Ease Stress with Scents

It is found that the scents of lavender, lemon, orange, grape, mango, and basil are good at easing stress. They all contain linalool, which is a chemical that can offset the effects of stress. Linalool has a calming effect on the limbic center of the brain, which is involved in processing emotions.

Lavender is a good scent that is good at aiding relaxation and reducing anxiety. Lavender oil can be used to treat pain from tension headache when it is breathed in as a vapor or diluted and rubbed on the skin. When it is added to a vaporizer, it can help to treat cough and respiratory infection. The scent of lemon has shown in studies to enhance mood and ease stress and depression. Basil can help to ease depression and relieve headaches and migraines.

Exercise Encourages Wellness

A recent research has shown that a single 20 minute exercise session each week can reduce stress, decrease anxiety, and increase happiness and energy levels. Researchers have also found that almost any type of physical activity, including housework, yard work, and brisk walking could help to decrease levels of mental distress.

Allergies Causing Depression

It is found that tree pollen can cause symptoms of depression. A psychologist at the Mood and Anxiety Program of the University of Maryland and School of Medicine analyzed surveys of 845 men and women and found that two thirds of the people surveyed reported mood difficulties during the spring season, which is when pollen levels are very high. It is believed that airborne allergens produce inflammation in the respiratory airways and the inflammation causes symptoms of depression in some people.

Another study was done on patients with mood disorders that found that increased allergy symptoms during times of high levels of pollen were connected with depression symptoms that were more severe. This study fits with earlier evidence that suicide rates increase during late spring and a family history of allergies affects depression in women.