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Aromatherapy

holistic · easy · 5-15 min/day

What is Aromatherapy?

Therapeutic use of essential oils through inhalation or topical application to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and modulate the HPA axis stress response, with lavender showing effects comparable to some pharmaceuticals.

Is there evidence for it?

EVIDENCEmoderate

How do you do Aromatherapy?

  1. 1.Start with 3 evidence-backed essential oils: lavender (anxiety/sleep), peppermint (alertness/headaches), and bergamot (mood/stress)
  2. 2.Use a cold-air diffuser in your bedroom 30 minutes before sleep with 3-5 drops of lavender oil; run for 30-60 minutes
  3. 3.For acute stress, apply diluted lavender or bergamot (2-3 drops in carrier oil) to wrists and temples, or inhale directly from the bottle for 30 seconds
  4. 4.Create time-of-day associations: citrus/peppermint for morning alertness, rosemary for afternoon focus, lavender/chamomile for evening wind-down
  5. 5.Purchase only therapeutic-grade oils from reputable brands with Latin plant names and purity testing (GC/MS reports)

How long does it take?

5-15 min/day.

Is it hard to start?

easy.

Source: PMC systematic reviews (2023); Johns Hopkins Medicine; meta-analysis showing lavender silexan comparable to paroxetine on Hamilton Anxiety Scale
aromatherapy · essential-oils · lavender · stress-reduction · sleep · anxiety · inhalation
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