The other day I made a post about how essential oils affect the brain and I wanted to continue on that post today. Another way that essential oils affect the brain is through our smell receptors that travel up to the olfactory bulb. These smell receptors make direct links to the limbic system, a complex system of nerves and networks in the brain.

The limbic system connects to the parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, hormone balance, emotion, and mood. Different chemicals in odor molecules cause different nerve impulses to be sent

Depending on the type and amount of essential oils used, different body reactions can occur. Certain essential oils trigger the brain to release specific neurochemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, and enkephalin. These substances reduce soreness, discomfort and inflammation, calm and relax the body, and create a feeling of well-being. This is why essential oils can be so helpful when using them aromatically!

You can use essential oils aromatically by just adding a few drops to your diffuser with water or you can breathe in the aroma out of cupped hands or from the bottle. You can add 1-3 drops to a tissue or cotton ball & inhale, and you can also wear oils as perfume or in diffuser necklaces to get the aromatic benefits!