Surprising Mental Health Benefits of Scented Candles

Jun 17, 2022

Generally people burn scented candles to remove bad odor from home or refreshing their home spreading good smell. Besides this, there are lots of health benefits of scented candles. Specially there are some mental health benefits of scented candles burning in the home. There are many different ways in which scented candles affect mental health positively reducing stress and anxiety.

It has been proven from different researches that when scented candles are used, their scent stimulates the mind to create a sensation of calmness and relaxation.

Different types of scents have different effects. For example, some scented candles good for health lowering anxiety levels while some have the ability to stimulate memory.

There are a lot of points that we can discuss when it comes to the mental health benefits of scented candles. In this post, we are going to be looking at some of those.

What Are the Mental Health Benefits of Scented Candles Burning?

From reliving stress to boosting sound sleeping, there are many mental health benefits of scented candles for your wellness. Here we are going to discuss the most important health benefits of burning scented candles. Continue reading:

1. Scented Candles Improve Your Mood

As we said earlier, certain candles have the capability of lowering stress levels with their aromas.

When stress levels are lowered, you feel calm and relaxed. Some candles have the ability to trigger the production of chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin; both of which are responsible for increasing happiness levels.

Similarly, some candles can work to lower the levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the body.

Citrus, frankincense, and vanilla are some examples of candles that improve mood and lower stress levels.

You can actually give this a try yourself. The next time you're feeling stressed, try lighting a couple of these candles and lying down with your eyes closed for some time.

2. Scented Candles Help You Focus

While candles in general are good for studying and working because of their calming and soothing presence, there are actually some scents that particularly stimulate your mind to focus and concentrate better.

Some examples of these scents include rosemary, cinnamon, and lemon.

The next time you find it hard to focus on your work, light a couple of these scented candles and put them close by. They could take some time, but you'll feel your mind clearing up after a while.

3. Scented Candles Enhance Senses

Some scented candles also help in enhancing and refreshing your senses. You know…that feeling when you’re feeling all groggy and your mind feels full of fog.

Orange and cinnamon scents are both great for rejuvenating senses and for giving a boost to mental clarity.

Using these types of candles can be good if you can’t get your mind to concentrate properly, or if you are finding it hard to focus.

4. Memory Stimulation

Apart from improving the levels of concentration and focus, scented candles affect mental health by stimulating memory.

It’s harder to recall stuff when you’re tired and if your mind is all tuckered out. Using a scented candle can be a good way to give your memory a boost. Chamomile is a good scent to try for this purpose.

5. Scented Candles Help You Stay Energized

Some scents, like citrus, help you stay attentive and awake. If you want to get a boost in your energy levels, try lighting a citrus-scented candle.

It is worth noting that concentration and focus levels are a bit different from energy levels. Having good concentration does not necessarily mean that you’ll also have good energy levels.

Tips on Using Scented Candles

That was pretty much it for how scented candles affect mental health. Next, let’s take a look at some tips that you can follow to make sure that you get the best out of your scented candles.

1. Choose the Right Candles for the Right Time and Place

Scents like citrus and cinnamon are good for awakening senses and improving concentration levels whereas scents like lavender and sandalwood are good for relaxation.

Now, you definitely don’t want to go and light a citrus-scented candle in your bedroom and a lavender one in your study. It should be the opposite.

The point is that you should choose the right candle for a particular place and time. Using an energizing and concentration-heightening scent at bedtime is definitely not a good idea. You’ll ruin your sleep and waste a nice candle along with it.

Choose the Right Candles for the Right Time and Place

Similarly, if you are sitting down to do some work, you need to have some vivid scents around you like cinnamon and citrus. If you were to place a lavender or sandalwood candle on your study desk, you’ll just start getting sleepy after a while.

2. Be Careful Where You Put the Candles

You should not place candles directly on a wooden surface, or near anything inflammable. Ideally, you should place your candles on a heat-resistant and non-flammable surface like glass or ceramic.

But that is as far as the aspect of safety goes. Where you position your candles can also have an effect on how efficiently they work.

For example, if you place a candle next to a door or window that gets open and shut frequently, you aren't going to be able to properly enjoy the scent. The same goes for vents and exhaust fans.

You should try and place the candles in an undisturbed and isolated corner where they’ll be able to sit quietly and fill the room up with their aroma.

3. Don’t Use Them in Your Kitchen

Scented candles won’t work very well in a kitchen.

Kitchens are more or less always filled with some smell or the other due to all the cooking and baking etc.

Furthermore, most people have exhaust fans and backdoors in their kitchens; both of which will negatively affect the working of the candle.

Conclusion

Scented candles affect mental health in a lot of different ways. They can help you focus better and they can lower your anxiety levels to make you feel more relaxed.

Different types of scents have their own properties; some of which we discussed above in the post. For example, citrus scents are good for improving focus and concentration whereas lavender is good for relaxation. You can take your pick according to your need and preference.

And once you do get your hands on a scented candle, you should be particular about how you use it. To take some pointers on using scented candles, take a little gander at the last section of the above post.

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