The season are changing from autumn to winter and the weather outside is growing colder by the day. I do not like the cold and darkness of the winter and this affects my mood drastically. Every year at around this time I start to feel down. I can't bear the dark frosty mornings or the dreary and long dark nights and I start dreaming of the coming summer which is so far away.



I know winter will soon be over; it's only 3 months after all, but I don't have the patience to wait and I pray desperately for a chink of sunshine through the cold winter sky. How will I last until the spring? The answer is in my trusted aromatherapy kit which contains all the scents and memories of the summer.

Inside this plain wooden box is a magical world of scents and reminders which transport me to faraway beaches and tropical shores.

The citrus family of essential oils contain some wonderful oils to cheer my mood. Vibrant lemons, grapefruit and oranges stimulate both body and mind and lift me to far away lands, relaxing under the shade of a tropical fruit tree.

Rose and lavender essential oil takes me back to my youth, frolicking amongst the flowers in the sunshine. The wonderful scents and colors envelop my whole being.

Some of my favorite aromatherapy techniques for the winter months are shown below:

I find it incredible difficult to get up on dark winter mornings so I look for essential oils which will stimulate both my body and mind. I have found citrus based essential oil soaps ideal for the task and have created my own aromatherapy soap specifically for this task. Made using grapefruit, lemon and orange essential oils, the soap is stimulating, vibrant and packs an energizing punch that would rouse anyone from a deep winter slumber. My morning shower is transformed to a tropical shower under the sky and I am energized for the day ahead.

My daily commute is made more bearable with Eucalyptus essential oil. A couple of drops on my handkerchief make an excellent stimulating and refreshing tonic at any point throughout the journey.

Aromatherapy air fresheners are utilized throughout the office, usually citrus or floral scents waft through the air to lift my mood. Simple techniques using my favorite essential oils usually see me through the day happy and energized.

Unfortunately aromatherapy is not enough to ward off the evils of work related stress and I return home short tempered and irritable, and I need another hit from the aromatherapy box.

I need a relaxing bath with my favorite oils. I run a bath, adding four to five drops of lavender essential oil. Into this I sometimes add a couple of drops of rose essential oil or citrus oil depending on my mood. The bath usually does the trick and chills me out for the rest of the evening.

Before bed I sometimes bath in lavender and chamomile essential oil. This is an excellent relaxing bath and really helps me to sleep.

These are a couple of my favourite ways of using aromatherapy and essential oils within my daily life, especially during the long and sometimes depressing winter months.

Try using these techniques to lift your mood or modify them to suit your own life. Aromatherapy is a wonderful way to relax and cheer and you will find your own techniques and favourite oils as you become more experienced with aromatherapy.