The benefits of adding aromatherapy into your routine

What is Aromatherapy and how does it work? 

Aromatherapy is the official name for the practice of using essential oils therapeutically to support the body’s innate healing mechanisms. Aromatherapy treats the body and mind together holistically; the chemistry of essential oils impact the systems of the body while the individual aromatic scents have a powerful effect on our emotions, psyche and state of mind. Essential oils are highly concentrated, strongly scented extracts that come from various parts of plants including leaves, petals, bark, resins, roots and seeds. They can be considered the soul of a plant; each one has its own unique energy and attributes, properties and qualities, just like us.

How can it support our health and wellbeing? 

My clients vary in lifestyle, age and what they seek support with, and it is effective for major and minor instances. For some, it is a tool for something physical -  pain management or recovery from injury or illness. On the emotional spectrum, life changes and transitions, for example bereavement and grief, starting a new job or career, parenthood and childbirth for example. For improving particular aspects of one’s general health and wellbeing, I’ve noticed three main areas where aromatherapy can be particularly effective every day.  Sleep being the big one, as well as stress reduction and nervous system regulation, and maintaining or improving energy levels and vitality. 

Why is our nose and sense of smell so important? 

Smell, and aromatic materials provide us with a beautiful palette of sensory nourishment - a gateway to pleasure and joy. We process scent in our olfactory bulb, in our limbic system, in the same place our memories and emotions are accessed. It triggers an instantaneous response in our brain and it is the only one of our five senses that can do so. A smell can impact our mood immediately, as well as over a period of time. However, particularly in our fast paced, technology fuelled modern lives, we often overlook the significance of scent and its potency and potential for changing our mood. The scent receptors in our nose interact with the molecules in essential oils; influencing the centre of the brain, to create a psychological response of the scent e.g. stimulating or sedating. There’s about 450 types of receptors in our nose, able to detect over 1000 different smells, compared to just three in our eyes and 49 on our tongue. So it can be pretty transformative, especially for sleep, stress and anxiety. 

How would someone who is new to aromatherapy and essential oils get started? 

Most importantly - have fun, be curious and be led by your intuition. Like cooking, painting and all creative endeavours, we learn from experimentation and trying things out. Three is a nice number of scents to put together to create a synergy, and using different plants together. For example, rosemary (herb) bergamot (citrus) and geranium (flower) or different parts of the same type of plant, for example frankincense (tree resin) cedar (tree wood) and juniper (tree needle). The rules are, there are no rules, only discovering what scents you personally enjoy. I find it's nice to work seasonally also, and my own preferences definitely change with the cyclical year and seasonal shifts. 

Actionable takeaways 

Three simple ways to enjoy aromatherapy at home 

• Start your Day with Scent. Add 3 drops of essential oil such as bergamot or grapefruit to 1 teaspoon of odourless oil such as grapeseed (or use your therapeutic perfume by 20A Aromatherapy in our September Re-Set and glide three circles onto the palms). Rub palms together and place around the nose. Close your eyes. Take five, deep, expansive breaths and use scent as the anchor. Notice how you feel. 
• Scented Steam. Add 2 drops of essential oil such as geranium or rosemary to a heatproof bowl, half full of boiling water. With a clean, cleansed face, drape a towel over your head and bowl, creating a little steam tent for your face. Relax for 5 minutes or so, inhaling deeply and slowly. A simple, sensual reset for the skin and state of mind. 
• Bedtime Bath Ritual. As Hippocrates famously said,  “The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage every day.” Channel his wisdom by adding 6 drops of an essential oil such as  lavender or chamomile to 2 teaspoons of plant based oil or milk, or 1 cupful of Epsom salts. Stir together and pour into a warm bath. Soak for 20 minutes, preferably candlelit with your favourite relaxing music. 

A little about me 

I first discovered the realm of scent and holistic practices in Scotland, in the house I was born and raised in, which is what 20A is named after. My career began in fashion and beauty, and after my own experiences of stress and burnout,  I trained in aromatherapy, as well as reiki and other holistic modalities. I noticed there was a big focus on massage and bodywork, and not a lot going on for the cognitive and creative aspects of my craft. I set out to change this by making space for connection and exploration, through the medium of olfaction. My days are spent with beautiful plants and aromatics, designing and delivering immersive experiences with the aim to take people on a sensorial journey; cultivating curiosity and intrigue, while restoring vibrancy to the state of mind and re-connecting to ourselves, as well as nature. I work predominantly with businesses who consider employee wellbeing a top priority, with many of my clients also in the senses-based sector, like music, art, sport, food & hospitality.

Abi Titterington Lough is the founder of 20A Aromatherapy: an olfactive studio specialising in creative wellbeing, and the sensorial sharing of aromatics, alchemy, botany and mother nature. Discover more on her work and services here. 

We've partnered with Abi to have created our seasonal 10-Day All Round Reset. We deliver your fresh and delicious meals for the entire day to your doorstep each morning. Our programme will show you the wonders of plant-powered food: how delicious it can be and how amazing it can make you feel. With it comes the ultimate luxury wellbeing toolkit, with gifts to transform, experience a full body reset and build healthy habits that stick. Included is a bespoke aromatherapy perfume that Abi has created specifically for the Reset to help you feel revitalised, calm and focussed. Book your limited-edition Reset here, before they run out!