It doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank, how well your interpersonal relationships are going or how much exercise you get, stress is unavoidable. That said, not managing stress can have serious consequences on your mental and physical health. Symptoms like insomnia, impaired memory, and depression can manifest in individuals who become overburdened by stress.

That’s why it’s important to regularly engage in activities that relieve stress. One such activity is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the practice of inhaling the aroma of pleasant essential oils. By doing this, your olfactory system becomes stimulated and sends a signal to your limbic system, the part of the brain that controls your emotions, to release chemicals that will make you feel calm and relaxed.

There are a few different ways you can engage in aromatherapy. You can simply rub essential oils made from plants like eucalyptus, lavender and rosemary on your hands and inhale their deeply pleasing aroma. Alternately, you can get a massage with peppermint or lemon oil. Either way, you can reduce the amount of stress you feel in a relatively short amount of time using only all-natural ingredients.

Check out this guide on how aromatherapy reduces stress and increases cognition.

Read the full article here: Aromatherapy and its Use for Mental Health