What are the best incense for anxiety?
What are the best incense for anxiety?
The best incenses for anxiety are:
Lavender Incense
It is believed that in the past people burned lavender flowers during meditation. The smell from the flower helped individuals to relax their muscles and reduce the secretion of stress hormones leading to improvement in mood and relaxation level.
Lavender allows individuals to feel refreshed and calm. If individuals experience high levels of stress, anxiety or nervousness lavender can be a crucial part of one’s relaxation routine. The best time to use lavender is right before bedtime.
Sandalwood incense
During earlier periods sandalwood was considered to be an essential part of meditation and other rituals. It is believed to drive away negative energy.
Sandalwood incense is considered to be one of the best incense used to reduce symptoms of anxiety and bring about Emotional stability further relaxing and restoring an individual’s peace of mind and positive energy.
Jasmine incense
Jasmine is also one of the widely used incense for anxiety. However, the primary goal of Jasmine’s incense is to bring about positivity in an individual.
It is found that inhaling Jasmine incense increases the circulation of GABA a chemical that suits the nerves and relaxes the body making it ideal for anxiety.
Nag Champa (Plumeria Pudica) incense
Nag Champa is another widely used and popular incense scent used for meditation. The smell of this flower helps to calm one’s mind. It can help to bring about relaxation and improve an individual’s concentration.
Peppermint incense
Peppermint is also proven to be one of the best incense for anxiety disorder which helps to reduce muscle tension and improves relaxation. It helps to create a sense of clarity and attentiveness. These characteristics of the peppermint incense help to overcome an anxiety attack
The smell of peppermint is believed to increase the blood flow in the brain allowing an individual to have a clear mind.
Chamomile incense
Chamomile tea is believed to relax one’s mind and reduce the frequency of anxiety attacks experienced. It is believed that it also aids in relaxation and brings about positivity around an individual.
If an individual feels overwhelmed or confused, then chamomile is the best incense to select. Apart from reducing anxiety and anxiety attacks chamomile also has a long list of health benefits such as improving digestion, healing wounds, pain relief, and reducing skin concerns.
There can be two types of chamomile incense. The German variety that provides a calming effect for those suffering from depression, stress, and anxiety disorder.
The second one is the Roman chamomile incense which is considered to be good for pain and digestion.
Lemongrass incense
Lemongrass is believed to provide a relaxing sensation to individuals. It brings about a sense of happiness around people. lemongrass incense is right to improve an individual’s mood, reduce anxiety and bring about positive thoughts.
Like other incenses, it also helps to promote clarity and magnify peacefulness.
Pine incense
In older times people used pine incense to uplift one’s moods and spirits. It was commonly used in the winters to bring about optimism and mental stability. it is believed to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and improve an individual’s emotional health.
Cinnamon incense
Cinnamon is considered to bring about a sense of relaxation, improved concentration help with deep sleep and motivation. It promotes mental stability, happiness, and self-confidence in individuals.
The woody smell of cinnamon can increase libido and emotional stability in women.
Some individuals might complain about cinnamon being very strong in such cases vanilla incense could be the next option sharing similar benefits as cinnamon incense.
Rose incense
The smell of rose incense is considered to be universally aromatic creating a sense of affection and a feeling of warmth.
Individuals suffering from anxiety often complained about irregular sleep cycles .rose incense can help in inducing deep sleep and bring about relaxation too.
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How does incense help us with anxiety?
It is believed that our sense of smell is very sensitive to the five other senses. It’s the first sense we developed in infanthood giving us important clues about safety.
when an odor molecule binds with an olfactory receptor in our nose it sends signals to the olfactory bulb that is based in the full brain.
Carrying further the signals are sent to the amygdala and the hippocampus which are the primitive parts of the brain and critical for emotion and memory driving our feelings and moods.
This is the reason why incense can have a strong influence on how an individual feels. Studies indicate that inhaling fragrance has a strong impact on an individual concerning anxiety and emotional instability
What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety?
Anxiety is characterized by a set of signs and symptoms such as:
- Sweating
- Difficulty in breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Sense of choking
- Complaints of chest pain
- Shaking or trembling
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or Lightheadedness
- Fear of losing control over oneself and their environment
- Fear of impending doom
- Hot or cold flashes
- Tingling or numbness
- Increased heart rate
These symptoms vary in severity from person to person. However, it is noted that many people experience anxiety attacks that are not significantly displayed.
What are some other ways to manage anxiety apart from incenses?
Identify and acknowledge the triggers
The most significant strategy that can be used to control one’s anxiety is by identifying and acknowledging those triggers.
Being able to recognize what makes an individual anxious makes them better equipped to take action.
Relaxation techniques
Even though anxiety can be bought under an individual’s control it cannot be predicted. In such situations, it is necessary that an individual actively carries out relaxation techniques.
These might include meditation, yoga, and deep breathing which helps to reduce the intensity of anxiety within a short period.
Socialization
A key to reducing the frequency and intensity of anxiety attacks could be spending time with close family and friends.
The kind of emotional and practical support provided by these social and personal groups help the person feel connected and aid in distracting one’s mind from negative and recurring thoughts that lead to anxiety.
Apart from friends and families, individuals can also consider speaking to groups of people that are experiencing similar problems.
Set realistic goals
When an individual is feeling overwhelmed setting goals and targets keeping in mind priorities can help resolve overwhelming feelings of fear or panic.
Setting goals provides structure and routine to an individual’s life reducing space for uncertainty which can be a major trigger for anxiety in many cases.
Take up new challenges
Apart from doing activities that an individual is usually fond of and has expertise in, trying new and challenging activities that put an individual outside their comfort zone in a healthy manner may help reduce the stress and anger temporarily.
Signing up for new activities also provides a path to meeting people with similar stories and concerns.
Lifestyle changes
An individual’s lifestyle plays a major role in their experience of anxiety. An unhealthy and busy lifestyle usually leads to unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, lack of adequate sleep.
A combination of a well-set diet, exercise, and sleep can help to regulate an individual’s mood and equip them with a favorable coping mechanism.
these coping mechanisms in turn help to get control over once anxiety concerns in a more adaptable manner.
lack of proper diet, sleep, and exercise can make an individual sluggish, dependent, moody and vulnerable to anxiety attacks.
Making journal entries
Last but not least having a journal to write down how a person is feeling and thinking when they are anxious helps them to reflect upon their thoughts and feelings.
Putting down one’s thoughts and feelings onto a paper helps to provide a sense of temporary relief.
In the case of journal entry, a person does not even have to fear being judged by another person regarding their thoughts and feelings.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps an individual to control their anxiety by using strategies like relaxation and breathing. It works on the principles of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is a kind of therapy in which an individual is exposed to a particular stimulus that they usually fear or are anxious about in a graded order.
As and when the individual gets comfortable with the situation or stimulus introduced or exposed to them with each session individuals get more comfortable with a real-life situation that might have otherwise been a source for triggering anxiety.
Group therapy
It is based on the principle that when an individual interacts with other people who are suffering from the same fears they might not feel left alone or isolated. Group therapy usually involves a group of individuals who are experiencing similar symptoms and problems.
Medication
Anxiety can also be treated with the help of medication prescribed by a health care professional.
Though medication alone cannot help in reducing persistent anxiety it can help in restoring a sense of control and bring temporary relief.
Online therapy
In cases where reaching out physically to a professional is impossible or discomforting an individual can opt to seek help through the online medium.
In this, the therapy sessions are carried out one-to-one over a video or audio call. Some individuals also prefer interacting with the therapist through text as well due to various reasons. One of the most common is the fear of being judged by the therapist or some personal hesitation.
Online therapy can help individuals to regulate some aspects of their anxiety that aids individuals in carrying out a stress-free life over time
Conclusion
There are a wide variety of incenses available for reducing anxiety. The fragrance is looked at as an alternative yet supporting therapy for mental disorders and concerns.
However, an individual must understand that this is not a replacement for any other form of therapy or medicine. individuals must understand their mood and requirements before selecting a fragrance.
A certain fragrance can have a very mild smell while the others might have a very strong smell making an individual uncomfortable further contributing to their distress and anxiety.
Individuals can always consult their family or friends who have tried aromatherapy or are into the habit of using fragrance for positivity.
People can also consider looking up the internet and doing some research about the different fragrance and the different effects it has on individuals to avoid any further mental instability or emotional disturbances.
Frequently asked questions
Do incense sticks help with anxiety?
It is believed that burning incense can help an individual relax and bring about a sense of positivity around them. It can help in muscle relaxation, improve concentration and also promote deep sleep.
Which is the most calming incense?
Sandalwood is considered to be one of the best incenses for anxiety and healing emotional trauma. Many cultures use sandalwood during religious rituals because of the soothing environment that it creates
Which incense relieves stress?
Lavender is believed to be one such incense that helps to relieve stress and make an individual feel refreshed. It refreshes a person’s mind, body, and spirit leaving them to feel much under control. it’s also believed in helping individuals with reducing anxiety.
What does white sage incense do?
White sage incense is commonly used in rituals to bring about an energy shift. The main benefit pointed out for white sage is the clearing of negative energy.
What is the difference between sage and incense?
Sage is usually used to cleanse a space of negative energy whereas incense is used along with oils or herbs to alter mood and emotional state.
Citation
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-best-incense-anxiety-everything-you-must-know-cheryl-andary-2e/
https://seawitchbotanicals.com/blogs/swb/incense-and-aromas-for-anxiety