Do Essential Oil Candles Work For Stress Relief?

People have been using aromatherapy for thousands of years and people have been using candles for just as long. But the two have only met recently in relative terms. This may be because there wasn't a suitable medium for containing the essential oils within wax until 1992 when soy wax was invented. People have been using beeswax in candles for thousands of years, but it is very expensive and also is not the best wax at holding or dispersing essential oils into the air. So at some undefined point in the last two decades, essential oil candles came to be. Probably one of the most common uses for essential oils and aromatherapy is to relieve stress. So you may ask, can essential oil candles help in relieving the stress of everyday life? Well, that depends on the candle that is being used. Aromatherapy can treat an extremely wide variety of conditions including stress, sexual dysfunction, concentration problems, lack of energy, depression, anxiety and just about every other psychological condition you can imagine. Aromatherapy can also be used to treat a wide variety of physical conditions, but essential oil candles are usually most effective when treating emotional and psychological conditions. A few essential plant oils that are known to relieve stress are lavender, chamomile, frankincense and jasmine. Each type of oil serves a different purpose and they can also be used in unison. Rather than having an essential oil candle containing only single oils, it may be best to use blends of oils specifically created to treat a condition. For instance, to relieve stress due to anxiety, you may use a blend of lavender, rose oil, sandalwood, mandarin and chamomile. If you are using essential oil blends, it is recommended that you have your oils blended by an aromatherapist, or simply buy them pre-blended. It is not simply a matter of mixing oils - a synergy needs to be created. There are plethoras of blending formulas online you can look up for free. These formulas are usually in terms of drops and what ratios apply for each essential oil. Another important factor in selecting your essential oil candle is wax. You should always use a natural wax such as soy wax since it burns with no odor and it contains no chemicals that will adversely affect the oils. So you have purchased your essential oil candle with pure soy wax. Now how do you use them? You should remember that aromatherapy is as much a meditative practice as it is a physical science. Sit in a room quietly with your candle and make sure you will not be interrupted for at least a half hour. Also make sure that the room is not drafty since you want to inhale as much or the aroma as possible. Focus on your body's natural ability to heal itself. Repeat this process daily and keep track of your results. If you do not see your condition improving, then you will want to try another blend or essential oils. This should be something that you enjoy - something that is refreshing. When you are using aromatherapy, it is of the utmost importance that you believe in the process since this in and of itself with have an effect on its success or failure. Give it time and be patient. If you have chronic respiratory problems, you should consult your doctor before using essential oil candles for aromatherapy.