The sense of smell is the only one of the five senses directly linked to the limbic lobe of the brain, the emotional control center.
When smells are experienced, we react first and think later.
The other senses (touch, taste, hearing, & sight) are routed through the thalamus, which acts as a switchboard passing stimuli onto the conscious thought center.
The limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance.
Inhalation of essential oils combats stress, emotional trauma, and stimulates the natural chemistry in our brains to activate regeneration, healing and balance.