1290: Can Aromatherapy Really Help Anxiety? What the Science Says

In today's episode, Gina continues her discussion of the benefits of aromatherapy and fragrance for individuals recovering from anxiety. More specifically, today the scientific research findings on scent and aromatherapy are explored. Safety considerations to remember when practicing self-care with essential oils are also included in this episode. Listen in and come to better understand the proven benefits of essential oils and how to use them for greatest effect!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Our senses connect us intimately to the past, connect us in ways that most of our cherished ideas never could.

-Diane Ackerman

Chapters

0:27 Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast

2:20 What the Research Says About Aromatherapy

4:27 Lavender and Anxiety

5:57 How Scent, Memory, and Context Interact

9:59 Pleasant Scents and the Body

11:38 Using Aromatherapy Without Pressure

14:01 Creating a Grounding Scent Ritual

15:12 Essential Oil Safety

16:26 What We Know—and What We Don’t

17:36 Let Your Senses Support You

Summary

In this episode, we examine whether aromatherapy can help with anxiety and what current research can—and cannot—tell us. Reviews of studies on inhaled essential oils report reductions in self-reported anxiety, including studies of lavender, but the research varies in quality and methods. The evidence does not establish essential oils as a treatment for anxiety disorders.We discuss why people may respond differently to the same scent. Personal memories, preferences, expectations and surroundings can shape the experience, and scents are difficult to study without participants knowing what they are smelling. 

A scent enjoyed du