Aromatherapy may not be something that crossed your mind when you thought about Alzheimer’s or any other type of dementia. But that’s about to change. According to new studies, many alternative and holistic therapies have a positive effect on these conditions. Aromatherapy is one of them. Those seniors who have Alzheimer’s should try it out and reap the positive impact which this treatment imparts.
Understanding Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is not too complicated. This therapy consists of the use of essential oils extracted from plants. The goal is to improve a person’s health. It positively affects not only physical but also mental health. This type of treatment which doesn’t use medication or synthetic products is called holistic, and it’s a favored type of healing.
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Holistic treatments are not a new thing. They have been around for millennia. Until now, there has been very little concrete proof that they have any effect on the health of an individual. While various gurus approve it, scientists needed to confirm this through research. According to various new studies, aromatherapy can positively affect a person’s health. This especially goes for patients who have Alzheimer’s.
Aromatherapy and Alzheimer’s
Today, even scientists praise aromatherapy, and they single out its positive effect on patients who have Alzheimer’s. In a recent trial, it was proven that this therapy helped patients sleep better at night, it lowered their daily agitation, and their awareness levels were increased. An exciting dose of alertness followed after they had been subjected to treatments with mandarin, lavender, and geranium oils, which were applied to their skin.
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Other studies confirmed that patients who had their skin massaged with lemon balm and lavender had less behavioral issues than usual. Lavender had the best effect, as the people who were using it were less agitated and had prolonged periods of calmness. The thing which is under debate is the way in which plant-based oils should be applied. As many Alzheimer’s patients lose their sense of smell, the question remains if the oils should be applied directly onto the skin. Some claim that using their aroma might be enough.
The studies on this subject have become more frequent. One research subjected patients to constant treatments with plant oils. They were treated to lemon and rosemary oils in the morning and orange and lavender in the evening. This study was conducted over a period of 28 days. All of the patients that participated showed improvement of their cognitive function. What’s even better, there were no adverse side effects. The conclusion drawn from this study was that aromatherapy has a positive impact on Alzheimer’s disease.
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All of those who use essential oils claim that there are no side effects. When you look at them like this, it is no wonder that many people are starting to use them instead of medications. Among all oils, the one made out of lavender is the safest to use. This doesn’t mean that others aren’t, it’s just that lavender had the best influence on Alzheimer’s patients. All in all, it’s better to use natural remedies than anti-psychotic drugs. Of course, this only goes if it was proven that holistic medicine works.
The Calming Effects of Lavender on Dementia Patients
The knowledge of the positive effect of lavender oils is so widespread that many facilities that have Alzheimer’s patients use it. They consider this natural remedy more effective and healthier than sedative medications. The practice to use lavender oils and other plant-based ones instead of meds is getting more and more widely used.
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