Essential Oils For Stress and Memory in Students

So much of our health relies on the acuity of our mental faculties. This is especially so for students who are trying to memorise and re-call information in exams, essays and in the classroom. With all this pressure to perform it can leave a student stressed with poor memory and fatigue. Implementing essential oils can be a safe and effective way to help improve cognitive abilities and reduce stress levels.

How does aromatherapy work?

Researchers aren’t entirely sure how aromatherapy works but experts believe that the smell receptors in your nose communicate with parts of your brain such as the amygdala and hippocampus that store our memories and emotions. These areas of the brain become stimulated and influence our mental and physical wellbeing. It is also believed that molecules from essential oils may interact with hormones or enzymes in our blood. An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds that have been extracted from the roots, seeds, leaves and blossoms of plants.

What oils are effective?

Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)

Numerous studies have noted the relaxing effects of lavender effects. One such study showed that inhalation of the oil decreased blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature in the participants. This indicated a decrease in autonomic arousal and they categorized themselves as being more active, fresher and relaxed than the subjects who inhaled a base oil.

Lavender has shown to increase our cognitive abilities.

A study conducted by the University of Miami found that 3 minutes of inhalation of lavender oil made the subjects feel less stressed but they also scored higher on mathematical tests, performing faster with more accuracy.

Vetiver

Vetiver (vetiveria zizanioides) a perennial grass, has been shown to maintain performance in visual discrimination tasks by showing faster reaction times. The participants breathed in low doses of the volatile compounds and found that they increased their performance while maintaining high sympathetic nerve system activity as measured by electrocardiography.

Rosemary 

Rosemary has been shown to reduce pre-exam stress. It has been found that it works by increasing autonomic nervous system activity, reducing alpha 1 and 2 brainwaves while raising beta brainwaves. One study performed on a group of nursing students using rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) essential oils before a test reported lower levels of anxiety and pulse rates.

A study conducted at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University found that participants felt active and “fresher” after inhaling rosemary essential oil.

Cineol (a component that makes up 45% of rosemary essential oil) was found to improve memory recall of future events and tasks and mental arithmetic after inhalation.
 

Other essential oils that contain cineol include eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and sage (Salvia officinalis).

Oil combinations

• Peppermint (Mentha piperita), basil (Ocimum basilicum) and helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) were combined in a blend and studied over a three week period in a randomised, controlled double-blind study. It was found that those who inhaled the blend experienced -  reduced mental exhaustion and stress.
• Rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus and sage – improve memory and concentration 
• Ylang-ylang, lavender, citrus, sandalwood and roman chamomile – stress less and sleep more blend
• Peppermint, holy basil, helichrysum, rosemary, vetiver and frankincense – decrease burnout and mental fatigue

How to use essential oils

Essential oils can be used in a multitude of different ways.

Oil burner. Place a few drops with water in a dish of an oil burner and use a heat source underneath to vaporize the oil.

Diffuser. When studying or before bed add the oils to a diffuser. Ultrasonic diffusers are becoming a popular choice as they don’t apply heat or use water so as to retain the therapeutic properties of the oils. 

On a cotton ball. For people who don’t own a diffuser or oil burner try 8 drops on a tissue or cotton ball and place in the air vent in the house or car.

The easiest and quickest method to use, especially just before an exam is to sniff the oils. This can be done by putting a few drops on a handkerchief or tissue and inhaling or by sniffing from a small bottle. Alternatively they can be placed directly on the temples or under the nose. You can also rub a few drops of the essential oil on your hands and cup over your nose to inhale the vapours.

In the bath. A wonderful way to relax the body at night to promote a good night’s sleep is to add essential oils to a warm bath. Mix together ½ cup of epsom salts, ¼ cup of sea salts, ¼ cup of baking soda with 10-15 drops of any of the essential oils mentioned above.

In bed. A few drops can also be placed on a tissue under the pillowslip before bed.

Aromatherapy massage

For the truly indulgent, try an aromatherapy massage.

The oils can be applied all over the body to relax the mind and muscles. The massage component will increase the effectiveness of the essential oils.

Topical oil. When using the oils topically, dilute the oils by half in a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil. This can be applied on the temples, forehead, back of the neck and ears. Apply between 3 to 6 times a day.

Warning on taking oils internally

Some essential oils can be used internally. It is recommended to only use those that are part of a formula approved for internal use. 

When selecting essential oils choose pure, un-adulterated, therapeutic grade oils. It is advised that pregnant women, people with a history of allergies and asthma, should only use oils under the guidance of a trained health professional.

References

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/treatment/aromatherapy

McCaffrey R, Thomas DJ, Kinzelman AO. The effects of lavender and rosemary essential oils on test-taking anxiety among graduate nursing students. Holist Nurs Pract 2009 Mar-Apr;23(2):88-93  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19258850

Sayorwan W, et al. Effects of inhaled rosemary essential oil on subjective feelings inactivities of nervous system. Sci Pharm. 2013 Jun; 81(2):531-42 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23833718

Siddique, Ashik. Rosemary Oil Health Benefit: Smell Boosts Prospective Memory. Medical Daily, April 9 2013
http://www.medicaldaily.com/rosemary-oil-health-benefit-smell-boosts-prospective-memory-244967

Sayorwan W, et al. The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity. J Med Assoc Thai. 2012 April:95(4):598-606 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22612017

Diego M.A., et al. Aromatherapy positively affects mood, EEG patterns of alertness and math computations. Int J Neurosci. 1998; (9):217-24 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10069621

Varney E, & Buckle J. Effect of inhaled essential oils on mental exhaustion & moderate burnout: a small pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2013 19(1):69-71http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23140115

Matsubara E, et al. Volatiles emitted from roots of Vetiveria zizanioides suppress decline in attention during visual display terminal task. Biomed