; analgesics, to provide mental relief from pain; sedatives, which calm the mind and promote sleep; cephalic, to create alertness and help the brain focus; or nervine, which relieves stress.
Obviously, there’s a lot of information surrounding the use of essential oils, and there are a lot of different types to choose from. Don’t worry, though; as a certified aromatherapist, I've compiled the five best essential oils to add to your diffuser that can help provide various forms of mental and emotional relief.