Everyone loves a scent in their home and the benefits of incense sticks are as popular as ever as we take a look into why we use them during our every day lives.

People have been using incense sticks as far back as 2345 BC and were first used by the Egyptians.

They were originally used for religious purposes and have continued to be in use today for healing, bringing memories to life, help relax and keep us calm as well as for concentration with meditation and yoga.

There are so many uses for them today and they have stayed as a popular home product ever since their first introduction.

The benefits of incense sticks

Burning an incense stick gives the person something to focus on. The opportunity to switch off in the same way to those who practice yoga.

It takes us to another place for that moment in time, where everything else that runs through the mind is pushed aside whilst our mind focuses on breathing techniques and the scent surrounding us.

In order to practice good yoga and meditation, the mind needs to switch off so by burning an incense stick, this allows the mind to do just that and give a different focal point.

They were originally made with natural plants and materials which were classed as medicinal.

Some will help to clear a headache, improve the immune system with their antibacterial properties and some can help to heal scars, pimples and acne.

Burning your favourite scent can also help to relieve stress and anxiety.

We are surrounded by every day stresses and worries so with the help of incense sticks giving off a calm and aromatic scent, this can help reduce the anxiety we may be feeling.

Happy and creative vibes

Another reason why people may use them is to help with creativity. Those such as Artists may use them to help bring out their creative side.

The sticks also help to bring out happiness and peace and to help stimulate the mind to be more creative.

Just like wearing your favourite perfume, having a favourable scent around you will ensure that happy vibes are at the forefront of your mind.

No one ever feels in a bad mood when they are surrounded by their favourite scent.

Deodorizing the home

One of the most common reasons why people burn them is to deodorize their homes.

The smell of pet fur, stale food or rubbish bins can linger and give an unpleasant smell throughout the home.

Read our hoover fragrances post for another way to eliminate bad odours in the home.

By burning an incense stick, this gives off a more pleasant smell to mask any unwanted scents around us.

They can also work well outdoors to keep insects away.

Pesky insects don’t like strong smells, especially popular ones such as lavender and citronella, that are suggested for keeping them at bay.

These particular scents work well when burning them as candles too. Stores sell candles that can be used outside to keep insects away from your food during the summer months.

If you have trouble sleeping, apart from using a pillow mist spray, which helps to switch you off from every day thoughts and relax you, incense sticks can also be used. Make sure you put out the stick safely before you sleep.

The aromatherapy scents work the best to calm the mind and aid a restful nights sleep.

Retreat spa

Have you ever been to a massage retreat spa? There will often be an incense stick burning in the room whilst you have a massage.

This helps you to focus on the fragrance of the scent and switch off the mind. By having your mind in a relaxed state, this helps the body to relax and therefore your body will benefit much more from the massage.

Using incense sticks safely

Be extra careful when purchasing incense sticks as some are full of chemicals. Choose brands that are non-toxic and try to find ones that are scented naturally rather than ones that use chemical fragrances.

If you choose ones that have no core, these will have a more natural aroma and won’t smell of burning wood, away from any draft caused by open doors or windows. Keep away from curtains too.

They are very easy to use. Light the end with a match or a lighter and hold for around 10 seconds. Just long enough for the stick to ignite.

The flame more often than not will extinguish on its own. An average burning time will be around 20-30 minutes, depending on their size and thickness.

If you wish to put the stick out before it has fully burnt away, then you can dip the ignited end into water.

Incense sticks do produce a lot of smoke when they burn so make sure you them in a ventilated room.

Be mindful that the smoke burning from an incense stick is a lung irritant, so try not to burn them too often or around those who have breathing conditions such as asthma.

The importance of Chakra

Many of you I’m sure will have heard of chakra. An ancient word that means ‘wheel’ and refers to the spinning vortexes of the body’s natural energy system.

Recently I have learned that my chakra has weak energy and I was in fact absorbing energy from others as my chakra was closed.

When the body is exposed to stress or depression for example, the chakras will react and create an imbalance.

Ideally we need all of our chakras to be open which then promotes balance and frees up energy.

There are chakra incense sticks available on the eBay that have different scents and are great to use whilst practicing meditation or yoga.

One thing to bear in mind when using incense sticks, just like using candles, make sure you burn them in a safe environment.

Especially if you have pets or young children.

You can purchase the holders that fit an incense stick inside, to catch the falling ashes. Some are more suitable than others so shop around for the most suitable one.

Some of the most popular scents are sandalwood and this scent is used for its relaxing benefits.

Lavender and patchouli scents are great for aiding a restful sleep as they put you into a deeper relaxed state to help you unwind and fall asleep faster.

Depression is such a huge topic and those who do suffer will certainly benefit from a scent such a frankincense. This fragrance activates the ion channels that will then help alleviate anxiety and depression.

There are some incense sticks that help kill germs in the environment and those that have antibacterial properties will boost your health.

Scents such as cedar and sage are good for reducing negative energies and spirits from our surroundings.

Rose scent has been found to help and work as a mild painkiller. It can also help to lower the blood pressure and improve the mood.

There are so many benefits that we can use incense sticks for and they are an affordable accessory to buy from many online and in store retailers.

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