2020 has brought a boatload of challenges and now, in the middle of a pandemic, a new school year is upon us. The following study could prove to be valuable in any classroom setting - online at home or, in-person learning.
According to a UK Study - We know that the inhalation of Rosemary essential oil has been shown to enhance cognition in healthy adults. But in this study, 40 schoolchildren aged nine to eleven years were exposed to either the aroma of Rosemary or no aroma in a classroom setting where they completed standardized tests of working memory in fifteen minute procedure.
Analysis of the data revealed that performance on the Immediate serial recall, Sentence span, and Counting span tasks were significantly better in the Rosemary aroma condition and possessed medium to large effect sizes. This is the first study to demonstrate such effects in children and suggests that the potential for enhancement is greater than in adults. The findings are discussed in terms of the potential for improving academic attainment through natural interventions and the possible mechanisms behind such effects.
Diffusing essential oils is ideal at home but not always welcome in public school settings. Here's a work-around...
- The Breathe Jar -
Add 5+ drops of Rosemary Essential Oil to a cotton cosmetic pad (organic preferable), place in jar with a lid. To receive the cognitive benefits of Rosemary, open the jar and breathe the aroma in deeply through the nose as needed.
Aromatherapy’s unique appeal is that something natural and fragrant can have beneficial effects on both body and mind at the same time.
Entering the body through the nose, skin or internal routes, individual constituents selectively bind to specific targets in cells and tissues, most notably proteins or cell membranes. By modifying their functional properties, bioactive constituents found in essential oils can directly affect physiological processes in the body. For example, they may reduce inflammation by modifying specific signaling pathways in immune cells or help calm the mind by binding to specific receptors in nervous tissue or both if needed.
For example: Rosemary is a stimulating essential oil that can boost mental activity and sharpen your focus. It’s also used to ease pain and cramping.
Essential oils are known to be adaptogenic...
“adaptogens help your body handle stress,” says Dr. Brenda Powell, co-medical director of the Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. “They’re meant to bring us back to the middle. When you use adaptogens, “you’re training your body to handle the effects of stress.”
I bet you're thinking right now about how you personally can benefit from the use of essential oils to manage your own stress. But just imagine how we can help our children do the same by incorporating the use of essential oils in a learning setting and beyond.
