Winter blues – many people get them each year. Perhaps the problem is Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression. Sometimes the problem is simply apathy caused by the long winter days and fewer hours of natural sunlight, rather than a medical condition. If this describes you, you may want to try these aromatherapy oil blends to help beat winter blues.

Aromatherapy is not a new technique, although it is only in recent years that it has become more well known. It is the use of essential oils which come from flowers, herbs, shrubs, or fruits and are said to promote health and mental wellbeing. In most cases, the oils are added to bath water, used as a spray on bedding, and sometimes simply inhaled to derive the healthful benefits.

Aromatherapy can do wondrous things to energize, calm, or help beat the winter blues. Essential oils stimulate the sense of smell and can stimulate our memories, emotions, and instincts. The aromas can affect our entire being and psyche. However, it is not a substitute for proper medical care and should not be used as such. It can, however, be a complement to traditional medicine as well as being used in a non-medical way.

One of the most common herbs used by people with mild depression or winter blues is Lavender Officinalis. It has a calming effect on emotions as well as helping to bring clarity of thought. Lavender essential oil is considered to be one of the safest oils used for aromatherapy and can reduce tension, hysteria, and help you sleep. You might notice that lavender is used in some children’s bath wash or powder products as a means to help children relax so they, and their parents, can get some rest.

To make your own aromatherapy oil blends, you’ll want to have an unscented lotion or carrier oil as a base, such as olive oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil. Add a few drops of one or two essential oils to the carrier oil. You can also prepare larger quantities by adding a total of five or ten drops of essential oil to eight ounces of carrier oil. These oils can also be added to shampoo, conditioner, bubble baths, and Epsom salt.

Petitgrain, bergamot, lavender, and lemon are used to help brighten your mood and calm you. Mix together:

25 drops of petitgrain
30 drops of bergamot
20 drops of lavender
25 drops of lemon

This mixture can be stored in a 5 milliliter bottle. Put five to eight drops on a room diffuser, breathe from the bottle, add it to carrier oil, or add it to bath salts.

Citrus blends like the one above are particularly effective for brightening a person’s moods. Here are a few other blends you may want to try.

* For emotional wellbeing: 2 drops Clary sage, 2 drops Frankincense, and 1 drop Sandalwood. Blend this with one tablespoon almond oil and use it for a relaxing massage.

* To beat the winter blues: 4 drops Bergamot, 4 drops Lemon, and 2 drops Ylang-ylang. Can be added directly to bath water or mixed with unscented bubble bath.

These aromatherapy oil blends to help beat winter blues may not bring people with severe depression out of it, but they can do wonders for those who are mildly depressed or simply have the winter blahs. Give them a try; you may have found an easy method for brightening your mood during the long and cold winter months.

By Kylie Winters

People are always looking for a way to relax, and people have many different ways of doing it. Some people will meditate, some will listen to relaxation tapes, and there are those people that will submerge themselves in a tank of water to experience the joys of sensory deprivation. Yet another great way to relax however, it is through the use of Natural Aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy isn’t exactly something new. It was first discovered by the Chinese, though the exact circumstances and reasons for doing so are still not known, nor is the time period in which it was invented, but we know they used it for lifting their spirits. Later on the Egyptians invented a machine that would allow them to extract cedar wood oil. The Creeks did create their own methods of aromatherapy, with their scents and perfumes, but instead of crediting themselves they credited these discoveries to their Gods and Goddesses. Throughout the years the methods have been copied by many different civilizations, and the methods have been refined quite nicely. It wasn’t until the year 1928 that the term Aromatherapy was actually used, and since then it has become a widely recognized practice. Something that has been in practice for so long is certainly worth trying!

At this point you’re probably wondering exactly what Natural Aromatherapy is. There are a few ways that you can do it, one of the best ways is to apply it directly to your skin. You can do this by applying it a handkerchief or piece of cloth and dabbing it on certain parts of your body such as your wrists, neck, or even temples It’s not quite as simple as it sounds however, the thing that you need to know is that different types of oil will cause different effects.

There are some fragrances such as lavender that will help to relieve migraines. This will be great for many people who experience stressful days at work or at school. If you have trouble getting to sleep at night you will find that it is also great for helping you to get into a restful state. Then there is lemon oil which will help you to lose the stress that you have been feeling all day. There are many others

When inhaled, and when used properly these essential oils will have psychological benefits for the brain as well as the lungs. It can help you to concentrate and relieve stress in those key moments when you need to be at your best. It will help you to sleep and it will alleviate the pain of migraines. Overall, you will feel better and more rested. There really are no negative benefits associated with allowing yourself to experience aromatherapy!

This is an ancient practice that has been used by many to improve their quality of life. you too can experience it, and you can live a better life.

To understand more about the benefits of Natural Aromatherapy, please visit the Natural-Aromatherapy Blog Here!

While the term “aromatherapy” technically refers to the use of essential oils and plant extracts to produce a therapeutic effect in a person, many people enjoy blending essential oils simply for their fragrances. Blending for fragrance is a wonderful idea, but the blender should be aware of the therapeutic uses of the oils he or she wants to use. Using oils that are contraindicated for the person’s physical or emotional issues can produce a problematic response.

The same is true in blending essential oils for therapeutic use. Beginning blenders should use established recipes for the problems they are trying to fix, and should not attempt to blend their own recipes until they have adequate experience. When blending for fragrance, it is also important to remember that duplication of manufactured fragrances is not possible as manufacturers use artificial chemicals in their scents and perfumes.

People who seek aromatherapy treatments generally are looking for either a way to organically treat an emotional disturbance, or a way to enhance another alternative medical treatment. While the use of aromatherapy in conjunction with other alternative medicine therapies is generally overseen by the practitioner of the other therapy (i.e. an acupuncturist or a massage therapist), aromatherapy for emotional disturbance is generally applied at home.

This involves the study and correct use of different essential oils in blends that will help the person achieve the desired effect. Some of the most common blends are those used for energy, anxiety, insomnia and stress. Some stores sell pre-made blends for common ailments like these, and if you don’t have a lot of experience in blending oils this might be a good place to start. But for those who are more experienced with oils, blends can be made at home with a basic selection of essential oils.

Aromatherapy is actually the practice of using plant oils and extracts to bring about a sense of wellbeing in people. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with other alternative medicine treatments like massage therapy. There are approximately 90 essential oils commonly used in aromatherapy treatments, and each one has a unique profile and individual purpose. But some essential oils are used together to create an effect that is different than that of the oils when used individually.

There has been a huge influx of people interested in aromatherapy over the course of the last five years. The reason for this could be the burgeoning interest in all alternative therapies. But no matter the reason, major retailers have jumped onto the aromatherapy bandwagon and now provide easy access to a number of common essential oils.

Some of the most popular essential oils seen in stores today are those used for emotional wellbeing. These oils are often packaged according to their desired effect and not by what they treat. For example, aromatherapy oils like lavender, which help ease anxiety, are often used in products labeled “relaxation”. Rose and ylang ylang are often packaged as “romance” products, though their actual use is to treat stress. Thus it is important for aromatherapy practitioners to be aware of the actual uses of the oils and not just the corporate labels.