In addition to health benefits, essential oils have many valuable applications far beyond the body. Some oils have soothing, calming, and grounding properties, while others are energising, uplifting, or renewing.
In a single day, we have a wide array of experiences. Essential oils, with their various benefits, can help us manage and maintain our feelings of well-being. So what makes the aroma of an essential oil calming, energizing, uplifting, and so on? The chemical design of an essential oil influences its specific benefit.
The aroma of an essential oil elicits responses. This is because aromas go directly to the brain’s olfactory system. The olfactory system is responsible for processing smells—essentially giving us the ability to perceive scents. Once processed by this system, information is delivered directly to the limbic system, where your memories live. That means when you inhale an essential oil, the limbic system creates a response based on the memories you associate with that particular aroma. Because responses in the limbic system are based on memory, each person experiences something different from a scent.
For example, with a high concentration of ketones, mint essential oils typically hold significant energising, invigorating, and uplifting properties. Floral oils are composed mostly of monoterpene alcohols and esters, which are known to promote toning and calming properties. Rich in monoterpenes like limonene and beta-pinene, citrus essential oils typically have strong uplifting characteristics. While the chemical profile of an oil plays a role in your response, your experience also has a lot to do with the way the brain works.
We have all experienced the rush of memories that comes with the smell of fresh-baked cookies, for instance, or the smell of the soap at grandma’s house. As you breathe in a scent—and essential oils have particularly powerful scents— your limbic system evokes emotions and memories to accompany the aroma. … With so many different oils, chemical components, and benefits, it makes sense that essential oils have become commonplace in today’s world. Understanding the chemistry and basic functions of oils will be helpful as you begin using them to improve your health and well-being. Keep reading to learn how to integrate essential oils into everyday life.