Do you feel overwhelmed by stress? Are you unable to turn off your thoughts after a long, tough day? If you are experiencing this, you are not alone. Millions of Indians experience a level of stress and anxiety daily. There are many ways to help alleviate your feelings of anxiety/stress, but one of the most effective and long-standing practices is incense burning. There is research supporting the use of incense or aromatherapy to reduce anxiety.
How Does Incense for Anxiety Work?
The fragrant smoke produced when you burn a stick of incense travels up to your nose and then immediately into your brain. Inhaling fragrant smoke sends signals from your olfactory receptors directly to your limbic system, the area of the brain linked to emotions and memories, thereby triggering emotional and physical responses, such as relaxation, reduced stress, and increased feelings of calm.
According to the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, aromatherapy using fragrances has been shown to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease cortisol (the "stress hormone") levels.
So, essentially, the right fragrance signals your body and brain to change how they feel.
Next, let’s look at the seven best fragrances for reducing anxiety/stress, each with proven supporting research.
7 Science-Backed Scents - Best Incense for Stress Relief
1. Lavender - The Most Researched Calming Scent
Lavender is the undisputed champion of calming incense sticks. A systematic review of research showed that when inhaled, lavender essential oil has proven to significantly reduce your anxiety level per standardised anxiety scales. In addition, another study published in the Journal of Caring Sciences indicated that when patients inhaled lavender, they had a marked reduction in both anxiety and cortisol levels.
Lavender incense benefits go beyond just smelling nice - it truly can lower the amount of cortisol in your body.
2. Sandalwood - Quiets a Restless Mind
Sandalwood incense is yet another example of how many of the aromas found in your typical Indian home or temple will provide calming benefits to the user. The key active ingredient in Sandalwood is santalol. Research has shown through scientific studies that santalol has grounding and stress-relieving benefits. Research has also shown that specific chemical compounds (held within sandalwood) exhibit anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) and sedative effects as they interact with neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore, if you have a busy mind, sandalwood is your friend.
3. Frankincense - Ancient Remedy, Modern Proof
The research study "Burning Incense is Psychoactive: A New Class of Antidepressants Might be Right Under Our Noses" determined that incense-like frankincense, specifically its resin, is an anxiety-relieving and antidepressant substance due to the neural pathways associated with emotions being activated through an aromatic compound called incensole acetate. For thousands of years, humans have utilised this incense for anxiety - it acts as a relieving mechanism, and now it is supported scientifically that frankincense helps reduce anxiety.
4. Rose - Lowers Your Heart Rate
Scientific findings have shown that while the scent of roses may help to reduce heart rate and blood pressure (two of the most common physiological symptoms of anxiety), it serves to create a calmer body and, therefore, a calmer mind because by reducing the heart rate, you are creating a calmer body. Rose agarbatti is one of the most accessible agarbattis for stress relief available in India.
For calming incense sticks at home, our Natural Rose Dhoop Sticks are excellent for the evening when you need to unwind; rose's calming effect lowers heart rate and will soothe your body after a long, stressful day.
5. Mogra (Jasmine) - Uplifts and Soothes Together
Studies show that scents such as jasmine reduce the level of cortisol in the body (the body's stress hormone). When the smell of jasmine fills a room, your body (also known as your mind and/or brain) will respond with serenity and relaxation. Mogra (jasmine), as with rose, is a common household aroma throughout India and continues to serve as an everyday source of aromatherapy incense that India can rely on.
6. Khus (Vetiver) - Grounding for Anxious Minds
Khus is best known for being a grounding scent due to its deep woody earthiness. This component of Vetiver works wonders on feelings of anxiety that are scattered or felt intensely. If your stress makes you feel uncentered and unable to concentrate, burning Khus (Vetiver) incense will help bring you back to the present moment.
7. Eucalyptus - Clears the Head, Clears the Stress
Eucalyptus incense opens up the air pathway and clears it out for a more comfortable breathing experience. Eucalyptus naturally promotes taking very slow, deep breaths, which is one of the quickest methods for calming an overactive nervous system and releasing tension/pressure from the body.
Take a look at our complete Agarbatti Collection - all natural, all flower-based, and free from manmade toxins. Aromatherapy incense in India that people of India can feel good about buying.
Why Natural Incense for Anxiety Matters
Not All Incense Sticks Are Equal: The majority of low-priced agarbatti brands use synthetic fragrances, chemical binders, and a bamboo core that produces extra smoke when burnt. The smoke from these types of incense can irritate your lungs and aggravate your anxiety.
For the best incense for stress relief, always choose natural, chemical-free incense made from real herbs and flower extracts; you will receive the maximum benefit when looking to relieve your anxiety.
For more info about how particular fragrances affect your brain and your anxiety, check out Neurolaunch's Scientific treatment overview.
Bottom Line
While there are sophisticated strategies for relieving stress and anxiety, there are also times when just being calm for a few minutes, along with the right smell, is all you need to relieve stress and anxiety. So whether you're burning a stick of lavender incense, sandalwood, rose, or khus incense, burning incense for anxiety helps to calm the mind and reduce the stress levels in the body by its direct influence on the brain.
To get the best results, try to use natural, chemical-free incense. HelpUsGreen sells a great assortment of handcrafted flower-based agarbatti products to choose from based on your preferred scent.
Have questions about which fragrance is right for you? Reach out to the HelpUsGreen team - they are always happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which is the best incense for anxiety and stress relief?
Lavender, sandalwood, and frankincense are the most well-researched scents in relation to anxiety. For those in India, chemical-free brands of natural agarbatti in rose, mogra, lavender, and khus scented incense sticks are good options when considering how to use incense to alleviate anxiety.
2. Is burning incense at home safe for anxiety sufferers?
Yes, if you use natural, chemical-free incense and keep the room adequately ventilated. Avoid synthetic or charcoal-based incense sticks as they can produce additional irritants. Burning one stick of incense in a properly ventilated area will be sufficient.
3. How does incense reduce anxiety scientifically?
When incense is burned, the fragrance from this incense goes through the olfactory nerves (the nerves that are responsible for your sense of smell) and gets sent to your limbic system (the emotional area of the brain), causing a physiological response in the body that aids relaxation by decreasing cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure.
4. How long should I burn incense for stress relief?
A typical time for burning an incense stick to relieve stress is anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. To achieve maximum effect, this should take place in a tranquil environment with the room being gently ventilated (not too much air blowing) and accompanied by slow, deep breathing, or sitting quietly.
5. What makes HelpUsGreen incense better than regular agarbatti for stress?
HelpUsGreen incense is much more effective for relieving stress in comparison to traditional agarbathi-type incense because HelpUsGreen utilises recycled temple flowers, combined with natural herbs and natural essential oils, and has no bamboo, no charcoal, and no manmade synthetic chemical additions; therefore, using redundant materials produces less pollution and better odours for people who may be sensitive or experiencing anxiety or stress.
