In recent years, there has been quite a bit of buzz about essential oils and aromatherapy and the alleged health benefits, but is there actually any truth to the claims? “Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain.” So how does this in turn impact your health? “Although people claim essential oils are natural remedies for a number of ailments, there's not enough research to determine their effectiveness in human health. Results of lab studies are promising — one at Johns Hopkins found that certain essential oils could kill a type of Lyme bacteria better than antibiotics — but results in human clinical trials are mixed. Some studies indicate that there's a benefit to using essential oils while others show no improvement in symptoms.” Additionally, it is worth remembering that even when used aromatically, different scents can have varying effects on different people. For example, diffusing “peppermint is often recommended for headaches. But if you use it around a child who's less than 30 months old, the child can become agitated. It could have a negative effect. Additionally, someone with [a] fast heartbeat can react adversely to peppermint.”[1]

So what does this mean, is aromatherapy completely useless? Not necessarily, as there are certain scents that people have found useful in certain situations. For example, you likely have heard of using lavender for relaxation or lemon for a mood boost. Of course, the question remains, do these scents used in aromatherapy actually impact your mood or sleep quality or is it the placebo effect after being told for years that these scents actually have an impact? It might not matter. “How placebos work is still not quite understood, but it involves a complex neurobiological reaction that includes everything from increases in feel-good neurotransmitters, like endorphins and dopamine, to greater activity in certain brain regions linked to moods, emotional reactions, and self-awareness. All of it can have therapeutic benefit. The placebo effect is a way for your brain to tell the body what it needs to feel better…But placebos are not all about releasing brainpower. You also need the ritual of treatment.” For instance, if you are using lavender to help improve your sleep, you likely have a ritual in place, perhaps of preparing your bedroom for sleep with lower lighting, spraying lavender on your pillow, and taking extra care to prepare for bedtime. “All this can have a profound impact on how the body perceives symptoms because you feel you are getting attention and care.”[2] Talk about a way to life hack your brain!

So what is the takeaway about the benefits of aromatherapy? So far there has not been enough evidence to prove overwhelmingly that there are benefits, but there could be value in them in regards to how you and your brain perceive the benefits of aromatherapy. Plus, you might make your home smell nice, which is always a bonus.

[1] “Aromatherapy: Do Essential Oils Really Work?” Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 8 Aug. 2021, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/aromatherapy-do-essential-oils-really-work.

[2] “The Power of the Placebo Effect.” Harvard Health, Harvard University, 13 Dec. 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect#:~:text=Placebos%20won't%20lower%20your,cure%20you%2C%22%20says%20Kaptchuk.