7 ms·

Aside from comments claiming that the article is BS because it is funded by P&G, I can tell that aromatherapy works. Be scientific, try it yourself. 1. Get 10

Aside from comments claiming that the article is BS because it is funded by P&G, I can tell that aromatherapy works. Be scientific, try it yourself. 1. Get 100% lavender oil, put a couple of drops onto your pillow before sleep. Sleep and see how rested you are. 2. Get a diffuser. Set it up drop a few drops of lavender oil in it. Let it run while you watch a movie, read news etc. Feel the relaxation and calm. 3. Drop a few drops of peppermint oil into the diffuser before you do a task that requires concentration. Feel the alertness. I do not know about the health benefits, but essential oils work on me if I want to relax or increase my attention passively.

droopyEyelids 3y ago
More and more people are noticing you can actually feel lavender working, and there are studies proving it. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17267908/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17267908/ https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2019/9/feature/3-feature-lavender https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2019/9/feature/3-feature-lavend... This is a different (linked?) effect than what you were talking about but it's good evidence that some essential oils do change our bodies
- wizofaus 3y ago
  I actually had a doctor recommend lavender oil capsules for treating a family member's anxiety...was rather surprised but it seems there's at least enough science behind it to persuade medical professionals.
  - nojs 3y ago
    Slate star codex recently did an article about this: https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/lavenders-game-silexan-for-anxiety https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/lavenders-game-silexan...
Scalene2 3y ago
Someone will probably say that the (real and positive) results are due purely to the placebo effect. I say, so what, the results are real, who cares what the mechanism of action is as long as it's harmless.
- Tao3300 3y ago
  I think it's somewhere between real and placebo, if that makes sense. I doubt that any particular essential oils themselves actually have their own effects; rather they provide a degree of stimulation to the senses that is therapeutic.
- RC_ITR 3y ago
  There’s also an argument to be made that the average scientist is more anxious and in their head than the average human. So the effect of “X thing relaxes Y person, which leads to better outcomes” is woefully understudied/underutilized, since it doesn’t work on the scientists/doctors themselves.
- JohnBooty 3y ago
  I think it's well accepted that mood / mental state can affect performance. It's also well accepted that smells can affect us emotionally. I think the burden of proof is on anybody who doesn't think smells can affect performance. They should, ideally, have to perform this work while sitting in a smelly public bathroom.
- phkahler 3y ago
  I say HN just got gamed by low karma accounts in a coordinated way to shill essential oils. Even the personal accounts here don't sound like 226 percent cognitive improvements mentioned in the sales piece - err I mean article.
Tao3300 3y ago
Anecdata, I've used lavender to deal with my misophonia in the past. A few whiffs from an inhaler after a trigger noise acts like a reset button for my senses. The tension and the touch-confusion lessen pretty dramatically.
nojs 3y ago
Note that ultrasonic diffusers have some questionable health effects due to the small particles they create (other types of diffusers don’t): https://dynomight.net/humidifiers/ https://dynomight.net/humidifiers/
- Baeocystin 3y ago
  All true, but worth mentioning that if you used distilled water and keep the humidifier clean, all of the listed issues no longer apply. The real issue is the aerosolized minerals, not the humidifier per se. (not trying to argue at all, just providing additional context)
wuqtas 3y ago
also try with a fake substance that only smell like lavender, let someone choose for you. repeat various times and when you get enough data, compare! possibly with more than 1 person.
morninglight 3y ago
Aromatherapy Safety Concerns - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy#Safety_concerns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy#Safety_concerns ..
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droopyEyelids 3y ago

More and more people are noticing you can actually feel lavender working, and there are studies proving it. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17267908/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17267908/ https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2019/9/feature/3-feature-lavender https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2019/9/feature/3-feature-lavend... This is a different (linked?) effect than what you were talking about but it's good evidence that some essential oils do change our bodies

wizofaus 3y ago
I actually had a doctor recommend lavender oil capsules for treating a family member's anxiety...was rather surprised but it seems there's at least enough science behind it to persuade medical professionals.
- nojs 3y ago
  Slate star codex recently did an article about this: https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/lavenders-game-silexan-for-anxiety https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/lavenders-game-silexan...

Scalene2 3y ago

Someone will probably say that the (real and positive) results are due purely to the placebo effect. I say, so what, the results are real, who cares what the mechanism of action is as long as it's harmless.

Tao3300 3y ago
I think it's somewhere between real and placebo, if that makes sense. I doubt that any particular essential oils themselves actually have their own effects; rather they provide a degree of stimulation to the senses that is therapeutic.
RC_ITR 3y ago
There’s also an argument to be made that the average scientist is more anxious and in their head than the average human. So the effect of “X thing relaxes Y person, which leads to better outcomes” is woefully understudied/underutilized, since it doesn’t work on the scientists/doctors themselves.
JohnBooty 3y ago
I think it's well accepted that mood / mental state can affect performance. It's also well accepted that smells can affect us emotionally. I think the burden of proof is on anybody who doesn't think smells can affect performance. They should, ideally, have to perform this work while sitting in a smelly public bathroom.
phkahler 3y ago
I say HN just got gamed by low karma accounts in a coordinated way to shill essential oils. Even the personal accounts here don't sound like 226 percent cognitive improvements mentioned in the sales piece - err I mean article.

Tao3300 3y ago

Anecdata, I've used lavender to deal with my misophonia in the past. A few whiffs from an inhaler after a trigger noise acts like a reset button for my senses. The tension and the touch-confusion lessen pretty dramatically.

nojs 3y ago

Note that ultrasonic diffusers have some questionable health effects due to the small particles they create (other types of diffusers don’t): https://dynomight.net/humidifiers/ https://dynomight.net/humidifiers/

Baeocystin 3y ago
All true, but worth mentioning that if you used distilled water and keep the humidifier clean, all of the listed issues no longer apply. The real issue is the aerosolized minerals, not the humidifier per se. (not trying to argue at all, just providing additional context)

wuqtas 3y ago

also try with a fake substance that only smell like lavender, let someone choose for you. repeat various times and when you get enough data, compare! possibly with more than 1 person.

morninglight 3y ago

Aromatherapy Safety Concerns - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy#Safety_concerns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapy#Safety_concerns ..

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