If you’re feeling stressed and relaxation is unfortunately eluding you, you might have to light a candle or two to spare yourself this sad state of affairs. Aromatic candles can help create an atmosphere where stress-relief and relaxation can become easier.
How aromatherapy candles help relieve stress
Scents can be rather powerful in how they affect the human psyche. You probably know this already. Go in to a very foul smelling place, and you’ll physically and mentally want to escape that place as soon as humanly possible. Now the opposite is just as true. If you go into a freshly smelling place, you wont mind hanging around a little bit longer than intended.
Aromatherapy in combination with lighted candles can create an ambiance where you can simply let your guard down and unwind. In a nutshell, the physical surroundings that you find yourself can greatly affect your psychological state of mind. With that said, scented candles, used wisely in moderation, can definitely help you relieve stress and relax.
How it works
Aromatherapy is in a way a synonym for essential oils and its diffusion into the air that you breathe. Aromatherapy candles are nothing other than candle wax, whether paraffin, bees or soy, mixed with essential oils of different types. Although it varies greatly from person to person, generally it is held that there are different types of oils for different kind of moods. As for example an essential oil made from lavender is highly touted for inducing relaxation and relieving stress while essential oils extracted from the perennial herb mint is often seen as an energetic boost of general mood.
In this article, we’re interested in the aromatherapy candles that induce relaxation and relieve stress. So here are three hand-picked aromatherapheutic candles that can help you relax, namely lavender, sage and ylang-ylang.
Lavender
Number one on our list is lavender. Yes I know, lavender for relaxation is almost a cliché by now. Heck even the name “Lavender” rolls of the tongue in a very relaxed manner. Native to Africa and Eurasia, lavender has been used by different peoples in different ways (culinary, medicinally) throughout history.
With that said, candles made from lavender essential oil is for most people a safe aromatherapy candle to occasionally light up and enjoy.
These lavender candles by Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day can be worth a try. Made from plant-derived ingredients like soy wax and vegetable wax and other thoughtfully-chosen, cruelty-free ingredients. Lasts for about 35 hours.
Sage
Native to the Mediterranean region, the common sage can be helpful in relaxing and de-stressing. Historically sage has been used for healing and ritualistic purposes for millennia. One interesting thing that is associated with sage is its spiritual capacity to ward of “evil spirits”.
Now if you would like to you could personify stress as an entity, then you could theoretically dispel or ward it off through the help of sage.
Made from 100% natural soy wax, this pack includes three 3.5oz candles in glass candle holders. Made by the brand Magnificent 101, these candles can help create a serene atmosphere in your home where negative thoughts and energies can be staved off.
Ylang-Ylang
One of the most used herbs in the perfume industry, Ylang ylang, also known as the flowers of the canaga tropical tree, is native to many parts of South East Asia and Australia. It has a strong fruity floral fragrance and is widely used for its aromatherapy qualities.
These stress relieving candles by Aubert & Amandine are made from 100% natural soy wax, with wicks made from cotton and paper fiber. Lasts between 20-25 hours.
Conclusion
Stress and anxiety can really overwhelm anyone in today’s hectic world. Sometimes we need all the little help we can get, and aromatherapy candles can definitely be that savior from time to time. However it is important to not overdo it, because there are a number of scientific studies that demonstrate how prolonged and extensive exposures to certain inhaled particles can affect your health negatively.
All in all, all forms of medicine isn’t meant to be taken by the tons, instead the wise thing is to take just enough for an effective dose and not a single ounce more than needed. Adopting a similar mindset with many things in life will most likely prove most useful in the long run.
Daniel Seeker is a lifelong student of the past, present and future. He realized deep relaxations of the psyche when meditating in his hermit cave on the island of Gotland. His writings are mostly a reflection of that realization. Daniel has meditated & done yogic exercises daily for more than 10 years and is studying history and philosophy at Uppsala Universitet. He is currently finishing writing his B.A. thesis in history which explores how Buddhist, Yogic and Hindu texts were first properly translated and introduced to the western world in the late 18th and 19th century.