Your Quick Guide to Diffusing
Ever wondered what was the best way to diffuse?
Ever gotten the advice that it’s safe you can run the diffuser all day long?
Sadly there is a lot of misinformation when it comes to essential oils, and diffusing is probably one of the biggest ones that people can be misinformed about. You have probably bought a diffuser and noticed that it either has a 1, 2 or 3 hour function. Perhaps it just runs until it’s empty. You also might have noticed that if you do leave the diffuser running for as long as most diffusers can go it can be overwhelming, maybe you get a headache or maybe you just get sick of the scent after a while. The smell also doesn’t dissipate right away after stopping the diffuser especially if you’ve been letting it run for hours. So how can we avoid reactions like this? Yes, they are reactions. Any irritations, rashes, headaches etc to essential oils are reactions. We want to use the oils in a safe to avoid these reactions.
Things to remember when diffusing:
Pick a diffuser that has options that benefit you: A lot of diffusers really lack in the setting department but there are a few that have on/off auto options and limit your time diffusing. You want to look for one that has times less than 1 hour. It’s not ideal to let the diffuser run for a full hour but this is by far better than having a diffuser that never shuts off. My favorite diffuser is the portable one from Plant Therapy as it has the best options.
Less is more: Often times we are recommended to put upwards of 10 drops into a diffuser. Depending on your diffuser size, this could seriously overpower a room really quickly. An average recommendation is 3-5 drops per 100 ml, so you will want to know your diffuser capacity and base it off of that. Smaller diffusers only need 1-3 drops. In my travel diffuser 1 drop is more than enough. I usually stick with 3-5 in my diffusers because I find more than that to just be too much. If you struggle with getting the correct number of drops with individual oils consider buying or making blends; this allows you to diffuse multiple oils without having to add too many drops.
Consider the time you spend diffusing: How long do you spend diffusing? Is it more than 30 minutes? You can get the best results doing 30 minutes or less. You only need about 15 minutes to get any therapeutic benefits. If you want to run the diffuser for longer consider using less drops. Remember to shut the diffuser off if you see any reactions or are getting sick of the scent.
Consider the ages: For older and younger people, diffuse less. Less drops, less times. You can diffuse starting around 3 months but I don’t recommend just starting off immediately. Start with 1 or 2 drops in a diffuser of a single oil. Run for 5 minutes then turn off. Work your way up to 15 minutes diffusing and always watch for reactions. For older people use less drops and run for 15 minutes max. We don’t want to over power anyone.
Lastly consider the oils you are using: Many oils are safe for everyone, but many also are not. Know what is safe, and keep in mind that just because it is safe doesn’t mean you won’t have reactions. Consider that some oils might not be good to diffuse in your home. Some oils like cinnamon are more prone to reactions, just be cautious of what you are diffusing and keep in mind that allergies can and do occur.
So there you have it, some simple steps to ensure diffusing is safe and not overwhelming in your home. I hope this helps and happy diffusing.
Thank you so much for reading, your support means a lot. If you have any questions feel free to email me at holisticary@gmail.com or call/text me at 641-631-6355This blog post was meant to educate and entertain, it is entirely my opinion and not meant to treat or diagnose anyone or to be taken as absolute unwavering fact. Please seek proper medical care and advice. 