Aromatherapy: When Scents Travel Through the Air

1. What Is It, Actually?

Aromatherapy is not a single substance but a procedure. People use the scent of plants in this method. An oil is extracted from lavender blossoms, rose petals, lemon peels or mint leaves. This oil contains tiny scent particles derived from the plant. These particles float through the air. When you inhale, they travel into your nose. At the very top of the nose sits a small area that detects smells. This area is connected to a part of the brain where feelings and memories reside. That is why a scent can suddenly make you feel happy or remind you of something from the past. The term aromatherapy combines aroma (meaning scent) and therapy (meaning a conscious application). When applying the method, the fragrant oil is often dripped into a bowl of warm water. The scent then spreads through the room and you breathe it in. Sometimes the scent is also rubbed into the skin with an oil. Some people inhale the scent when they want to relax.

2. Where Does It Come From?

The scents originate from plants. Lavender grows as a small shrub with purple blossoms. Roses have soft leaves that release a sweet fragrance. Lemons and oranges carry their scent in the peel. Mint infuses its fresh aroma into the leaves. The fragrant oil is extracted from these plant parts. This is often done using steam distillation: steam passes through the plant material and carries the scent with it. The steam then cools and turns back into liquid. The fragrant oil floats on top, much like fat floating on soup. This is why the oil smells much stronger than the plant itself. If you smell a lavender blossom, the scent is delicate. The oil from it smells far more intense.

3. What Are Researchers Investigating?

Researchers have collected a total of 531 studies on aromatherapy. Of these, 363 focused on humans, and 230 were controlled trials. In a controlled trial, one group receives the scent procedure while another does not. The changes are then compared. Proven: In several large review studies, researchers observed that people often felt calmer after inhaling plant scents. In people with cancer, they examined anxiety, low mood and sleep. In people with burns, they examined pain and anxiety. In children at the dentist, they examined anxiety and pain. What remains unclear: why a scent works for one person but not another has not yet been clarified. It also remains to be determined whether the scent itself has an effect or whether the act of calmly inhaling is helpful.

4. An Experiment to Think About

Sit down and take three deep breaths through your nose. Do you smell anything? Perhaps it smells like wood, soap or food from the kitchen. Now imagine you are smelling a fresh lemon. Do you notice how an image appears in your mind? Perhaps you see the yellow peel in front of you. Maybe you think of lemonade. Researchers say that smells and memories are closely linked in the brain. That is why a single scent can awaken an entire story within you. Try it with a scent you like and see what happens in your mind.

For adults and professionals: the detailed page on aromatherapy.