Aromatherapy became an interest of mine, oddly
enough, after attending a technology conference. A few years back, I was lucky
enough to attend the “Computers in Libraries” conference in Virginia. As an
Information Technology librarian, I have always loved attending this
conference. It’s very exciting to see what other libraries around the country
(and beyond!) are doing with technology to better serve their communities.
After my first day at the conference, I was
just exhausted. There is so much information to process, and I had two more
days to go, so I went back to the small AirBnB that I had rented to relax. On
the nightstand next to the bed, my hosts had left an essential oil diffuser
with some instructions. I was totally unfamiliar with diffusers and even
essential oils at that point, but filled it up with water, put some drops of
peppermint oil in, and started it up. It was SO relaxing! I immediately texted
my wife and told her about it. She was
really excited and mentioned that she had been eyeing several different
diffusers online, but thought that I would think she was crazy! When I got
home, we ordered a really nice diffuser from Amazon and hit up our local health
food store for the oils to go with it. . My wife and I have incorporated it
into our nightly routine, and after the kids are in bed, we put on a good show
and a nice relaxing essential oil blend in the diffuser to unwind. When the kids are particularly energetic near
bedtime, we also use a roll-on combination of lavender and a carrier oil (oils
should never be applied directly to the skin!) to help calm them down- it works
wonders!
As I
began to do more research, I learned that diffusing essential oils is part of a
holistic healing treatment known as “aromatherapy.” In aromatherapy, inhaling
the steam from essential oils stimulates the olfactory system, and the
beneficial molecules from the diffused oil then enter into the lungs, where
they are then dispersed throughout the body. When the molecules reach the
brain, they stimulate (or relax) the emotions. Diffusing different essential
oils will, of course, produce different scents, but depending on the essential
oil (or oil mixtures) that you use, you
can also improve your mood, boost your immune system, improve sleep quality,
treat headaches and migraines, and help with relaxation and meditation.
The Library offers some great books on
essential oils and aromatherapy, in particular though our Hoopla
app, which will give you instant access to a plethora of useful titles on the
subject. Perhaps one the best and most comprehensive offered through the Hoopla
app is “The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy”
by Valerie Ann Worwood. Worwood’s book delves deep into not only the many
essential oils that exist, but is also organized into chapters that give essential oil recommendations for
specific individuals (men, woman, children, athletes, travelers, ect) Worwood
further divides each individual type into a specific ailment or consideration
that might pertain to them, for example, babies and young children should only
be exposed to certain types of diffused oils and in specific ratios, due to their
extra sensitive skin, so the book gives a good overview of what oils are
appropriate for which age type to assist caregivers in diffusing appropriate
oil types.
If you are new to diffusing essential oils, or
essential oils in general, my best recommendation to start with is “the mother
of all essential oils”: lavender. Lavender is a great essential oil that has a
lot of utility and health benefits. It’s safe for babies (when diluted) and
some recent evidence shows it has been effective in
reducing the symptoms of colic in babies (take note, restless parents!). It has a very flowery aroma, and is an
antiseptic, antibiotic, and antidepressant. Lavender can also easily mix well
with other essential oils like Rose, Grapefruit, and Sweet Orange, which smell
great and have health benefits of their own. If properly diluted, lavender can
also be applied topically to heal rashes and burns.
I have tried many different essential oils and
oil blends, and I have a lot of favorites,
but my personal favorite, both in terms of scent, health benefits, and
mood relaxing properties, is Frankincense. In case you ever wondered why one of
the Magi presented Frankincense to the baby Jesus; it is because it was highly prized due to its
powerful rejuvenating and revitalizing qualities (perhaps you can also see the
symbolism of the gift). Frankincense is a natural disinfectant that boosts the
immune system, refreshes skin, can ease respiratory infection symptoms, and is,
to me, the perfect essential oil for mediation. Frankincense is the Yin to
Lavenders Yang. Lavender is soft and floral, Frankincense by contrast, has a
strong woody, smoky, earthy scent to it, which I really enjoy, but might not be
to everyone's liking. You can learn more about Frankincense, and it’s other
seasonally relevant scents, Myrrh, Pine Needle, Mistletoe, and others from the
article “Gifts of Healing...from Herbs of the Season”
which can be found though our Gale Database section on the library website.
I hope that you check out what the library has
to offer on aromatherapy, learn more, and try diffusing some oils yourself. As
a thirty five year old man, I never thought that I would be writing a column
about essential oils, and my discovery of aromatherapy was very unlikely to say
the least, but I am a believer in the benefits that it can offer. Remember, if
you are new to using our Hoopla
app, or would like assistance in setting it up, you can schedule a one-on-one tech appointment here at the
library. We are happy to get you connected and on your way to learning more!
