Keep calm and light up a candle – how aromatherapy candles can reduce anxiety levels and help sleep
Scents can transform any home into a peaceful sanctuary and lighting up an aromatherapy candle is perhaps the easiest way to fill your space with long-lasting scent. Scents have long been believed to have a calling effect on body and mind and the ritual of lighting a candle can function as a signal for your body and mind that it’s ok to start winding down after a long day. But did you know that essential oils used to create aromatherapy candles can also have therapeutic benefits?
In aromatherapy, herbal and floral scents of certain plants have long been believed to have positive effects on body and mind. When an essential oil is added to a candle, its powerful constituents are diffused into the surrounding air as the wax melts. When inhaled, the fragrance can help soothe and revitalise.
Citrus essential oils for example have shown to reduce stress levels and have an uplifting effect whilst Rosemary essential oil shows important clinical effects on mood, learning, memory, pain, anxiety, and sleep. And there are also clear physical symptoms of stress relief connected to the use of essential oils – according to a study on nurses, inhaling a blend of ylang ylang, lavender, and bergamot lowered stress and anxiety levels, blood pressure and heart rate.
Aromatherapy candles created with a high concentration (up to 10%) of pure therapeutic grade essential oils and soya wax are your perfect companion for a relaxing night in. Soya wax makes for a great essential oils carrier because it burns at a cooler temperature, meaning that your candle will last for more hours than a paraffin candle. Soy wax is also more environmentally friendly and gives a cleaner burn – allowing the essential oils to work their magic.
Just make sure to burn your aromatherapy candle for at least 2h and keep it close by to be able to inhale the scent it releases for best results.
