Back to school with aromatherapy - Conway Daily Sun

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Parents typically want to do all they can to help their child succeed in school. Whether your child is just going down the street to the local elementary school or across the country to college, there are some great ways that essential oils can help your student achieve his or her greatest potential in school. One of the most popular ways to use essential oils is with an aromatherapy diffuser.

An Essential Oil Diffuser

Diffusion is the process of dispersing essential oils into the air for their aromatic and antibacterial effects. They can be used to make a dorm room smell better, help your student sleep/wake up and are great to kill airborne bacteria in close quarters when someone is sick. My personal favorite is the Ultrasonic diffuser. This variety uses water and ultrasonic waves to diffuse essential oils into the room. They come in different sizes, and some feature colored lights.

Various types of ultrasonic diffusers are available, allowing consumers to choose from a wide range of sizes and options. Of non-passive style diffusers, ultrasonic diffusers tend to be amongst the most affordable of diffuser types, and they are becoming widely available. While diffusing essential oils into a given space, they also can humidify the room. The choice you make for your student will depend upon what you think they will actually use and what is allowed in their living quarters. Any diffuser that has soft lighting and gives a cool soothing mist is perfect for a dorm room.

Passing the Test

Nothing is worse during a test than seeing a question and knowing that you studied the answer, but it just won’t come to you. Essential oils may be able to help with that problem. Studies have indicated that Rosemary and Peppermint aromas were found to enhance memory during clinical tests.

Calming the Stress

For many students, school means stress. Whether the stress is brought about by tests, homework, trying to fit in extracurricular activities or jobs, or from trying to create and maintain good friendships with others, essential oils can be a great aid to de-stressing after a stressful day. Research studies have found evidence that lavender, rosemary, catmint, lemon, and ylang ylang oils may help reduce stress.

Fighting the Bugs

When lots of students congregate in classrooms, lunchrooms, locker rooms, or dormitories there are abundant opportunities for germs to spread. Essential oils appear to be a great natural way to help keep those germs at bay. Studies have shown that oregano, cinnamon bark and peppermint were all more powerful as antibacterial agents than penicillin or ampicillin. One study found that tea tree, frankincense, lemongrass or geranium oils diffused into the air was able to reduce airborne bacteria in an office by 89 percent.

Getting the Energy

Between late-night study sessions, after-school activities, sports, jobs, and the many other activities students are involved in, sometimes it can be hard to find the energy needed to be awake and alert during the school day. According to several authors, some essential oils can be naturally stimulating.

Stimulant essential oils are used for conditions of mental fatigue, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating. Stimulants are useful when you’re feeling tired or sluggish and need to boost your mental activity.

Oils such as black pepper, cardamom, and rosemary arouse attention and alertness. In addition to these oils, basil, eucalyptus, fir, ginger, grapefruit, orange, patchouli, peppermint, rose, and sage are also a part of the family of stimulating essential oils.

How to Choose Your Oils

• The essential oils used must be pure aromatherapy grade.

• The essential oils must not be heated in order to disperse their fragrance.

Importance of quality: If you use adulterated or commercial grade essential oils or other perfume grade oils, then you really are only diffusing for scent and there isn’t a whole lot of added value. In fact, you may be causing harm because you are releasing added chemicals into your air. So for the sake of simplicity — we refer only to high quality unadulterated essential oils (remember, the label “pure” means only a small amount needs to actually be plant matter).

Summer is winding down — Labor Day will soon have come and gone, this year’s summer vacation will be just a memory and most children will soon be headed off back to school. So this September be prepared with a medicine cabinet full of essential oils for your entire child’s back to school challenges.

You can find a variety of ultrasonic diffusers as well as pure organic Essential oils and oil blends at Fields of Ambrosia in North Conway Village.

General: As with all essential oils, never use them undiluted, in eyes or mucus membranes. Do not take internally unless working with a qualified and expert practitioner. Keep away from children. If applying an essential oil to your skin always perform a small patch test to an insensitive part of the body (after you have properly diluted the oil in an appropriate carrier).

Deborah Jasien is the owner of Fields of Ambrosia in North Conway Village. This information is for educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Call (603) 356-3532 or visit www.fi eldsofambrosia.com to learn more.