02/14/2019 / By Ellaine Castillo
With everything that’s going on in the world, it’s normal to feel tired and overwhelmed. This might seem normal, at first, but it can cause a condition known as central fatigue, wherein a person becomes unable to accomplish mental and physical tasks. Fortunately, researchers have found an easy way to alleviate central fatigue naturally. In the study by scientists from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Dali University in China, they were able to formulate a compound essential oil from different plants that had physical and mental health benefits on rats with central fatigue.
Central fatigue often results from the dysfunction of the central nervous system. People with this condition don’t exhibit cognitive failure or motor weakness. However, they usually show signs and symptoms like fatigue sensation, weakness of physical function, low efficiency during mental tasks, anxiety, and depression. The complex state of central fatigue can be induced by heavy physical and mental tasks, like sleep deprivation. The development of this condition has also been associated with low levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Relaxation therapy and sufficient oxygen can improve some symptoms of central fatigue. However, there was still no effective intervention for central fatigue prior to this study.
Aromatherapy is known for its physical and mental health benefits. It is commonly used as a natural remedy for sleep problems, depression, and stress. Furthermore, it has been shown to improve the well-being of cancer patients, especially in those who have undergone radiotherapy. Although there are already studies on the benefits of essential oils on burning out and mental fatigue, there is limited research on their potential use in alleviating central fatigue.
In this study from BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the researchers formulated a compound essential oil from the essential oils of nine different plants. These include Indian sandalwood (Santalum album), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), lemon (Citrus limonum), gum benjamin (Styrax benzoin), grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), peppermint (Mentha piperata), Acori tatarinowii, Rhodiola crenulata, and tea plant (Camellia sinensis). They then determined its effects on rats with central fatigue due to chronic sleep deprivation using different tests.
The researchers evaluated the compound essential oil’s effects on physical performance through a weight-loaded forced swimming test. After inhalation of the essential oil, the rats exhibited significant improvements in their swimming time. This suggests that treated rats had better endurance and physical function. Meanwhile, for assessing anxiety and cognitive performance, the team used an open field test and the elevated plus maze. The results of these studies showed that treated rats experienced improvements in depression- and anxiety-like behavior. They also had better emotions, space cognition, and decision-making ability.
From these results, the researchers concluded that the compound essential oil they formulated can be used to improve central fatigue. This is because of its ability to improve both physical and mental functions. (Related: Tired All the Time? Try These Adrenal Support Essential Oil Blends.)
If you’re suffering from fatigue, you can also try out the following natural remedies:
If you’d like to read more news articles on the health benefits of different essential oils, visit EssentialOils.news.
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