The Sweet Smell — and Benefits — of Aroma Therapy

This week marks a month in our new house, and we are finally starting to see the piles of packed boxes dwindle to stacks of empty boxes that need to be recycled, and smaller piles of boxes bound for next fall’s garage sale. (Why didn’t I think to purge BEFORE moving?) Moving into a new home is a wonderful yet challenging experience. We now have more space, which means more rooms to clean. We have a basement and second story, which means we’re more spread out than we were before in our smaller ranch. The good far outweighs those elements that will take some getting used to. 

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One of my favorite rooms – one that I’m already used to – is my office. My husband and I have come to an understanding; he can have total dominion over the art studio he’s setting up in the basement, and I can make the home office all mine. I haven’t had a room to decorate strictly according to my fancy since my single days, and I am oh so excited about it. Given that I work from home, I spend 30-plus hours a week in that room, and so I want it to be a place where I feel comfortable and productive. 

It might sound strange, but the right scent contributes greatly to the aforementioned characteristics. Fresh flowers will do the trick in a trice when they’re available. When those aren’t abundant, I turn to candles. There’s just something about a sweet, seasonal scent that puts me at ease. I usually grab one or two of the air-freshening candles carried by my local grocer whenever I’m out shopping. When I truly want to splurge, I head to Yankee Candle. Summer Scoop is my favorite scent at this time of year – perhaps because it reminds me of a scented Strawberry Shortcake doll I cherished as a child. 

Given my love of scented candles, I’ve wondered if I shouldn’t look into aromatherapy, which OrganicFacts.net defines as “a fascinating alternative medicine that involves the use of volatile plant materials, also known as essential oils, that can be aromatically inhaled by patients of a wide variety of health conditions. It is often used to improve mood, change cognitive states, and can also be utilized as a supplemental medicine.”

While I don’t know that I’m in need of supplemental medicine, I may have to look into essential oil diffusers for different parts of my home. Perhaps a stress-reducing, creative-boosting scent for my husband’s studio, a harmonious scent stationed in between the girls’ bedrooms, and an energizing scent in the office. I’d certainly be interested in tapping into the health benefits of essential oils, which include the ability to:

• Reduce anxiety
• Ease depression
• Boost energy levels
• Speed up healing
• Eliminate headaches
• Boost cognitive performance
• Induce sleep
• Strengthen the immune system
• Reduce pain 
• Improve digestion
• Increase circulation

If only one of the benefits included “boosted motivation to unpack.” I’ll have to do a bit more digging into the pros and cons of essential oil diffusers. (WellnessMama.com offers a comprehensive oil diffuser review here.) Until then, the sweet smell of Summer Scoop will have to help me get through those long days at the office.

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