Life is beautiful, but it can also be busy and stressful. It may seem impossible to find a moment of peace when you are knee-deep in to-do lists and other commitments. Joining a yoga class, maintaining a daily meditation practice, and focusing on self-care may feel like a distant dream.
The good news is that small moments of peace can be found in the most unlikely places. One of the main reasons individuals are so stressed these days is because many people have moved to urban environments. When individuals are surrounded by more concrete than plants, terpene deficiency becomes an issue.
Terpene deficiency can cause a number of health issues, from increased risk of mental health concerns to reduced immune system function. Forest bathing is one way to counteract the negative effects of terpene deficiency syndrome. Studies have shown that a mindful walk through the forest can increase focus, boost energy, and improve mood. Even a 20-minute walk through a forested area can reduce cortisol levels by as much as 13%.1 Forest bathing has also been shown to improve immune system function, promote better sleep, and help maintain healthy blood pressure.
This is all wonderful news, but what about individuals who simply don’t have the time to get out in nature? This is where essential oils come in. While there is no true alternative to spending time in the great outdoors, daily use of essential oils can provide many of the same benefits.
Breathe Natural Serenity with Peace
Even if you can’t escape to the mountains every weekend, there are alternate ways to reduce the symptoms of terpene deficiency. By choosing to breathe in essential oils through personal diffusers, you can benefit from these natural mood-boosting compounds no matter where you are.
Editor's Picks
-
MONQ: Let’s Start at the Beginning
Read about our Founder & CEO, Dr. Eric Fishman, and how he came up with the idea for MONQ, a brand that has since become iconic in the Health & Wellness industry.
-
Is Breathing Essential Oils from Portable Diffusers Safer Than Vaping?
More and more, people are electing to use essential oil diffusers as an alternative to vaping. Essential oils are healthier, […]
-
Sinusitis: Top 8 Essential Oils for Relief
Sinusitis—an infection or inflammation of the sinuses— is an incredibly common affliction.1 Often caused by allergies or illness, sinus inflammation results […]
Breathe Natural Serenity with our new blend, Peace. This new blend is formulated to bring you a moment of calm and relaxation whether you’re commuting to work or gearing up for a big interview. Simply breathe in gently into your mouth and out through your nose without inhaling into the lungs and allow the powerful essential oils in the blend to reap their health benefits. Peace is a unique blend of mandarin, rosemary, frankincense, and peppermint essential oils. All of these oils work synergistically to create a small moment of peace in your day.
The Link Between Stress and Overall Health
Perhaps you’ve been taking on too many responsibilities at work, or maybe there has been a lot of contention in your home. Nearly every aspect of life has the ability to cause stress, and it can be difficult to completely eradicate the feeling.
Unfortunately, chronic stress can lead to a number of health problems, including irritability, mental health concerns, nervousness, digestive issues, weight gain or loss, and high blood pressure. It can also lead to more serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease.2
Stress may be an unavoidable part of everyday life, but you don’t have to let it completely take over. MONQ’s personal diffuser blends are perfect for individuals who need those small moments of relaxation while constantly on-the-go. They can be tucked in a purse or pocket, or even worn around the neck.
Although using essential oils can help regulate emotions, you won’t be able to reap all of their benefits if you aren’t maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In addition to carrying around your personal diffuser, you should aim to maintain healthy habits.
Easy Habits for Reducing Stress
Stay Active
This may include walking around the block on your lunch break or biking to work instead of driving a few days a week.
Think Positive Thoughts
Be more mindful of the way you think. Are you constantly criticizing yourself or focusing on the negative? Try writing down five things you are grateful for at the end of every day and see how it affects your thoughts.
Surround Yourself with a Good Support System
Do you have a friend who constantly brings you down? Try spending more time with people who uplift you and less time with those who make you question your worth. If you don’t live near any close friends, try giving them a call one day a week.
Maintain a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
Do you stay up too late at night only to drink endless cups of coffee the next day? Try to set a realistic sleep schedule and reduce caffeine and alcohol intake. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, and don’t forget to eat!
Take Time for Yourself
Even if you’re extremely busy, try to carve out a few minutes a day to just be with yourself. This could translate to a few quick breathing exercises before using Peace MONQ or a couple of minutes of journaling in the evenings.
A Deeper Look into the Essential Oils in Peace
Mandarin Essential Oil
Mandarin essential oil is a unique citrus oil. While many citrus oils boost mood and increase energy, mandarin is actually used for its sedative properties. It contains high concentrations of the terpene limonene (approximately 65–75%), which significantly contributes to its relaxing properties.
This fresh, sweet citrus oil is often used for its antiseptic, antispasmodic, digestive, sedative, and depurative properties. In the Peace blend, mandarin essential oil provides a calming effect. It can help alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety. Additionally, it’s wonderful for reducing nervous tension and improving sleep quality.3
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary has a long history of both culinary and medicinal use. Two of its main chemical constituents are 1,8 Cineole and a-Pinene, both of which are known for their healing and restorative properties.
Although it has a wide range of uses, rosemary essential oil plays a few important roles in the Peace blend. Primarily, rosemary essential oil can help alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety. It has a soothing effect on the nervous system and can create feelings of peace. It also has strong analgesic properties, which can help alleviate the pain of headaches. Rosemary’s antiseptic properties help fight respiratory infections and provide a general boost to the immune system.
In a 2007 study, researchers found that simply inhaling a combination of rosemary and lavender essential oils for five minutes a day significantly reduced cortisol levels. By decreasing levels of the stress hormone, inhaling these relaxing oils can help protect the body from oxidative stress.4 This provides almost immediate relief from symptoms of stress and can also reduce levels of stress in the future.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is one of the most widely used essential oils during yoga and meditation sessions. In ancient rituals, it was used as an incense to promote health and banish negative energy. Frankincense essential oil is known for its anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, astringent, antiseptic, and diuretic properties.
In Peace, frankincense helps reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. When inhaled, it has been shown to reduce heart rate, maintain healthy blood pressure, and calm the nervous system. Frankincense is also used as an immunostimulant, boosting the function of the immune system and helping the body fight off bacteria and viruses.
Frankincense’s healing properties don’t end there. This essential oil has also been shown to alleviate aches and pains, support the respiratory system, improve sleep quality, ease digestive issues, and boost cognitive function.
One study in 2009 found that incensole acetate, derived from Boswellia resin relieves anxiety. It achieves these effects by activating the TRPv3 channels in the brain, which play a role in regulating emotions.5 If you feel as though you need some emotional stability, frankincense can help get you there.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Have you ever sipped on some peppermint tea to ease stomach discomfort or breathed in its fresh, minty scent to alleviate the pain of a headache? Peppermint is easy to come by, yet its health benefits are often overlooked. The menthol in peppermint essential oil is what creates its distinctive aroma. However, menthol offers more than just a minty scent: it’s responsible for the essential oil’s anti-inflammatory, anti-candidal, antimicrobial, antipyretic, and carminative properties.
Peppermint essential oil helps support many different systems of the body. Simply breathing it in can help ease the pain of headaches, and it’s especially effective at clearing the sinuses and easing respiratory issues. This essential oil can also maintain healthy circulation, improve digestion, increase focus, and boost cognitive function.
In a 2008 study, 144 volunteers were exposed to ylang-ylang aroma, peppermint aroma, or no aroma. The results found that peppermint enhanced memory and increased alertness, while ylang-ylang actually impaired memory and decreased levels of alertness.6
The addition of peppermint essential oil in Peace ensures that your moment of relaxation won’t turn into an accidental afternoon nap.
Final Thoughts
Peace is a blend that is useful in a number of different situations. Maybe you’re looking for a bit of emotional support, or maybe you feel as though your immune system needs a boost. Perhaps you need to ease feelings of stress but keep yourself mentally stimulated. Peace can help in all of these situations and more. Pair it with Happy for a mood boost, Zen for ultimate relaxation, or Relieve to support overall health.
Photo credits: AntoninaVlasova/shutterstock.com, 279photoStudio/shutterstock.com, MadeleineSteinbach/shutterstock.com, AntonovaGanna/shutterstock.com