When you’re smelling essential oils, it goes way past what you think smells good and what doesn’t. There’s a whole science involved with that scent and we’re going to talk about that today.

“When we inhale the fragrance of an essential oil, the odor molecules travel up the nose where they’re registered by the nerves of the olfactory membranes in the nose lining. The odor molecules stimulate this lining of nerve cells and trigger electrical impulses to the olfactory bulb in the brain. The olfactory bulb then transmits the impulses to the amygdala – where emotional memories are stored – and to other parts of the limbic system of the brain.

Because the limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance, essential oils can have profound physiological and psychological effects.  Olfactory responses to odors induce the brain to stimulate the release of hormones and neurochemicals that in turn alter the body’s physiology and behavior.”  Taken from the Essential Oil Desk Reference, 4th Edition

Gets ya thinking about the things you smell on a daily basis, huh?

Like every time I smell cedar it reminds me of the backroom in my grandparents’ house when I was little and I immediately feel a sense of calm and comfort. Think about the smells that affect you the most. The emotional reaction you feel to them. Your sense of smell is the only one of your 5 senses to be directly connected to your limbic system, your emotional center. Happiness, sadness, fear, anxiety, etc., all originate from that area of your brain. The limbic system is just below the cerebral cortex of your brain and includes the hippocampus, which is responsible for activating your hypothalamus or “Master Gland”. Which is in charge of your hormones. Anything from your thyroid hormones, sex hormones, growth hormones, etc. The limbic system also includes the amygdala which is a big part of storing and releasing emotional trauma and the only way this gland gets stimulated is through your sense of smell. So at the base of it, the only way to tap into our emotional part of our brain is through our sense of smell. Amazing!

Last week we talked about how the molecular structure of Frankincense allowed it to penetrate past the blood brain barrier to oxygenate and thus stimulate the area around the pineal gland, allowing you to feel a greater sense of reverence and connection with God during your times of meditation and prayer. Well, let’s look at how that molecular structure allows us to tap into our emotional side, as well. I’ve mentioned numerous times about sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, etc. Well, I love the way a fellow oiler, Melissa Renno, puts this in the simplest of terms. There’s an upstairs and a downstairs part of your brain and then there’s your limbic system. The upstairs is responsible for logical, rational thought. The downstairs part of your brain is the instinctual, reactionary part. Think of it as the place where you experience the “Fight or Flight” sensations. For instance, say you’re in one part of the house and someone in another part of the house drops something, like a pan or drinking glass. At that moment your amygdala fires off, activating your limbic system, essentially meaning your “lid is flipped”. You are all reactionary and instinctual at that point and access to the upstairs portion of your brain is cut off. Until your amygdala is calmed down and your “lid” can be brought back down, so to speak. This is where EOs come into play. The high sesquiterpenes in different oils, like Cedarwood, Patchouli, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang, etc. allow them to travel through the olfactory bulb, past that blood brain barrier, into your limbic system, reaching the amygdala and immediately calming you and allowing rational thought to take hold again. It’s all starting to make sense now isn’t it? I bet you never thought of EOs in such a profound way. So, with that, when trying elevate your mood and emotions, EOs are the best, most natural way to help you deal with those stresses and emotional reactions to life. When we say get a hold of some lavender, lemon, or orange to bring about a sense of happiness, this is exactly why. Because it does work! If you’re dealing with grief, depression or sadness, try to diffuse or even wear Bergamot, Tangerine, Copaiba, or Frankincense. Even emotional trauma, try Peppermint, Roman Chamomile, Helichrysum. For more info on what oils are great for what emotions, I love to reference an app on my phone,  Reference Guide for Essential Oils by Abundant Health and it’s spiral bound book counterpart of the same name.

I hope we’ve opened your eyes and emotions to just how complex your body and Essential Oils are and how much we need them on the daily. Happy Oiling!