Alternative Medicine

Essential oils have become more and more popular in recent years, as their wide variety of truly therapeutic uses have been recognized. To gain the benefits of essential oils, therapists and practitioners typically use one of three modalities: topical application, ingestion and inhalation. Amazingly, inhaling essential oils can have profound effects on the mind and body, beyond the simply enjoyment of a pleasing aroma. And to take advantage of these potential therapeutic effects, an aromatherapy diffuser is used – yet there are several styles of diffusers available, each with particular benefits. Here’s a look at the diffusers you’ll find, and some help choosing the best one for your needs.

The Research Is In: Essential Oils Have Proven Health Benefits

Scientific investigation over the last several years has revealed a great many truly medicinal properties of essential oils. We’re finding out its not just about great smells, but that these great smells can affect us profoundly. Diffusing essential oils has been scientifically proven to lower physiological markers of stress and lessen anxiety. Other research indicates essential oils can have a very positive impact on our immune system function. Oils stimulate the immune system into action, improve its function, and actually de-activate infectious viruses and bacterial. All these benefits can be gained by using the right aromatherapy diffuser.

Diffusers for “Aroma” Therapy: Using Oils for Emotional and Energetic Benefits

Researchers have discovered amazing changes in our bodily processes which occur immediately after smelling certain scents. One of the components of Lavender, which gives it its sweet, calming aura, initiates changes that are directly related to lower stress levels. This same aroma also seems to allow for deeper sleep. Other oils are known for their ability to brighten moods. So what’s the best diffuser for these uses? It turns out all diffusers will do this job, and the only difference is the size of the environment in which you’re diffusing the oils.

Each type of diffuser will cover a different number of square feet – and generally the less expensive models are for the smaller spaces. A “plug-in” diffuser plugs straight into a wall socket, and evaporates oil from a cotton through warmth. Easy to use, silent, great for one small-to-moderate size room. Very inexpensive. Next, the fan diffusers blow air over an oil-saturated pad. They might make a little “white noise” sound from the fan, but are generally very tolerable. The smaller units are inexpensive and for small spaces like the plug-in unit. Larger ones might cover areas up to four hundred square feet. Like the plug in, you’ll need to replace the pad every once in a while. Then there’s “ultrasonics”, which are small ultrasonic humidification units made to diffuse essential oils along with the mist of water vapor they emit (sometimes called “ultrasonic nebulizers”). Also very quiet, and nice if you’re in a dry environment. The cover about the same space as the larger fan units. The most powerful diffusers are simply called “nebulizers”, as they nebulize the essential oils to evaporate them. This means they make the oil into very tiny particles which you can see as pure essential oil vapor (without water). These are nearly silent, and can diffuse into areas larger than eight hundred square feet.

Any of these diffusers will allow you and your family to enjoy and benefit from the aromatic effects of essential oils. Generally the more costly units will cover more square footage, but will not provide more benefit in terms of aroma. If however you’d like to take full advantage of the medicinal aspects of essential oils, providing immune support (and data is now coming out that essential oils can even prevent cancer) you’ll want to be a little more careful with your selection. For actions like disinfecting your living environment, boosting immune function, and perhaps using essential oils to support recovery from an illness, it can be important to put a higher concentration of essential oils in the air than you can do with a simple fan or warming unit.

It is the nebulizing diffusers that allow complete flexibility in terms of essential oil output, and maximizing the concentration of essential oils in your environment. If this is what you are seeking, make sure you find a cold-air nebulizing diffuser, one that uses air rather than water to make the evaporating mist of essential oils. The fancier of these units will have an output control, enabling you to diffuse just a little at a time at the lowest setting, to really creating a visible vapor of essential oil within the nebulizing chamber.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Essential Oils

With any diffuser, its important to note that your nose will stop working before the diffuser does! Really, after a short while of diffusing the same aroma, one’s smell scent becomes accustom to it and you’ll no longer know its there — but someone just walking in the room will be able to detect it. To prevent this, and use as little essential oil as possible for the greatest aromatic effect, its best to run your diffuser only a few minutes every hour. Find the on/off cycle that’s best for you, where you’re smelling the aroma the most and using the least amount of oil. A timer, readily available at hardware stores, can help. Note that this isn’t of concern when using the diffuser for immune function support – running the diffuser all the time is fine. At the same time, essential oils are known for working in very small amounts, so by being a bit conservative, you’ll probably use just the right amount!
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