Science & Tech

Aromatherapy; Health Helper or Health Hoax

Hannah King

30 Sep 2025 — 2 min read

First off, what is aromatherapy? Lately, essential oil diffusers seem to be popular in the wellness world, especially the ones with Himalayan salt bases. According to Johns Hopkins, aromatherapy is a practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit.

" Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain." (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.)

Essential oils are discussed as having a multitude of applications and effects. One example given even talks about the potential for essential oils to be alternative approaches to battling bacteria.

" Although people claim essential oils are natural remedies for a number of ailments, there's not enough research to determine their effectiveness in human health. Results of lab studies are promising — one at Johns Hopkins found that certain essential oils could kill a type of Lyme bacteria better than antibiotics — but results in human clinical trials are mixed." (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.)

Later in the article, they go on to state the most useful oils that have been evaluated at the time of the article. On this list is lavender, tea tree, peppermint, and lemon. Looking specifically at mood, it is stated that lavender is typically good for reducing stress and promoting sleep, while lemon is stated to be a mood booster.

How can understanding scent play a role in designing more relaxing experiences? What are some ways that scent could be incorporated into the back seat experience?

References

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Aromatherapy: Do essential oils really work? Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/aromatherapy-do-essential-oils-really-work

Unknown author. (n.d.). Aromatherapy massage [Photograph]. The Healthy Practice. https://thehealthypractice.co.uk/aromatherapy-massage/

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