Tuesday, July 21, 2015

How Scents Relax the Body

It can be difficult to wind down after a long day. When you're busy for so many hours on end and have an ongoing to-do list (sometimes ones that grow quicker than they get checked off), the body becomes stressed. And so does the mind. A normal reaction to such a "go go go" type of atmosphere. But when it's time to actually stop, to rest and relax rather than get in as much work as possible, the adjustment is then hard to achieve. 

By training the body to relax, however, this step can be much easier than it sounds. Especially when you have certain triggers to help get you there. In the same way that a work call can heighten your senses and put you into scheduling mode, the same can be done with relaxation. By drinking a hot cup of tea, or putting on comfortable pajamas, the mind can be alerted that it's time for winding down. Work is over, and now it's time for enjoyment – and the body picks up on those clues.

Perhaps nothing does this better than scents – in beverages (including teas), essential oils, candles, bath salts, and more. Not only are certain smells designed to calm the muscles and the brain – one of the biggest factors that keeps us up – over time, recognizing them will have an auto-effect on the body. Allowing it to instantly relax just as soon as familiar scents hit the nostrils.


Such relaxing triggers include lavender, lemon, peppermint, thyme, vanilla, and more. Use them before bed, or throughout the day to help ease the mind whenever you become stressed. Each can be put in foods, décor, in sniffing salts – or in whatever manner you prefer. So long as their natural aromas are allowed to flow freely, you can gain incredible bouts of relaxation with each passing smell. 

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