Essential Oils For Stress and Memory in Students

So much of our health relies on the acuity of our mental faculties. This is especially so for students who are trying to memorise and re-call information in exams, essays and in the classroom. With all this pressure to perform it can leave a student stressed with poor memory and fatigue. Implementing essential oils can be a safe and effective way to help improve cognitive abilities and reduce stress levels.

How does aromatherapy work?

Researchers aren’t entirely sure how aromatherapy works but experts believe that the smell receptors in your nose communicate with parts of your brain such as the amygdala and hippocampus that store our memories and emotions. These areas of the brain become stimulated and influence our mental and physical wellbeing. It is also believed that molecules from essential oils may interact with hormones or enzymes in our blood. An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds that have been extracted from the roots, seeds, leaves and blossoms of plants.

What oils are effective?

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) has been shown to reduce pre-exam stress. A study found that a group of nursing students who used rosemary and lavender essential oils before a test reported lower levels of anxiety and pulse rates. Another study conducted at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University found that participants felt active and “fresher” after inhaling rosemary essential oil. It has been found that it works by increasing autonomic nervous system activity, reducing alpha 1 and 2 brainwaves while raising beta brainwaves.

Cineol (a component that makes up 45% of rosemary essential oil) was also found to improve memory recall of future events and tasks and mental arithmetic after inhalation. Other essential oils that contain cineol include eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and sage (Salvia officinalis).

Lavender
Numerous studies have noted the relaxing effects of lavender
(Lavendula angustifolia) essential oil. One such study showed that inhalation of the oil decreased blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature in the participants. This indicated a decrease in autonomic arousal and they categorized themselves as being more active, fresher and relaxed than the subjects who inhaled a base oil. Lavender has also shown to increase our cognitive abilities. A study conducted by the University of Miami found that 3 minutes of inhalation of lavender oil made the subjects feel less stressed but they also scored higher on mathematical tests, performing faster with more accuracy.

Vetiver (vetiveria zizanioides) a perennial grass, has been shown to maintain performance in visual discrimination tasks by showing faster reaction times. The participants breathed in low doses of the volatile compounds and found that they increased their performance while maintaining high sympathetic nerve system activity as measured by electrocardiography.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita), basil (Ocimum basilicum) and helichrysum(Helichrysum italicum) were combined in a blend and studied over a three week period in a randomised, controlled double-blind study.  It was found that those who inhaled the blend experienced reduced mental exhaustion and stress.

Other oil blends found to  support include;

Rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus and sage – improve memory and concentration
Ylang-ylang, lavender, citrus, sandalwood and roman chamomile – stress less and sleep more blend
Peppermint, holy basil, helichrysum, rosemary, vetiver and frankincense – decrease burnout and mental fatigue

How do you use them?

Essential oils can be used in a multitude of different ways. The easiest and quickest method to use, especially just before an exam is to sniff the oils. This can be done by putting a few drops on a handkerchief or tissue and inhaling or by sniffing from a small bottle. Alternatively they can be placed directly on the temples or under the nose. You can also rub a few drops of the essential oil on your hands and cup over your nose to inhale the vapours.

When studying or before bed add the oils to a diffuser. Ultrasonic diffusers are becoming a popular choice as they don’t apply heat or use water so as to retain the therapeutic properties of the oils. Other methods involve putting a few drops with water in the dish of an oil burner and using a heat source underneath to vaporize the oil. For people who don’t own a diffuser or oil burner try 8 drops on a tissue or cotton ball and place in the air vent in the house or car.

A wonderful way to relax the body at night to promote a good night’s sleep is to add essential oils to a warm bath. Mix together ½ cup of epsom salts, ¼ cup of sea salts, ¼ cup of baking soda with 10-15 drops of any of the essential oils mentioned above. Alternatively a few drops can also be placed on the pillowslip before bed.

When using the oils topically, dilute the oils by half in a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil. This can be applied on the temples, forehead, back of the neck and ears. Apply between 3 to 6 times a day.

For the truly indulgent, try an aromatherapy massage. The oils can be applied all over the body to relax the mind and muscles. The massage component will increase the effectiveness of the essential oils.
Some essential oils can be used internally. It is recommended to only use those that are part of a formula approved for internal use. Lavender oil can be found in tablet form in formulas used for stress, anxiety and insomnia.

When selecting essential oils it is important to use pure, un-adulterated therapeutic grade oils. It is advised that pregnant women, people with a history of allergies and asthma should only use oils under the guidance of a trained health professional.

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Download CBSE Class 10 Admit Card 2020

The Board will release the CBSE admit card 2020 for class 10th in the first week of February. It will be released online for private students, while the regular students will have to collect them from their respective schools. It is important to carry the CBSE 10th admit card 2020 on the days of the exam as no student will be allowed to write the exam without it. The admit card contains the exam time table, exam centre, student name, date of birth, CBSE roll number and exam day instructions. Students must keep the admit card carefully till the announcement of the results.

Admit Card CBSE 2020 Exam Download Procedure :

• Visit the official website of CBSE, i.e., cbse.nic.in
• Click on the link “Admit Card for Private Candidates – Examinations 2020” or you can directly visit the page by clicking here “Admit Card For Private Candidates“
• There you will find three options, click on any of the given options from Application No. or Previous Roll No. and Year or Candidate’s Name.
• Then fill the details that are asked and click on proceed.
• You will get your e-admit card.
• Check whether all the details in the admit card are mentioned correctly.
• After checking all the details, take the print out of the admit card and keep it safe with you for future use.

All the candidates are notified that they have to carry their CBSE Class 10th Admit Cards with them, without these Admit cards they will not be allowed to enter the examination premises. Along with the admit cards, candidates need to bring a valid photo identity proof with them.

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Developing Mental Focus & Concentration among Kids

Staying on task can be difficult, but it can be particularly challenging when you are surrounded by constant distraction and specifically in case of Child it’s really a gigantic task to be on track. In today's always-connected world, diversions are nothing more than a click away. Even during quiet moments, distraction is literally at fingertips. The ability to concentrate on something in our environment and direct mental effort toward it is critical for learning new things, achieving goals, and performing well across a wide variety of situations.

Thus, there is need of improving metal focus & concentration. And, improving our mental focus is achievable, but that does not mean that it is necessarily quick and easy. If it was simple, then we would all have the razor-sharp concentration of an elite athlete. It will take some real effort and one may have to make some major changes to some of the daily habits. Grown up people can improve their concentration with special exercises, however, with children, one needs to use a different strategies. A child can be helped to develop his or her concentration in various ways. These ways will teach the child certain habits and rules that would make it easier to focus and be less restless, while doing homework or carrying out tasks.

Here are 12 simple ways to help a child develop his mental focus & concentration. 

1.     Give Attention to Get Attention - How much attention a child gives a task also depends on whether he is enjoying himself. Many children struggle when asked to do something they don't want to do. The first time you introduce an activity that is more important to you than to your child, you are testing your creativity and flexibility as a parent and teacher. This is where the struggle lies for many parents/ teachers, because kids entering school have to do more structured, repetitive, and academic tasks, such as writing their names or sounding out letters. So the first thing that comes first is giving attention to the kid so that he/ she understands that his/ her attention is important.  

2.     Keep them physically active - Some physical activity, like playing, running or some sports, between study and tasks, would supply a way to vent out extra energy. This would help the child to be less restless, offset boredom and make it easier focus. Research shows that physical activities, such as cycling, playing football, running, etc., are not only good for their body but also for their mind. It helps children focus better on what they are doing. Child development experts say young kids should be able to focus between 4 and 20 minutes, possibly more, depending on the task. But this rule of thumb, just like any guideline for raising children, depends on the situation. And, important focus is ensure that the child has enough sleep at night, and also, some rest during the day and they can practice meditation and yoga too.

3.     Divide a Big Task into Small Chunks - A big task requires too much concentration and discipline, so it would be a good idea to divide it into smaller tasks. This could be applied to homework, housework and learning new skills. Doing small projects, which lead to the completion of a major project, give the feeling of progress and movement, making it easier to focus. A big task that requires time, dedication and focus, might seem intimating and overwhelming, and can awaken reluctance to tackle. A small task seems easier to carry through and there is less resistance.

4.     Reducing Distractions - Unless engaged in something they really like, children might find it difficult to screen out distractions. You need to keep the environment where they learn, study or carry out tasks, as distraction-free as possible. Be especially wary of television, loud music, noises, and anything else that might distract the child's attention.

5.     Reduce screen time - It is not a good idea to watch TV while doing homework, since this distracts the attention. Today mobile phones have become one of the perilous distractions among Kids. Kids are getting addicted to mobile phones which needs to be avoided. Instead of giving the child electronic games to play with, give them traditional, physical games. You can buy them things that propel creativity and thinking while having fun. Allot a certain hour for your kid’s daily screen time when they can watch TV or the internet. In this way, the screen time will remain in check.

6.     Doing Homework at the Same Hour Every Day - Repeating the same activity every day at the same hour, eventually, turns it into a habit. If a child sits down for homework every day at the same hour, after a while, when the hour comes, there will be less effort required to focus. The mind will know that the time for homework has arrived, and would be more willing to study.

7.     Let Children Have Play and Fun - Giving children too many tasks and involving them in too many activities can be overwhelming and tiring for their brains. As a parent/ teacher you should allow them enough time for pleasure and fun, so they don't feel too pressurized and bored.

8.     Play Games that Require Focus - You can train and strengthen a child's ability to focus by playing games that require thinking. There are a lot of such games, which you can find in stores selling games for children such as flintobox child engagement games & activities. Playing games that require focusing, planning and the use of memory combine fun with concentration.

9.     Allow Break before Beginning a New Task - When the child is busy, tell him what he has to do next, but allow a few minutes, till he stops and starts the new activity. This advice is more valid, when a child is engaged doing something likes and enjoys doing, since there would be reluctance to stop what he is doing and start do something else.

10.  Set goals: Develop a habit of setting goals and completing them in time. The goals need to be achievable and divide their study time into various categories to achieve. You can prepare a timetable for all their activities such as play time, study time, hobby time, etc. Set the time for completing a goal, like ten minutes, twenty minutes, etc. This might force the kid to focus, so as to finish the goal within the time limits. However, you should be careful with this, since some children might find setting time limits too pressurizing, and this could cause them anxiety and disturb their focus.

11.  Give daily responsibilities - Depending on your child’s age, hand out responsibilities like setting the table, making a sandwich with you, sorting the cupboard and the like. Thus, simple daily tasks that require order can help improve the child’s mind. And the tasks need to change on a regular basis so that your child does not lose interest.

12.  Appreciate and reward them - When you see your child improving and doing things better, give them a pat or some thoughtful gift. The children must feel motivated while doing a task as they need to feel accomplished when they complete a task. This helps children remain motivated and focused to perform more and better.

Thus, distractions in our modern day work have become voluminous which need a check & balance and in case of kids it’s highly essential.  There are many different strategies that can help minimize distractions, improve focus & concentrations among children. Not all work for everyone, which is why it is required to explore different strategies for the kids based on age and need.

Author
Dr. Ajit Kumar Kar
In-Charge (Learning & Development) @ IMFA Ltd., Judge - Brandon Hall HR Excellence Awards-2019 , Co-Founder - CHRD
www.ajitprofile.webs.com



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Want to remember everything you read.. Here is a technique

There are only 675,450 hours in the average human life. Every hour that’s wasted is an hour you won’t get back. If you’re working hard every day but not getting measurable results, then you’re wasting your life—one hour at a time.

The solution is simple:

Stop randomly working on projects. Instead, create a plan for the important tasks and work on each with a completely focused mindset.  And the best tool for doing this is through the Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique where you break down all of your tasks into 25 minute focused blocks of time.

Between each time block, there is a five minute break.  And after completing four Pomodoros you take a longer break—usually 15 to 30 minutes.

In the late 1980's, Francesco Cirillo first came up with the Pomodoro System Cirillo came up with the name (which is an Italian word for “tomato”) because he utilized a tomato-shaped egg timer when managing his time.

In theory, this strategy works because you completely focus on one task (like writing) without shifting focus or multitasking.  When the clock is ticking, you ignore the urge to check email, hop on Facebook, answer text messages or do any other distracting activity.  You’re in the zone and completely focused.

If you decide to implement this system you’ll be able to:

• Eliminate the multi-tasking habit.
• Focus on the task at hand.
• Get more things done because you’ll have a sense of urgency.
• Avoid the perfectionist mindset by overly “fine-tuning” a project.
• Build higher levels of willpower and concentration.
• Decrease stress levels because you’re doing one thing at a time.

That just a taste of what your life could be like by using the Pomodoro technique.  Start from today...

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