October 15, 2024

Benefits of using Scented Candles

Lighting a scented candle and breathing deeply is one of life’s great pleasures. Did you know though that there are many tangible benefits of using scented candles? We won’t go into all the complex biology behind it, but our brain processes scent differently compared to other senses which means they can have incredible effects.

Reduce Stress

First of all, and we’re sure you’ve noticed this one already, they can help reduce stress. Citrus scents such as lemon have been shown to lower reported anxiety in studies. Part of this is because we use signals from our environment to determine how to react to situations. A pleasant scent and the relaxing ritual of lighting a scented candle help assure our brain there’s nothing to be scared about right now. This is particularly useful for anxious people as that causes hypervigilance to danger and can see it where it doesn’t exist so starting a calming routine with a candle can help ease stress.

Improve Sleep

For those who struggle with sleep issues such as insomnia, a lavender candle could work in sending you off to dreamland. Calming candle scents are often made with essential oils, so you get all the benefits of aromatherapy. This means the lavender will calm your stress levels, lower your heart rate, and work on the areas of your brain that control sleep and relaxation. All these effects combined could lead to peaceful sleep and reduce the number of times you wake up each night. Make sure to follow candle safety precautions though and extinguish it before you nod off.

Boost Concentration

Our powerful scent processing opens up other benefits of scented candles at home that aren’t to do with relaxation. Many of us now work at home and did you know that a candle could help you focus? Peppermint is a particularly powerful scent for this area of your life as it boosts concentration and calms certain waves in the brain which help you feel more alert. So if you’re a victim of the afternoon slump or struggle to get in the focused zone at home, lighting the right candle could help. Other scents that help alertness include jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang. The choice is yours as to whether you tell your boss a candle has helped when they praise your increased productivity.

Scented Candles to Create a Cosy Home

Scented candles can also add to your space. Warm scented candles can help a home feel cosy, especially in the colder months. As they’re available in all manner of holders you’re sure to find one in the colour and style that suits your décor and helps elevate the feel of your home.

Self-Care and so Much More

We touched on the biology of scents earlier and to go into a little more detail, scents bypass certain areas in our brain and head straight to our memory centres. This means we can have vivid associations with scents, and you can use scented candles to your benefit. Choosing a scent you enjoy can help you build new habits in this way. If, for example, you want to start doing yoga, lighting a candle before you practice will help your brain connect the scent to yoga. This means that after a few days when you start your routine of lighting the candle, you’ll feel more motivated and prepared for the exercise. This helps you show up and exercise long enough to start to feel the benefits which is when you’re more likely to stick to it long-term. Building habits doesn’t have to be exercise, scented candles can help you bring more mindfulness into your life. You could meditate or do a calming breathing routine while the candle is lit. This routine will help your stress levels and could help your body know it’s time to switch off when it smells the aroma. Floral scents like rose and hyacinth are good choices for building wellness routines as they can help boost self-confidence.

For those studying, scent can be a great way to revise. Lighting the same scent of candle each time you go over your notes will help your brain form a connection between the facts and the smell. Just before you go into the exam, smelling the same scent can help in your recall. Of course, it may not be possible to smell a scented candle if you’re outside your house for the exam but there are ways around it. You could for example use a peppermint candle, as we’ve stated above it helps concentration so studying will be a breeze, and then take some peppermint gum to chew just before you sit the exam.

If you’re grieving and miss the person on certain days, lighting a candle in their favourite scent or the scent of a perfume you associate with them when you’re missing them can help bring back stronger memories of your time together. Scented candles won’t fix grief of course but focusing on happy memories can help with acceptance.

How to Choose Scents to Maximise the Benefits of Scented Candles

We’ve mentioned many scents and their benefits here so how do you pick between them? To start with, you could research aromatherapy and see which effects would work best for you and choose candles with those essential oils. Ultimately though, enjoying your candles is important so picking your favourite scent is fine. Especially if you’re looking to use the scent to help build habits, one you already like will make you look forward to lighting it and starting your new routine.

There are a few tips to ensure you get the most out of your scented candle. Trimming the wick to about 3mm before you light your candle for the first time will help the scent throw evenly without being covered by smoky aromas. It will also prevent larger flames that could be dangerous and will burn the candle more quickly. You should also ensure you burn your candle for the right amount of time for even burning and scent. Most standard-size scented candles need to burn for four hours to ensure the whole top layer is melted for an even burn each time.

If you’re now excited to try out fresh scents for your home, you can shop our wide range of scented candles in Australia here.