What makes you happy? There is a correct answer to this question and it’s serotonin and dopamine. You may know this dynamic duo as the “happy chemicals.” But what, beyond that, are they and what role do they play when we inhale essential oils? There’s much to uncover here, so our aromatherapists put together a mini-neuroscience lesson for you. Don’t worry, there’s a lot to be happy about in this article. 

For starters, let’s look at what serotonin and dopamine do exactly. Serotonin relates to mood regulation. More serotonin in the body is equated with happiness, whereas less serotonin is equated with unhappiness. On the other hand, dopamine relates to how much you feel rewarded for doing something. For example, when you’re hungry, eating food releases dopamine, which makes you feel good, causing you to want to eat the next time you’re hungry. 

We’ve talked a lot in the past about essential oils that are uplifting, stress-relieving, mood-balancing, etc., but not so much about how they’re able to affect mood. As it turns out, dopamine and serotonin have much to do about essential oils' effect on our emotions. One study showed that essential oils’ positive effects on mood directly correlated with the stimulation of serotonin and dopamine. Recent studies were in line with these findings, showing that Lavender stimulated dopamine receptors in the olfactory bulb of the brain. Furthermore, Bitter Orange oil (a relative of Petitgrain and Neroli oil) was shown to relieve anxiety through its involvement with the serotonin receptor, 5-HT1A. Therefore, promising studies and research agree in large part with essential oils’ ability to stimulate serotonin and dopamine.