The Surprising Science Behind Why Candles are So Calming

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The Surprising Science Behind Why Candles are So Calming

By Trista - June 28, 2021

Don’t Forget The All-Important Citronella Candles

If you have ever lived in or visited the South, you should be familiar with citronella. Citronella oil is distilled from the Asian grass plant, the Cymbopogon genus – from the French word meaning “lemon balm.” That is an apt name, considering the citrus-y scent that emanates from it! If you enjoy spending time outside, especially during the summer months, but mosquitoes cause you grief and make you want to stay indoors, you may want to consider citronella candles. Citronella is a plant that naturally repels mosquitoes, and citronella candles are made from the plant’s oil.

Citronella candles help to repel mosquitoes while also providing a perfect ambiance to your outdoor summer experience. If you want to enjoy a relaxing summer evening outside, maybe just reading a book or enjoying quality time with others, light a few citronella candles to keep pesky visitors away. That’s not all citronella is suitable for, however. It also has antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties that speed up healing, in addition to its ability to lift moods and fight fatigue!

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Rose Oil Reduces Anxiety And Depression

Rose oil is one of the priciest of the essential oils, but if you are desperate for relief from chronic anxiety or depression, it may be worth the investment. It has been shown to help people suffering from long-term grief, and it also helps to reduce panic attacks. Studies have shown that rose oil is beneficial for pregnant women. Some small studies have indicated that rose essential oil can positively affect sleep quality, so pregnant or not. It is certainly worth a try.

While it is well-absorbed in a bath, it can also be absorbed through a diffuser or a burning candle. Many perfumes also incorporate rose essential oil, so that could be another way of introducing it into your routine. Burning a candle that has rose essential oil can be part of a meditation or other relaxation practice. The overall benefit will include decreased anxiety and depression, improved mood, and overall better mental functioning. When combined with other essential oils like lavender, cinnamon, and clove oil, then added to a carrier oil like sweet almond oil, rose essential oil could be used to minimize the pain of menstrual cramps as well.

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Bergamot Oil Helps With Insomnia

People who are overly anxious, fearful, and irritable usually find that they have trouble sleeping and that their sleep quality is not very good. They often wake up feeling tired and run down, even before they start the day. Bergamot oil can help reduce these effects of chronic anxiety while also reducing depression. It helps stimulate the metabolism to provide extra energy while also promoting the necessary relaxation for restful sleep. If you drink Earl Grey tea, you already get bergamot oil through your diet. Looking for Earl Grey candles or candles made specifically with bergamot can also help you reap this oil’s benefit.

People extract bergamot oil is extracted from the rinds of bergamot orange fruits. They are native to Bergamo, Italy. You can see these in in perfumes and colognes because of its soothing, spicy scent. Its analgesic qualities make it effective in spot treating acne, though you should mix it with a carrier oil and apply it overnight. It can also soothe irritated scalps if added with your shampoo or used as an overnight treatment if combined with a carrier oil and massaged into the scalp.

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Ylang Ylang Boosts Optimism While Improving Heart Health

Ylang ylang is a yellow, star-shaped tropical flower. It is native to countries around the Indian Ocean. The essential oil is extracted through steam distillation, with its most potent oil being derived from the flower itself. Its scent is fruity and flowery – you may even recognize it in Chanel No. 5! The oil has many uses like mood balancing and opening the airways. Ylang ylang is also believed to have antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties and has even been used as an old wives’ aphrodisiac!

Ylang ylang essential oil can soothe fearfulness and reduce intense agitation, both of which reduce a person’s quality of life. Also, this essential oil can reduce heart palpitations associated with anxiety while also providing a sedative effect. Ylang ylang essential oil can improve self-esteem and optimism and help produce a good night’s sleep. If you need these outcomes in your life, consider using a ylang ylang candle shortly before going to bed, such as while you are taking an evening bath. Make sure that you do not burn candles while asleep, as doing so can cause a fire. Do not use ylang ylang if you have low blood pressure, reducing blood pressure further.

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Chamomile Is The Quintessential Relaxant

You have probably heard that chamomile helps people relax, especially before bedtime, and you may have tried chamomile tea to help you fall asleep. However, are you are opposed to having a drink right before bed? We know getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night is no fun. Then, consider using a chamomile candle instead. The chamomile plant is related to daisies, believe it or not, though there are two types of chamomile: Roman Chamomile and German Chamomile. German chamomile has a higher concentration of chamazulene, the active ingredient most highly researched for its benefits.

People have used chamomile for centuries to help with indigestion, speed up wound healing, relieve anxiety, relieve rashes, and soothe us into an easier slumber. If you decide to try chamomile candles (or any essential oil candle) out, make sure that you never burn candles while you are asleep. Using a chamomile candle while preparing for bed, possibly as part of an end-of-day meditation routine, can help you feel relaxed – both from the candle’s flame and the calming effects of the chamomile.

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You Don’t Have To Be A Hippy Or New-Ager To Use Candles

Hopefully, by now, you are convinced of the myriad benefits of using candles to help induce relaxation and improve your health, but you may think that candles are for hippies. Alternatively, maybe they are for New Agers, and you do not want to consider yourself in those categories. If you have made it this far, you can’t deny that candles are more than just pretty decor and esoteric, mystical mumbo jumbo. Studies have shown that there are benefits to having and utilizing candles, so having an open mind and shedding any preconceived notions about what lighting a simple candle means could be beneficial to us all!

The evidence around the positive impacts of candles is based on science, not New Age theories. You can use candles as part of a relaxation or meditation routine while also practicing a traditional religion or no religion; candles do not make you a hippie, a New Ager, or anything else. Candles are just candles – they are a vessel for whatever you need them to be. If you need light, relaxation, or a smell-good accessory, they can be any or all of those.

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Replace Your Regular Candles With Those That Have Essential Oils

You may already have candles around your house and enjoy the fragrant aromas that they give off. The fragrances may remind you of pleasant childhood memories or other experiences that you hold close to your heart. Furthermore, you have learned (or may have already known) that just looking at the flame and listening to it burn can help reduce stress. Start to slowly incorporate candles into your weekly or daily routine as your time allows and see what a difference they can make. For an even better payoff, start thinking about which essential oils might be useful to you.

Do you want to reap the added health benefits of essential oils? Replace your burned-out candles with essential oil ones. To maximize the benefit from the essential oils and make sure they work for you instead of against you, consider where to place them around your home strategically. For example, you would not want to light an energizing essential oil candle, like an orange or a peppermint-scented candle, in your bedroom at night or while you soak in the tub. However, a lovely lavender or chamomile candle would be ideal!

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Relaxation Leads To Better Mental Functioning

Did you know that relaxation is more than resting your muscles and easing your mind? It involves an entire symphony of neural processes in which the brain is working at its absolute best. Your brainwaves are better regulated, the different parts of your brain are communicating better with each other, and you are more aware of yourself and your surroundings. Practicing relaxation is essentially us managing our stress and workload. Our heart rate slows, and our blood pressure lowers. Furthermore, you can improve digestion to better absorb nutrients. In turn, it aids our immune system. That is an excellent system that enables us to get back to work feeling refreshed and energized!

Relaxation is not just about the physical benefits; it helps to improve your overall mental functioning. With your brain working optimally, you experience better cognition, better moods, and many other benefits. You also have improved relationships with other people and with yourself. Though we have mentioned meditation quite a bit, its benefits cannot be stressed enough. It can help reduce general anxiety as well as social anxiety. Furthermore, it improves memory function and concentration abilities. Also, it can even help with the brain’s volume loss over time.

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Using Candles Improves Overall Health And Well-Being

Poor mood leads to agitation, anxiety, depression, irritability, and physical symptoms. That includes high blood pressure, heart palpitations, headaches, low energy, and more. In turn, you create a vicious cycle is where your physical and mental health is badly affected by your mood. That puts you in a worse mood, affecting your health, and so forth. In comparison, improved mood generated by relaxation and mental clarity results in lower blood pressure. It also improves energy levels, provides better sleep, and much more. That similarly creates a healthy cycle where you feel motivated and empowered to continue caring for yourself. This cycle is fragile. Thus, it is essential to take whatever steps necessary to protect it and rebuild it if you lose your way.

In other words, every aspect of your health benefits from reducing stress and anxiety and increasing relaxation, and you have nothing to lose from it. A great way to start reaping these benefits is to develop a meditation routine that involves candles infused with an essential oil. Pick something that you think will work best for you. So the next time you find yourself feeling a little overwhelmed, light a candle (or a few)! Turn on some soft music, grab a book or just stare at the flames, and enjoy reaping the benefits.

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