12 Benefits of an Essential Oil Diffuser.

An essential oil diffuser is an amazing addition to your home or workplace. They provide a multitude of benefits (of which we will cover 12 in this article) and can seriously improve your quality of life. Whether you own a diffuser already, looking for yourself or as a gift, don’t forget to check out our guide to the best essential oil diffusers on the market. Keep calm, diffuse on!

1. Improved Sleep

Sleep deprivation is one of the most serious issues facing the world’s population in modern day life. From being overworked to caring for kids, there are endless reasons we aren’t getting enough time to sleep and struggle to stay asleep when we do. Getting enough sleep affects every aspect of our day to day lives, and not getting enough can affect us mentally, physically and emotionally.

Some common problems that arise from not getting enough sleep are:

• Decreased concentration
• Increased irritability
• Difficulty performing tasks
• Caffeine and drug addiction
• Mood imbalances
• And many more!

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults (aged 26-64) get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Not reaching this quota puts you at serious risk for the symptoms mentioned above.

Fortunately, one of the greatest benefits of essential oil diffusers is their ability to promote good sleep. There are many essential oils used to promote good sleep (most notably Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Marjoram and Chamomile) and many blends that can help your mind relax at the end of the day and support a healthy sleep. The calming trickling water sounds and soothing whirr of an ultrasonic oil diffuser on your bedside table can also help to ease you into sleep. There are even oil diffusers with built in white noise to increase this calming effect.

Our suggested sleep blend: lavender, sweet marjoram, bergamot and ylang ylang with a small amount of valerian root

2. Stress & Anxiety Reduction

Stress and anxiety are experienced by most people from time to time, but once they begin affecting your day to day life it may be time to seek help.

Stress and anxiety can present themselves with both physical and mental symptoms such as:

• Stomach aches
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Change in appetite
• Panic or nervousness
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Irrational anger
• And many more

People who experience stress and anxiety long term are at a higher risk of developing serious health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. These are very important reasons to start reducing any stress or anxiety in your life as soon as possible.

Essential oil diffusers are an excellent way to reduce and even prevent stress and anxiety in your life. Essential oils have a direct effect on the parts of the brain that control anxiety and stress, and exposure decreases the heart rate and blood pressure allowing a person to relax. Unsurprisingly, the essential oils for stress and anxiety are very similar to those recommended for sleep, but some notable additions are Rose, Vetiver and Cinnamon.

Our suggested stress blend: roman chamomile, lavender and vetiver with your favorite citrus

3. Body and Mind Relaxation

Using essential oils to relax the mind and body are a great way to both reduce stress and anxiety and improve your sleep! However there are many other health benefits to a relaxed mind and body including:

• Lowered risk of falling ill
• Boosted cognitive function
• Lowered risk of stroke
• Balanced mood
• Clearer decision making
• Eases acne
• Increased sex drive
• Decreased blood pressure
• Reduced pain

Essential oils offer a great non-invasive option to relax the mind, reduce inflammation and increase blood circulation. These oils offer relief from stress and can also soothe muscle pain and offer some relief from chronic pain while encouraging rest, healing and calm. The top 5 oils that offer the most effective relief are Lavender, Black Pepper, Arnica, Helichrysum and Peppermint.

Our suggested body relaxation blend: a balanced amount of lavender, black pepper, arnica, helichrysum and peppermint

4. Essential Oils Boost Your Immune System

The immune system is the network of cells, tissues and organs that, working together, are your body’s natural defense system against bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungus. A breakdown in this system is what causes us to get sick, contract diseases and have allergic reactions. A healthy immune system is the key to a healthy life!

Using an essential oil diffuser with immune system blends can boost your immune system to prevent you from falling ill. Particularly important times to boost your immune system are:

• During travel
• When having contact with people (particularly kids)
• In times of high stress
• During cold weather

Essential oil diffusers support the immune system by reducing stress, soothing the nervous system, enhancing immunity and strengthening the respiratory system. Essential oils that boost immunity are Tea Tree Oil, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Scots Pine, Helichrysum and Rosemary.

Our suggested immunity blend: cinnamon, rosemary, lemon and eucalyptus

5. Helps with weight management

Essential oils are not a weight-loss miracle cure. However they can certainly aid in weight management by increasing your metabolism through balancing mood, controlling blood sugar levels, improving digestion and curbing appetite, particularly when paired with regular exercise and a healthy diet. The top 3 essential oils for weight loss are Grapefruit, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Alternatively, some may turn to essential oils to help in stimulating their appetite. This can be particularly helpful for the elderly or people on certain medications that may cause nausea or other appetite loss symptoms. The recommended essential oils to boost your appetite are Peppermint, Citrus oils (avoiding Grapefruit), and Oregano.

Our suggested weight loss blend: jasmine and grapefruit.

6. Repels Insects

Essential oil diffusers can be used to repel many types of insects naturally. While mosquitos, ticks and outdoor bugs are a nuisance, they can also carry harmful diseases. A natural and safe method of repelling insects from your home can be ideal to protect you and your family. Different essential oils work for different insects so your personal nuisance may warrant some extra research, but these are the suggested oils to repel some common bugs:

• Mosquitos – citronella, peppermint, lemongrass
• Fleas – cedarwood, citronella, pine
• Ticks – rose geranium, juniper, grapefruit

7. Eliminates Odor

Diffusing essential oils can help to eliminate stinky, smoky and musty household odors. Aromatic oils can kill the bacteria and fungi that come with bad smells, thus purifying the air.

Tobacco smoke is one of the hardest smells to eliminate as it permeates everything in a room, even when ventilated. The best oils for getting rid of tobacco are:

• Eucalyptus
• Patchouli
• Lemongrass

Musty odors caused by mold and mildew are not only disgusting but can be harmful to your respiratory system and cause a series of health problems. The best antifungal essential oils to combat mold naturally are:

• Lemon
• Grapefruit
• Clove

Kitchen smells are often great while you are cooking, but the lingering scents throughout the house are often undesirable. To eliminate kitchen odors try:

• Citronella
• Verbana
• Vanilla

8. Improves Respiratory Health

Along the same lines of air purification, essential oil diffusers can be used to great effect in improving respiratory health. A decreased level of respiratory function can have adverse effects on many vital functions of your body, and when used in conjunction with your healthcare provider’s treatment, essential oils can greatly alleviate, heal and protect against respiratory problems.

Antibacterial essential oils include:

• Palo Santo
• Lemon
• Eucalyptus
• Tea Tree

Antispasmodic essential oils include:

• Chamomile
• Bergamot
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Clary Sage

Expectorant essential oils include:

• Fir
• Frankincense
• Ravensara
• Pine

Our suggested lung healing blend: eucalyptus, ravensara, birch, peppermint, lemon

9. Increases Energy

Sometimes even when we try our best it’s just not possible to get enough sleep. Or other times we do, but energy levels just aren’t there. Essential oils can be used to increase vitality and reduce fatigue, boosting your energy as if you’ve had another cup of coffee. There are so many oils that can be used to boost energy levels, and we suggest playing around with as many blends as possible to find one that works best for you.

The top essential oils for energy boosting are:

• Orange
• Lime
• Grapefruit
• Peppermint
• Eucalyptus
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Basil
• Lemongrass
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Black Pepper

Our suggested blend: mix and match and have some fun!

10. Boosts Memory and Concentration

Whether you’re a professional with a busy workload, a student studying for exams, or just working your way through a hefty to-do list, a boost in memory and concentration can be of great benefit. The go to essential oil for memory and focus has long been known to be Rosemary. Ancient Greek students wore garlands of rosemary in exams, and a study performed in May 2017 showed that students exposed to rosemary during exams had an improvement of 5-7% in results (Annayu@getter98.com). Other great essential oils for memory and concentration include Peppermint, Lavender, Basil and Sage.

Our suggested blend: basil, rosemary and cypress

11. Calms emotions

Living in a balanced emotional state can be the key to a better life. Often we allow our emotions to overwhelm us, or shut them out completely. Both result in an unhealthy unbalance that can actually manifest itself as physical pain. The solution to achieving balance is to accept the emotions that come our way, identify them, allow ourselves to feel, and move on. Essential oils can assist us greatly in this process by aiding our ability to be present, encouraging a positive outlook, and reducing the impact of negative emotions. Common oils that help us to calm our emotions are Bergamot, Frankincense, Valerian, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Rose, and there are so many more.

Our suggested anger management blend: bergamot, patchouli and vetiver

12. Pain relief

Pain can be debilitating both physically and mentally, as our minds are clouded and distracted by the assault on our physical senses. Essential oils are an age old alternative remedy for pain relief without the uncomfortable side effects of medication. They can be very effective because the oils bypass the digestive system to be directly absorbed into the bloodstream.

Recommended essential oils for:

• back pain – ginger, wintergreen, lavender
• neck and shoulder pain – frankincense, lavender, chamomile
• nerve pain – eucalyptus
• joint pain – wintergreen, rosemary, ginger, frankincense
• kidney pain – thyme
• bone pain – frankincense, wintergreen, eucalyptus

Use these oils alongside recommended oils for stress and anxiety for the ultimate pain relief.

Bonus Benefit: Safer Alternative to Candles & Incense

Not only are essential oil diffusers great for your physical and mental health, but they improve the environment as well, providing a safe alternative to candles and incense! Diffusers come in all different shapes, sizes, colours, lights and sounds, you can find one to suit any room décor and know that your home, children and pets are safe from open flames.